oh boy!

I had a most enlightening conversation with a 17-year old boy.

I was in Cebu recently on official business. One of the meetings we had was with the Executive Director of the Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprises (CITE), the school we’re dealing with for our company’s Dual Training System project. CITE is a college/school for boys so it was really no surprise that the boys stared, albeit politely, at moi, the lone female at that time (as far as I could tell) in the school.

As the long meeting was winding down over freshly brewed coffee, I excused myself to go to the ladies’ room. Since it WAS a school for boys, finding a ladies’ room can be quite a challenge. I was told it was on the top floor and so up I went only to find myself lost among the labs and classrooms. I finally had to ask for directions from a group of boys who looked more like thirteen than seventeen. I was told the only ladies’ room was at the visitor’s lounge on the ground floor. I probably looked confused so one of them was kind enough to offer to walk with me.

On the way down, the boy sheepishly kept looking in my direction, as if trying to make up his mind whether to talk to me or not. He finally got the courage, squared his shoulders, cleared his throat and in a tiny, squeaky voice of an awkward boy, asked politely, “Dinadalaw nyo po anak nyo?”

With a smile still pasted on my lips, I told him I was there for a meeting. But my thoughts went, “Anak ka dyan! Anak ka ng…”

Yes, that truly was an enlightening conversation.

heaven is that moment

It has been a month-long Valentine celebration, I swear! I can still hear those mushy, cheezy lines –

“Dalawang bese lang kita gusto makita : Now and forever.” - Ang KESO mo!!

“Para kang centrum... coz u complete me!” - Baduy mo, ‘tiong!

"Pustiso ka ba? ‘Coz I can’t smile without you.” - Ewwww!

And people certainly haven’t had enough yet of the love songs – they’re played on radios, on PCs, in the malls, sung by the staff at my back, he‘s about to piss me off! (bitter?)

One song – just a line really- by Karen Carpenter stuck in my head, “… and heaven is that moment when I looked into your eyes…” It was early Sunday morning. I was reading a book, seated by the fire escape stairway in my apartment building when I heard that song, that line, played for the nth time. I stopped my reading, rolled my eyes, annoyance seeping in. And then I looked out from my third floor view and there it was – my bit of heaven. The sky was gloriously blue and the sun was joyfully bright, as if smiling down at me.

And I understood. “Heaven is that moment” when I’m with my sister and her family. “Heaven is that moment” when amongst friends. “Heaven” is laughter. "Heaven is that moment" in prayer. “Heaven” is food. “Heaven” is work. “Heaven” is this little piece of room I now call my mini-home. “Heaven” is that e-mail or text from a friend. "Heaven" is looking outside my balcony and marveling at my space flowers. “Heaven” is waking up to a new day, a new chance. “Heaven” is Isabel’s new wily story and Inigo’s chubby cheeks. “Heaven” is that sincere smile from a new friend. ‘Heaven” is going with a friend to shop, to party, to bowl. “Heaven” is talking for hours with friends about anything and everything. “Heaven” is getting through pain. “Heaven” is knowing all is well. “Heaven” is this…talking to you. YOU are my bit of heaven.

I always, always have “moments of heaven” every single day. There is always something to be grateful for. But I guess I was looking so much at the lack, at the pain and fear and frustration, they blind me to see those heavenly moments. Focusing on what I don't have instead of the wealth of blessings that I do have rob me of the joys of these moments in heaven.

The song is called "I Just Fall In Love Again". Now wouldn't THAT be heavenly if I really just did fall in love again? But until such time (if ever), I will enjoy and be grateful for these many, many "moments of heaven".