It was May of 2007 when fourteen boys got their first experience of mops and wheel barrow. They had all the enthusiam of a neophyte; excited, pretentious and diligent. Three were from the plains of Luzon, eleven came from the countrysides of Mindanao and two were from the metro. The first weeks were terrible, everyone hardly speak in Filipino. There were only five boys who could not understand the rapid french that automatically made them the minority. I was one of the five boys. And at this moment of writing, only two were left to carry on the mopping of floors, sweeping the paths and dreaming to join the order.
We were a promising class according to the upperclassmen. We are musicians, orators, dean's listers, sports champions and craftsmen. We also are rule breakers, late comers and escapists. We practically excelled. Ours was an ambiguous motto: One batch, one promise.
Three years ago, we were boys full of idealism and dedication to persevere. We faced the challenge of sacrifing regular teenage for something greater than ourselves. We want to set the world on fire and illumine it. To live with the lumads in the mountains, to celebrate diversity with the lake people, to pass the parcel to a more hopeful generation. Dreams. They were so powerful that we forgot life is transit. I am sure they'd also miss class debates, cursing in Ilonggo, dragging feet to attend the 6AM mass, study hours, the long silences in the chapel. May of 2007 seems like a day ago.
Year after year, our group got smaller. Some are forced to leave, asked to return after a year and some just don't feel the need to stay anymore. Practically, everyone who left went back home. Including me. My stay was cut short when I was asked to leave for a year, that is to adjust. They said I am not mature enough to continue. A year passed and I got the invitation to return but I did not. T'was the year I began to take other calls.
Where are the boys now?
Patrick is graduating from Ateneo de Naga as Richard, Ryan, Erus, Vince and Keepee from Notre Dame University. Erique has returned to his mother's flowershop in Malolos and does occasional guitar gig. The last time I checked on Ronnel and Aduana, they were helping in their respective plantations while studying. Rey was accepted this year to Don Bosco Seminary. Leroy and I are still undergraduates of Diliman. Only Galilee and Sisoy are graduating next year as seminarians. The plan to set the world on fire together is now an impossibility. We now face different paths. But I always believe that somewhere, beyond horizons after horizons, paths converge.
Most of memories are fireworks; beautiful, mesmerizing, ephemeral. But some memories are stars; however distant and ancient, they would appear every night, to influence us, to make us remember some more or to dream some more. Nature has no room for forevers because in its very sense, all would pass. But stars don't blind that is why life stories continue after heart breaks and disasters.
Our dream to become missionaries was cut short. But that does not mean we stopped pursuing to be arsonists someday. I have burned some people's photographs before. I am sure I will be a fine one.
We were a promising class according to the upperclassmen. We are musicians, orators, dean's listers, sports champions and craftsmen. We also are rule breakers, late comers and escapists. We practically excelled. Ours was an ambiguous motto: One batch, one promise.
Three years ago, we were boys full of idealism and dedication to persevere. We faced the challenge of sacrifing regular teenage for something greater than ourselves. We want to set the world on fire and illumine it. To live with the lumads in the mountains, to celebrate diversity with the lake people, to pass the parcel to a more hopeful generation. Dreams. They were so powerful that we forgot life is transit. I am sure they'd also miss class debates, cursing in Ilonggo, dragging feet to attend the 6AM mass, study hours, the long silences in the chapel. May of 2007 seems like a day ago.
Year after year, our group got smaller. Some are forced to leave, asked to return after a year and some just don't feel the need to stay anymore. Practically, everyone who left went back home. Including me. My stay was cut short when I was asked to leave for a year, that is to adjust. They said I am not mature enough to continue. A year passed and I got the invitation to return but I did not. T'was the year I began to take other calls.
Where are the boys now?
Patrick is graduating from Ateneo de Naga as Richard, Ryan, Erus, Vince and Keepee from Notre Dame University. Erique has returned to his mother's flowershop in Malolos and does occasional guitar gig. The last time I checked on Ronnel and Aduana, they were helping in their respective plantations while studying. Rey was accepted this year to Don Bosco Seminary. Leroy and I are still undergraduates of Diliman. Only Galilee and Sisoy are graduating next year as seminarians. The plan to set the world on fire together is now an impossibility. We now face different paths. But I always believe that somewhere, beyond horizons after horizons, paths converge.
