a word or two

PS: Hats off to these kids. May they be blessed with all the things they truly deserve. 

Please share. Thanks 

Love is a tree, and the lovers are its shade.

They say, friendship when deep enough will be tested. If you have decided to treat me otherwise, I will honor it. If you have made it clear to yourself that it is over then you will have it by all means. If this is a test, I wish you will find peace while we're apart. My agony will be washed away by tears but your pain, the sorrow you kept, the angst you left unsaid will leave a mark and by then my 'sorry' cannot undo the scar. 

one sunny afternoon.

I promised that if I get more than what I need (what I meant is enough to celebrate unceremoniously this Christmas) I will do my best to share. For the past few months I’ve been visiting kids, a task, nothing to be given credit about. One great thing about my job is that it exposes me to different “realities”. It widens my perspective. I was so surprised to hear that there are kids who don’t even know the word “SIGA”, kids who need to check the dictionary to understand its meaning. Kids who can stay all night in front of their Mac or who can get PhP25,000 for pocket money. I don’t find it ridiculous nor do I resent their parents’ upbringing, these are the privileged ones, kids who are not aware that while they complain about their “stupid” iPhone, on the other side of the world another kid will do anything (read; ANYTHING) in order to get a piece of bread. I’m not saying that we have to hate the privileged ones, I have nothing against them. I have come to accept the worlds as it is-imperfect. When Sendong tragedy aired of course, first came to mind is to help our friends in Mindanao. I immediately thought of sharing some but I had to go back to my original plan. I agree that they have felt worst this year; no one deserves to lose a home, a roof or a loved one in time for Christmas season or any day for that matter. Each passing day I’ve witnessed generous hearts pouring help for the victims. It made me think, I won’t be giving hefty amount or gifts, I won’t change lives (at least for now) I believe it is not the sum but the passion to help that matters but these victims are getting enough attention (or that’s my shallow perspective talking). I just needed to go back to my first plan, to help the helpless. I have first met Matina during my interview; she was diagnosed with acute Pneumonia and has been there for two weeks- this month. Matina has been confined in the hospital for several months. The last one brought her mom to severe depression. The doctor confronted Matina’s mom that the chance of saving her was very slim. Matina by the way is 4 months old, to date. Currently, she’s in the children’s ward of a government hospital sharing room with 8 other patients. Beside her bed is a broken glass window (imagine the ones you see in the movies) right in front of that building is a busy street with smoke belchers. Apart from the medicines you can smell pollution roaming around the room. I don’t know but somehow I feel like it affects the condition of the kids in the ward. Matina was diagnosed with acute pneumonia when she was 1 week old, for a month she stayed in the hospital and never left a month without her staying there over and over again. Her mom is 19 years old with 9 younger siblings to help. Matina’s dad is a tricycle driver. Matina’s medicines are just growing day by day. She’s no longer responding to simple medicines. In the last 3++ months her frail body has been injected with different drugs, mouth received multitudes of medicines and her tiny hand accessorized with IV. But nevertheless when I held her hand I knew that this kid is a strong one. How can a frail body accept that much hurt? According to doctors Matina faced death several times and was able to conquer it. This is not an isolated case; there are hundreds of infants who are going through the same situation. RIGHT NOW. I do not have the capacity to help Matina each step of the way neither do you. We are not capable of helping them as much as we would like to but we can PRAY for them. We can always say a prayer for these kids trying to fight for their lives. We who can spare time reading long letters like this can also spare some moment to pray and to wish for these kids. I cannot give more than what I only have but I can always offer my prayers for these strong little warriors. So can you. Help me help Matina. Let's make other families have a MERRY Christmas too.

To long walks, sudden turns, and quick escapes. To bursts of laughter between buckets of tears. To moments of clarity disguised in crazies. To lose. To love.