The beautiful ones at Kawasan Falls!!!:) Me and my friend Diadema.
...some people feel the rain,some just get wet.
since December 2006
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Desert Smiles
I was on vacation for the semestral break and how I waited for this.
Family and I were all bound to a town 36 km away from home for our grandma’s birthday. We all won’t fit in the car so we had to make two trips. My older sister drove us first, then I had to go back and fetch the rest of my family. I had to drive back home – alone – to my heart’s delight and thrill.:)
Driving has always been a medicine to my heart.:) It gives me that sense of peace and that of “moving on”. Today, driving back home was definitely a treat for me after a busy and tough semester in school! I felt so happy. It seemed I had all the time in the world. I even felt safe. The trees, grass, and everything all seemed too harmless. I was fascinated by the shadow of the moving clouds that ran on the road. We raced each other. Sometimes I beat her out. Sometimes, she was way too fast for me. Fine.:)
Was playing Margarita’s You Were Never Mine and What A Wonderful World and gosh, how it made my trip wonderful!:) Sang with her with a happy heart and wished the drive was longer. I was half my way, and I was half-frozen for what happened next. The car’s engine stopped. Krrrggg! Duh! I said, “Come on, it’s just kidding!” But it wasn’t. It was seriously dead – under the sun-bathed, lonely highway. It was like a desert with its quiet, only that there were trees, birds, and grass I could see on both sides of the road. Calmly, I tried to start the car again and again till I was convinced I was in trouble. I ran out of gasoline. Don’t blame me – the gauge didn’t work and my sister said everything’s fine. I just have to drive home, that’s all.
Thought of calling for help, but even before I could scroll and pick a name on my phone, I realized I had no phone signal. What in the world!?! It all began to sink in me. It was so hot I could feel my skin burning. There were a couple of small houses few meters away. I saw a group of men doing some woodcraft. They were watching me – unsure if I wanted their help or should they help? Suddenly, I felt so alone, vulnerable and strange.
I decided to walk and ask for the nearest store that sells gasoline. One folk told me to walk farther, I shall find one. It must have been the hardest walk I had to make. Aside from the biting heat of the sun, I didn’t have money with me. Being home, I didn’t have to bring money all the time, or so I thought.
I’ve never been used to begging or bargaining. But I had no choice anyway. I prepared my speech. I would ask for a liter or two, promise to pay it later, will be willing to leave my cell phone, if only they’d give me gasoline. But before I could utter those words, the storeowner said they ran out of supply. No way! Gosh. But all of the sudden, a bar of phone signal showed up on my phone. It was like a sun showing up after a day’s dark storm. Hurriedly called my sister. But here’s another treat for me – my phone ran out of battery! Great. Glad it was still merciful enough to let me send just one text.
Didn’t get any more reply since my phone was dead. But I was confident my sister would do something. I just have to hold on to that and wait. I decided to walk back to the car. Played What a Wonderful World again and the other songs I had on my tape sang by my friend, singer-composer Margarita on her album tour here in Cebu. I sat back and relax. Got my notebook and pen and wrote down some good thoughts. Thought of people and things that matter to me. Thought of some good memories both old and new. Thought of God and His love. In the desert, my heart was happy.
What a humbling experience for me. It stripped me off from all that make me feel secured and comfortable. But sure it didn’t have to take away my heart and my will to stand and smile on top of it. This made me feel better. My faith was tested.
Almost couple of hours later, a friend drove by and helped me out. Finally got home. My stomach starved. My face was red. My throat was dry. But I was fine and whole. My happy heart can be seen right at the smile painted on my lips. Oh, it’s a wonderful world.:) Even in the desert, one can remember to smile and live by.:)
Family and I were all bound to a town 36 km away from home for our grandma’s birthday. We all won’t fit in the car so we had to make two trips. My older sister drove us first, then I had to go back and fetch the rest of my family. I had to drive back home – alone – to my heart’s delight and thrill.:)
Driving has always been a medicine to my heart.:) It gives me that sense of peace and that of “moving on”. Today, driving back home was definitely a treat for me after a busy and tough semester in school! I felt so happy. It seemed I had all the time in the world. I even felt safe. The trees, grass, and everything all seemed too harmless. I was fascinated by the shadow of the moving clouds that ran on the road. We raced each other. Sometimes I beat her out. Sometimes, she was way too fast for me. Fine.:)
Was playing Margarita’s You Were Never Mine and What A Wonderful World and gosh, how it made my trip wonderful!:) Sang with her with a happy heart and wished the drive was longer. I was half my way, and I was half-frozen for what happened next. The car’s engine stopped. Krrrggg! Duh! I said, “Come on, it’s just kidding!” But it wasn’t. It was seriously dead – under the sun-bathed, lonely highway. It was like a desert with its quiet, only that there were trees, birds, and grass I could see on both sides of the road. Calmly, I tried to start the car again and again till I was convinced I was in trouble. I ran out of gasoline. Don’t blame me – the gauge didn’t work and my sister said everything’s fine. I just have to drive home, that’s all.
Thought of calling for help, but even before I could scroll and pick a name on my phone, I realized I had no phone signal. What in the world!?! It all began to sink in me. It was so hot I could feel my skin burning. There were a couple of small houses few meters away. I saw a group of men doing some woodcraft. They were watching me – unsure if I wanted their help or should they help? Suddenly, I felt so alone, vulnerable and strange.
I decided to walk and ask for the nearest store that sells gasoline. One folk told me to walk farther, I shall find one. It must have been the hardest walk I had to make. Aside from the biting heat of the sun, I didn’t have money with me. Being home, I didn’t have to bring money all the time, or so I thought.
I’ve never been used to begging or bargaining. But I had no choice anyway. I prepared my speech. I would ask for a liter or two, promise to pay it later, will be willing to leave my cell phone, if only they’d give me gasoline. But before I could utter those words, the storeowner said they ran out of supply. No way! Gosh. But all of the sudden, a bar of phone signal showed up on my phone. It was like a sun showing up after a day’s dark storm. Hurriedly called my sister. But here’s another treat for me – my phone ran out of battery! Great. Glad it was still merciful enough to let me send just one text.
Didn’t get any more reply since my phone was dead. But I was confident my sister would do something. I just have to hold on to that and wait. I decided to walk back to the car. Played What a Wonderful World again and the other songs I had on my tape sang by my friend, singer-composer Margarita on her album tour here in Cebu. I sat back and relax. Got my notebook and pen and wrote down some good thoughts. Thought of people and things that matter to me. Thought of some good memories both old and new. Thought of God and His love. In the desert, my heart was happy.
What a humbling experience for me. It stripped me off from all that make me feel secured and comfortable. But sure it didn’t have to take away my heart and my will to stand and smile on top of it. This made me feel better. My faith was tested.
Almost couple of hours later, a friend drove by and helped me out. Finally got home. My stomach starved. My face was red. My throat was dry. But I was fine and whole. My happy heart can be seen right at the smile painted on my lips. Oh, it’s a wonderful world.:) Even in the desert, one can remember to smile and live by.:)