Most of memories are fireworks; beautiful, mesmerizing, ephemeral. But some memories are stars; however distant and ancient, they would appear every night, to influence us, to make us remember some more or to dream some more. Nature has no room for forevers because in its very sense, all would pass. But stars don't blind that is why life stories continue after heart breaks and disasters.
Our dream to become missionaries was cut short. But that does not mean we stopped pursuing to be arsonists someday. I have burned some people's photographs before. I am sure I will be a fine one.
15 palagay:
naalala ko din ang aking mga kasama noong nasa high school, ps boys kung tawagin ang samahan namin, nabuo dahil sa isang playstation. sa shop na yun, nagkakilala, nagdaan sa ups and downs ang barkada.
lahat naman nagbabago pero kahit papano may communication pa naman kami. may kanya kanyang paths rin na tinatahak. pero gaya nga ng sabi mo, someday magiintersect rin ang ating mga daan sa common way at sabik na akong dumating ang araw na iyon.
nice post bunso. pinukaw mo na naman ang aming damdamin.
The only absolute is change, and that being said, affords the potential for opportunities. For lives to re-intersect in the future. Maybe not as the same people, in essence since everything evolves, and hopefully would find familiarity beneath the evolution.
The second to the last paragraph is sheer perfection. Each metaphor building from the previous, cumulative and elegant. It's the sort of prose you'd like to print in good stock, framed and placed where it could be seen. A reminder.
Thanks. I really liked this one. =)
a number of movies came to mind while reading this.
Very nice.
wv: undroper (parang ikaw?)
kuya jeff: oooh. am sure ps boys are really nakaka-miss. i think that is the dilemma and beauty of growing up.
thank you, that is very heart warming to say.
red: the compliment is very much accepted. i am glad that you have understood this post.
as for the praise, i can't help but smile. thank you for th ekind words there.
OY: like what movies? :D
I also had the urge to enter priesthood when I was in high school. Pero hanggang urge lang kasi I don't have the "calling" as they said it before. If you were there, people may have not read these words of wisdom. God has other plans of using your talent as firestarter.
Nice post! Ika nga ni Human Torch, "Flame on!" :D
nice yas ^_^
yeah there are promises made and dreams planned out, but not all of them are followed. but usually it's for the best :)
naalala ko din tuloy mga barkada ko. anyway, it's not too late. maybe God has bigger things planned for you guys. salamat sa madrama ngunit nakaka-antig na post. hehe. peace :P
...that each affects the other and the other affects the next, and the world is full of stories but the stories are all one.
funny how this post reminds me of mitch albom and his five people shit.
people who are mad with their dreams, mad to make them happen always get my nod. kudos!
Nature has no room for forevers because in its very sense, all would pass. But stars don't blind that is why life stories continue after heart breaks and disasters.
i just love it when people talk about stars.
marlo: oh, panu mo naman nasabing wala kang calling? haha. usisero lang.
yes, i feel like i am in the right place in the right time :D thank you marlo for that.
ayoko ng flame on. gusto ko, Sulong! haha. tibak lang.
carlo.: i could agree on that. i always believe we get what we need.
mr. nighcrawler: huwaw, nightcrawler din ako. LOL
thank you for the kind words and welcome to my blog!
lio: huwaw, verbatim talag ang five people you meet in heaven? hmmm.. i can feel the connection of the post and the book pero i cannot explain. isipin ko pa ng mabuti.
thank you. you are mad too. mad as a hatter.
kris: stars and sadness. ikr. :D
A change happens when called. There is fervor that's planted in the heart. It is a fire that never dies for it is the Spirit's fire "that all truth and freedom spring." So that we can grow "like cedars, planted firmly on the ground."
Calling daw kapag hindi mo masyadong pinagiisipan. Yung tipong hindi mahirap pagdesisyuhan? Yung tipong pagka-oo mo eh magaan sa loob mo. Eh parang hindi ganun ang sa akin that time. Ang daming inhibitions.
Haha. Ayan pinatulan ko ang tanong mo. Haha
SAM: That is very thoughtful. I will always remember that.
Marlo: Mukhang may pinag-uugatan ang sinasabi mo ah. Hmm. HAHA.
nakakainis ka yas..ang galing mong magsulat!!!!! huhuhuhu.. i actually remember my friends in the band but in the end nagkakawatak watak din kami
This post, i liked it a lot :)
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