Angel

When Facebook was born along with its sibling social network, Twitter (I am not sure if they were introduced at the same timing), the world compounded into a device that fit in the palm of our hands. The world instantaneously shrunk into a touch of a finger.

Humans beings are a free animal. We traverse the world back and forth, leaving loved ones to achieve our goals. I left my country for greener pasture without realizing the fact that doing so required a compromise. And I compromised unintentionally.

I phoned my brother today. Since he got his new job, which I am very proud of, there never was an occasion that he tried to communicate with me. Both of us are using Blackberry, the messaging service is free and accessible. It was never maximized.

The downside to learning to live on my own is that loved ones have likewise gotten used to my absence. When I went home for a short trip to my hometown, there never was an event that my brother took time off just to kill it by chatting with me. Like he did before. I guess to compromise is to embrace change that it drags with it. My brother's world revolves around his fiancé now; sooner or later he will have a family of his own. Sooner or later, a glimpse of him will only be a privilege. Sooner or later, when he becomes busy with his life and kids, hearing his voice will only be through retrieval from memory.

If only I could turn back time.

It All Ends, Harry Potter

Ten years have gone by swiftly like the waves that steal a kiss from the shoreline just to immediately retract and roll back to the sea. Transpiration is in a span of a blink.

I remember the first time Harry Potter invaded the screens; my brother labeled it as basically children's book. He was not impressed by the story line's richness within its uncomplicated plot. Then the second came. And the third. We patronized every installment in the moving pictures that I do not specifically recall which part we got persuaded to read the books. When we did, we plunged, with arms wide open, into the abyss of spells, and wizards, giants, and goblins we now pledged to believe are all non-fiction . After the third book, we vowed to be witnesses to the reality of Harry Potter.

Rupert Grint who played Ron Weasley mentioned in one of his interviews, 'All things come to an end'. Ten years evaporated, they are all a memory now, and this piece of literature that has gained legions of millions of fans has finally reached the dead end. 'People die everyday', according to Neville Longbottom. Stories cannot be dragged until dilapidation, where it transforms into merely collection of meaningless papers. The end is sweet.

'Only I can live forever', Voldemort said. Harry Potter has been immortalized by people who have been victimized by disparity and prejudices based on family background, but have found the bravery to dismount because someone encouraged them to. Harry resides in all the Doby in us, who does not let situations consume them until they cannot function fully, but instead overturns it. Harry will live forever, in the collective effort of loved ones who unfailingly protect and sacrifice all they have for the people who give them a sunshine morning. 'Don't pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, especially those who live without love,' according to Albus Dumbledore. Harry survived because of his mother's love, because of Snape's intertwined contribution, Snape who remained loyal to his never-ceasing love for Lily Potter until the end. He surrendered to the need to guard him meticulously under his peripheral vision, changing the norms and wearing a villainous mask, for that peek of Lily's persona in Harry's eyes. The series of films revolved around the many faces of love.

And I fell in love in return. J.K. Rowling, the author of this magnificent masterpiece, promised to continue writing, aware of the fact that production of a phenomenal literary piece is a once in a lifetime achievement. In one of the scenes in the part two of the seventh installment, Harry asked his loved ones who have passed away if they will be with him. Sirius pointed at Harry's heart, for it is their dwelling place. The Harry Potter series have finally ended, and transferred from the big screen, hard-bounds, and paperbacks to the hearts of the people who are affected by it. He will never leave. The memory of Harry Potter will stay in the pensive of our treasured memories where it will find eternal sanctuary. There, the boy who lived, will remain forever.

Boracay

Part of my itinerary was to visit our grandmother who lives in the South. Squeezed in between is a sojourn to a glimpse of heaven, a beach called Boracay.

We stayed in my father's place when I was young for years, but never did we step foot on that place. This vacation of mine had been an opportunity to finally materialize hearsays and experience the ten-times-better-than-phuket-thailand haven. And my expections were met a thousand fold!

