Pleasant Surprise

Akalain mo yun. Hindi nga, hirap akalain na magkakaganun.

When I talked about changes happening in Y2011 as the most constant thing that I have witnessed, little did I know that it will still push forward to present day Y2012.

Laking pasalamat ko sa Poong May Kapal sa kanyang pagpapadala ng “kaliwanagan ng isip”. Itong pagliliwanag ng isipan ang naging daan upang makita ng isang napariwarang dalaga ang landas pabalik sa kaligayahan. Kaligayahan na hindi na niya kailangan hanapin sa ibang tao upang ang sarili niya ay magkaroon ng kabuluhan.  Isang taon na din kaming hindi nag kita at akoý nagulat sa kanyang pagababago.  Pagkatapos ng isang masakit na pag hihiwalay dito sa pabrika ng posporo, nakabangon na siya ulit sa lakbay ng buhay.  Bumalik na siya sa kolehiyo upang ituwid and daan patungo sa mas-nakakariwasang buhay. Wala na rin siyang ina-asahang “boyfriend” upang madama niya and pagmamahal.  Nadarama na niya ang pagmamahal na dulot ng Dakilang Lumkiha sa pamamagitan ng kaniyang mga kapatid, magulang, at mga malalapit na kaibigan.  Totoong nagalit ako sa ginawa mo noon. Pero hanggang ganun lang yun. Galit ako sa ginawa niya, pero hindi sa kanya, bilang isang tao.  Ako ay natutuwa at mas maliwanag na ang itinatahas niya ngayon.

But a bigger surprise two weeks into Y2012 is how I witnessed change coming from someone that even I,  wrote-off as a completely hopeless case. I guess God has proven me wrong for the proverbial “nth time”.  While I do not have any personal dealings with her, she has surely brought personal-pain for a lot of people in the match factory.  It’s not yet a complete turn-around. However, she has stopped with the bullying and the mellowed down with the “fuck you, I don’t care” attitude.  Hell, I had to splash water on my face to check that I was not dreaming when she smiled and started a polite conversation with me. She has a long ways to go, but my point is, she’s actually moving positively in the right direction.

Pero ang pinakamalaking pagbabago ay ang nangyari sa akin. Sa unang pagkakataon, ay natatanggap ko na ang ibang mga kabanta sa aking kahapon na medyo mahirap dalhin lamang nag iisa.  Laking pasalamat ko ulit, sa Dakilang Lumikha, at binigyan niya ako ng bagong pagkakataon na ako ay ma-pakinggan at ma-gabayan.  Salamat sa Dakilang Kaloob ninyo Panginoon ko at walang pagod kang nakikinig sa akin at pilit akong iniintindi.  Hindi naman ibig sabihin ay magiging santo na ako. Dahan-dahan lang at baka lagnatin ako sa bilis ng pagababago.

I know of a person who was once asked if he believed that people can change. He said : “No, I honestly believe that people can’t change, but I have actually seen it happen”.  I guess he never fully understood nor appreciated the power of prayer and it’s abundant capacity to effect change in people, no matter how tough that sonofabitch is!!

OPLAN T-O-R-O-T-O-T

That fast, that furious, as we said our goodbyes to 2011.

Like a turbo-charged car in sixth-gear, the days counting down to December were in a hurried state.

I’ll take the good days and the bad days as well. 

While I have regrets about stupid-fucking choices I made(consciously or under whatever influence it may have been at that time) they are still my mistakes that I can not undo.  I ask for forgiveness, a little understanding, and a resolve not to fuck-up again.

The better days I had, it is for me to enjoy and cherish. To have been part of guiding people improve their own lives would probably rank as the biggest achievement I have contributed for Y2011.

During the last two days of Y2011, I chanced upon two visitors. 

Rizal Day, December 30. -Along the winding mountain road of Bo,Lawagin, Nagcarlan, Laguna I saw an ominous sign – a white crane riding on the back of a water buffalo.  I pulled down by the roadside, pulled out my “Silent Trigger” and zeroed the scope on the white-feathered visitor.  It was about  40 feet away, with almost no wind blowing at any direction. I did not have to make any compensation on my scope.  All of a sudden, the water buffalo started to move.  What the fuck!! The white-feathered creature would surely flap its wing and move on to a more stable platform.  I was dumbstruck as the crane simply enjoyed the ride and decided not to fly as it moved closer to my position. The water buffalo moved about 10 feet closer and I could already place the dead-center of the scope on its scrawny neck. If I severe the neck with my .22 caliber subsonic round, it would immediately paralyze the bird as it falls to the ground.  I chamber the rifle and began the breathing cycle as I prepare to pull the trigger. At the last moment, I re-engaged the safety and took my eyes of the scope.  I smiled at the water-buffalo who gave the crane a platform to rest.  I said in my mind : “Go home Mr. Crane, I’ll let you fly this time”… What the fuck right? Well, at least today, the bird isn’t  depriving any fisherman of his livelihood by just sitting on the Carabao’s back.  My son and daughter were surprised, but very happy that I did not bag the crane.

A rude visitor however decided to pay a visit on the last Day of the year, 31^st December.  My pet budgies(love birds) were making such a ruckus that I had to check what the fuck was pissing them off. Lo and behold! A sewer-rat was busy chewing the plastic container where I stashed the bird seeds. My pets were angrily reacting to the hungry rodent who was stealing their food.  I dashed for my “Silent Trigger” and without remorse fired a bullet down-wind where the sewer rat was feasting on the bird seeds. From my scope, I followed through with the movement of the sewer rat as it crumpled flat on its belly.  I believe it was a “clean hit”. The sewer rat did not flail nor flinch after the hollow-pointed round penetrated its skin and probably snapped into two, its vertebral column. Serves the rat-fucker some good!!

Talk about ending the year with a sub-sonic bang!  Happy New Year everybody.