You’ve just won a new life!
Every person was born with the right to receive and to induldge the luster of all the exquisite experiences out there for grabs.
It is only a matter of time on when you will want to pursue the things being offered within your grasp.
A friend of mine, a close one as he is to everyone else he knows and who knows him, and even who doesn't know him, did something that has been always an obvious entry on his to-do-soon-list. Well finally, he got out - with flying colors in my own opinion. Though he's not the first to do this in our batch, as one of my college friend, and also a housemate, did the same thing several months back, this one upsets me more. In that same chair, same table, and almost the same time where he brief one of the other few selected friend from his pool of friends, who cried, did he break the good news to me - or should I say for me to guess it correctly, shockingly and confirmed it. He's resigning.
He is not alone in his venture. He is leaving with another good friend, which, of course, didn't help. Everything at that moment seems normal. As if I'm not affected. Maybe because it's not really surprising as I predicted it several times - the only difference now than those times is today, I'm dead right. He told me the plan a month before they leave. A combination of talent, ability, connection and of course a little luck gave them that opportunity.
You see, the good thing about being part of a mass hired entry level job is that it's like college all over again. You're all associates, you are all freshies. Only this time, everyone is more mature, possibly have clear goals, and everyone needs to cooperate. It's included in the job description so you can't be that PNB (Patay Na Bata) that is excused and widely accepted in a normal setup. Here you need to talk, you need to socialize, which, gives the opportunity to build strong relationships and bonds in the long run. Which also offers this setback that whenever someone leaves, you will definitely feel the loss.
Though I kept on saying "you", this is a personal blog, so I'm not really speaking for everyone but me, myself and I! This is how I see this situation. I remember him say he's not expecting that kind of goodbye. Yeah, I guess they both deserve a more grand Bon Voyage. I would like that as much. So I think, not everyone experience the same sadness.
Not to mention that at some point in time, we're both heartbroken freaks of some selective "Love-vi-verse". Some sentiments we shared.
I guess it's around 2 months now since that goodbye-semi-send-off-lunch-out happened. Both of them went to Calaguas the immediate weekend. I really like to join them but I'm out of budget. That's probably the biggest "NO" decision I made in the entire gimik-outing life I have ever had since I'm usually a YES-man when it comes to this stuff - and probably one of the regrettable decisions I made. He told me a month earlier than everybody else and what I heard from another colleague is a slap in the face. That other colleague said "If I only knew you guys were leaving, I will do my best to join you". Well, I do know, and I chose not too - for some money-reason that I don't really give a damn. No, I'm lying. I do give a damn about money but experiences, laughs, bonds, family - these, are the things that really matters. But somehow, you can do only so much with respect to how much you can spare in your bank account or how much scratch can your CC take. Yeah, expensive world.
So there, it started to kick in. I started to absorb the fact that I will seldom see them. Though they repeatedly say that it's damn easy to see each other anytime, I really don't think it's THAT easy. I am sad, but more importantly, I'm upset and a little bit envious. Not that I want to leave since I actually love the place and I'm starting to experience some first hand opportunity that other people would kill to have - I'm exaggerating but in a lesser tone, it's true.
In the end, we all have something worth a smile of satisfaction. I always thought this quote can solve anything and most of the times it does.
When it's not yet OK, it's not yet over
We just have to keep moving forward and just like in a lottery, maybe you're next. You might just win a new life - that sounds like ending some life you already have but that's not it, a life never really actually ends until it actually ENDS, just some entirely new plane overlaps with what you currently have - an addition to the Life you already have. A new life in your Lives.
Life is more than egg and sperm, it's a complex interaction of dreams, memories, emotion and love. It doesn't have a physical entity, but it exist in the space between two or more individuals
Cheers! See you around.
The Pinatubo Trek
It's been roughly 20 years since Pinatubo unleashed its 600 (or ~500) years worth of sleeping anger. In June 15, 1991, Pinatubo erupted (though seismic activities started around June) and forever changes the surrounding landscape. It affected hundreds and thousands of locals and even buried towns under gushing lahars. I still have a vague memory of the thick cloud I saw that year that my mom later confirmed that it was caused by the said eruption.
Today, what was left has become a tourist destination. A trekking route that offers more than just the crater. The vast landscape sculpted by lahar deserves a wow. An irony of enjoyment and challenge in commemoration of the tragic event that happened 20 years prior.
There are a lot of ways to start your adventure in Mt. Pinatubo. Just key in "Pinatubo Tour" or related keywords in Google and you will see a lot of neat deals being offered by tour agencies - in our case, we chose Tripinas! Don't ask me why, my officemate did all the logistics, and it turned out great and you'll be surprise when you meet Mr. T. ^_^
It's a trekking/swimming trip (yeah, swimming!), so be sure you are properly geared. A smartly packed backpack is your lifeline in this adventure. I usually over pack in every trip I made, it gives me an ease of mind that I'm prepared no matter what. Bring water (it's a must of course), packed lunch, miryenda and every chicha you can comfortably carry. What? I love to eat in beautiful places, it's a must for me! Wear trekking shoes or slippers. If you're going to wear slippers, gauge the rubber if it's strong enough for a four-hour land-water trek. You will cross some foot-deep streams (dept do vary) so a rubber shoes is a no-no if you want them to last. Again, pack only what you need and can comfortably carry. Carry the bag close to your body so the weight of the bag won't greatly affect your center. All set? Let's go!