Ever wonder if there is such sand as fine and white as powdered milk, where three shades of green with a dab of blue are visible on its crystal clear waters? Boracay is the perfect pearly postcard, a luxuriant gift from the One above. It is a blissful intimacy between man and nature.

And it is just an hour ride from my grandmother's home! :)

The Eagle Has Landed

Despite my redundant home-coming, the fear of flight always attacks me and clouds my mind. Excitement could not totally squeeze me tightly; the thought of flying painfully sneaks in and is sandwiched in between. So I solicited prayers.

One of my church siblings recounted the agony and horror of being on an 8-hour flight solely. She experienced bad airplane journeys in the past, the long travel to Europe psychologically murdered her. But she was able to overcome all these. She shared to me her secret.

I checked in early, I paced to the boarding gates ahead of the 520 pm deadline. I chose a solemn chair, took hold of it, neatly positioned my belongings to the sit beside me, and blessed myself. I closed my eyes and recalled to be in His presence. I uttered my prayers.

The weather for the past days, both in Singapore and Philippines, was maddening. Heavy downpour infested the area and has procrastinated its stay for a couple of days. July is the typhoon season in the Philippines; I remorsed having been persuaded to book a flight in a small plane as Tiger Airways, given the situation, mainly due to its cheap rates. Turbulence has always been in my black list. My heart stops every time the plane descends un-deliberately; even the slightest twitch increases my blood pressure to the maximum. My heart is sliced in two pieces, my hands tremble and the sweat glands produce the stickiest of secretes. Anxiety befriends me.

I boarded by myself, worries all packed in my luggages it exceeded the allotted weight of 20 kilos. But God was with me. A sibling blogged her 8-hour plane ride ordeal, and how God, in His magnificence, rescued her from senseless paranoia. He salvaged me today. Rain did not occur, not even a drop of drizzle touched the tongues of the thirsty landscapes, in both my places of origin and destination. The plane's take off today was as smooth as a baby's lullaby. The ride was bumpy in the middle, like the normal hump I experience in road trips every single day. I imagined being in a class trip where things flew and scattered all over but the kids were enjoying and did not even notice them. That's faith.

I remember once a cab driver told me that Someone up there loves me. The rain was nonstop during his whole drive but it came to a halt upon my acquisition of his service. Today was a deja vu. I offered a short prayer and a decade of Rosary to Mother Mary, and amidst the rough, tumultuous weather mood precedently, the sun conquered the clouds. It accompanied me all through my three and a half journey. The names of the pilots in command were mentioned at the commencement, but one name echoed in a whisper. 'He who calmed the raging seas and roaring wind, they woke Him up to silence the storm'. And He did. He was my pilot in command today :)

Mid-Life Crisis

I was not expecting to gather some insights from the movie Transformers 3 that I saw yesterday. However, I was taken aback by one of the scenes, the exchange of conversation between Sam and his future boss Bruce Brazo, played by John Malkovich, during his job interview. Bruce mentioned something like the first job is crucial, because it either makes the career or he has landed in some corporate pit and will be enslaved against his will for eternity. The statement's impact was powerful It rewound me to my novice days.

Failed job interviews and an immediate attainment of money-centered goals led me away from my dream. I wanted to be a writer, I ended up being a banker. The management of this blog is a form of containing my sanity. It is my freedom.

I had a conversation with a friend today on our way home. I asked her if she was happy. "I could be happier", she replied. The question bounced to me; I accepted it with curious thinking and a heavy sigh. The answer was as clear as the glass window on a stormy night.

In the Book of Happiness, one expert stated that people tend to concentrate their lifespan on making money, and, in effect, spend this hard-earned money to restore what has been destroyed in the process. I became wiser, I gained a little, I missed out celebrations, triumphs and sorrows in return. My mother tries to refill the missed episodes by cooking for me all the meals that I have been yearning. We try to avoid mushy conversation, or we will sleep on wet pillows throughout the night. In the wee hours of my contemplation, I wonder if our sacrifices are worth all the dollars that I exchanged it for. The answers are elusive.

My only prayer is for God to grant me the courage to give up pride, so I can embrace home for good.