broken body part, please mend

Soon, i hope.  Then, I’d be back in business, thinking of the stuff that used to preoccupy me; living today thinking of tomorrow instead of last year’s (winternovember).

 

I’ve been greatly inconvenienced already — spent precious peso, in this time of crisis, on beloved books, essential movies, sovereign food.  But, most unforgivable, wonderful sleep is reduced to a measly half of what I used to have.  Work has felt like work since; wanderlust seems about to kick in.

 

broken body part, are you truly? 

do you ever mend, really?

 

take me away.  take me along.  

but, please, to a place happy, body parts healthy.  and i hope, i hope, it would be a bright bright beautiful day.

to paths bright and promising and blessed!

One of my oldest friends took a sacred vow last week.  Most of those who witnessed the profession were fighting back tears when the rites started and she, together with four other ladies, publicly answered The Call and said, “Here I am.” 

 

Three and a half years have passed since we sent her off to her journey of faith and her commitment remains unwavering.  (I, on the other hand, have had countless conversations with myself on the question, “Should I stay or should I go?”  Or more accurately, “Where do I go?”)  No amount of jokes (with subliminal messages?) would make her change her mind.  (A friend told her, “The leaves that you rake in the morning would be your salad for dinner!”  – or some such jokes.)

 

Still, she inspires me.  (Although, I have to admit, her profession is not for me.  Or, I, am not for her profession.  I’m quite certain I would be kicked out on grounds of ‘disobedience’.  At any rate, among other things, her community would most likely not accept me due to ‘conflict of interest’… )

 

It was all family and friends and good food and general good cheer after the rites.  I hope that all the good vibes had rubbed off on me.

 

At night, Sr. A–’s two best friends and I and her spiritual confessor went to the mall to watch a movie.  Unfortunately, the movie we wanted to see was not showing.  We stuffed ourselves with seafood instead, checked out model condo units (don’t ask), and had our fortunes told (except Spiritual Confessor, who does not believe and is strong.  That was fun.

word from the wise

The Government and I did not see eye to eye, as usual.  Or more accurately, counsel from the government and I did not.  He casually said “dismissed” and “(weak) evidence” and I worried that the ‘clients’ would lose heart.  Apparently (and uncharacteristically), my worry (lost heart?) showed, and was immediately sensed by the ‘clients’.

 

Our jeep crawling through the highway of unforgiving sun, I was jolted from my confused thoughts of dry statutory provisions by a word from “Commissioner” –  

 

“Huwag kang mag-alalala, gracevill, kaming mga katutubo ay hindi papatalo sa iisang papel.”  (Don’t worry, gracevill, we, indigenous peoples will not be defeated by a mere scrap of paper.”)  

 

Shortly thereafter, the jeep-ful of cheerful old men and two strong ladies, dropped me off at a gas station, where this girl took the bus to Manila.  The orange sun, to my left, was blazing and low on the horizon.  Tomorrow, it shall be on the right again, rising.