daughters in a stable situation. How come he chose this life and leaves that good one? I walk and walk and think and think until I reach the forest.
The cold, fresh breeze greeted me. It is very exhilarating. My body became alive and I’m refreshed. As I carry on, I arrive at a brook. Oh the beautiful sound of the water, its smell, and the scent of the trees and above all the stillness of the place. So serene, so peaceful and so invigorating. Tranquility that made my soul and spirit and my mind think of God. Do I want to be like the old man? I asked myself. Do I want to waste my life like his? I seated in one of the rocks there and begun to pray,
“Father God, forgive me for all the sins that I have done against you. I have wronged you gravely and for that I deserve everything that’s happening to me right now. But Father God, I pray, have mercy upon me. I lost my sense of direction and I don’t know what to do and where to go. I lost all hope but upon coming to this stillness of the place, my soul yearns for you. You are my life and my everything. How can I be lost to you? Even then, you’re still waiting for me. You do not lose hope to me. Thank you Father God. I will return to you. Help me start all over again. Although it’ll be hard, help me. Save me. Fix me, my life.”
As I utter this prayer, a brief shower fell above me and I really thank God for his answer and forgiveness. For it is a sure sign that He has forgiven me. I went out of the forest and I was traveling now going back to my house, my family. It’s about 5 years now that I’ve been traveling and out of my loved ones life. As I walked out of the forest, a thought about the old man came to my mind. I said to myself, “it’s a waste of time. He had lived his life under pain and can’t let go. And it did him no good. I’m really sorry for him, but I will not do what he did. I’ll not live under the pall of bitterness nor hatred nor pain nor self-pity.” I will not! Saying this emphatically with all of his heart and mind and strength.
As his focus return to the road, he seemed lost. He is lost and can’t seem to find his way out of the forest. A panic feeling began to engulf him but he kept his composure and as he continued his pace, he notices a man a few meters away. An old man just sitting under a bamboo tree smoking an own made cigar from the forest leaves. He did not think anymore but ran towards the man to ask for directions. And the man didn’t even looked at him or moved as he arrived in front of him. I ask, “Sir, where’s the way back to the road?” He didn’t reply. Again inquiring, “ Where can go to ask for directions?” To my amazement, he opened his mouth and said, “ Well, did you know that I was once a very wealthy man? I’m very rich! I own almost half of the _ barrio. And you know, why I am like this right now? Ah, well sir…I softly answer. The people that you love and have given your life hurt you the most. And the pain, like no other that you can feel. They sort of throw you out after benefiting from you. I tell you, it hurts the most. And I don’t quite understand why? Can you explain it to me? Because whenever I see them, the pain like a very deep sore aches like you’re being cut on an operating table without any anesthesia. In courtesy, I sat beside him and retorted, I know the hurt sir I tell you, but I resolved to myself that I will go beyond the hurts and aches and move on. Saying this made him turn his head and looked at me. Teary eyed, he requested that he joins me in searching for a way out of the place. He also told me that he’s been there for a long time grieving and trying to figure out why that he lost the sense of time, place and even himself. He’s just centered in his feelings.
We then walk and strolled passing through brooks and the rocks that seemed no end. To my mind, we’re going nowhere. Just in circles.
The cold, fresh breeze greeted me. It is very exhilarating. My body became alive and I’m refreshed. As I carry on, I arrive at a brook. Oh the beautiful sound of the water, its smell, and the scent of the trees and above all the stillness of the place. So serene, so peaceful and so invigorating. Tranquility that made my soul and spirit and my mind think of God. Do I want to be like the old man? I asked myself. Do I want to waste my life like his? I seated in one of the rocks there and begun to pray,
“Father God, forgive me for all the sins that I have done against you. I have wronged you gravely and for that I deserve everything that’s happening to me right now. But Father God, I pray, have mercy upon me. I lost my sense of direction and I don’t know what to do and where to go. I lost all hope but upon coming to this stillness of the place, my soul yearns for you. You are my life and my everything. How can I be lost to you? Even then, you’re still waiting for me. You do not lose hope to me. Thank you Father God. I will return to you. Help me start all over again. Although it’ll be hard, help me. Save me. Fix me, my life.”
As I utter this prayer, a brief shower fell above me and I really thank God for his answer and forgiveness. For it is a sure sign that He has forgiven me. I went out of the forest and I was traveling now going back to my house, my family. It’s about 5 years now that I’ve been traveling and out of my loved ones life. As I walked out of the forest, a thought about the old man came to my mind. I said to myself, “it’s a waste of time. He had lived his life under pain and can’t let go. And it did him no good. I’m really sorry for him, but I will not do what he did. I’ll not live under the pall of bitterness nor hatred nor pain nor self-pity.” I will not! Saying this emphatically with all of his heart and mind and strength.
As his focus return to the road, he seemed lost. He is lost and can’t seem to find his way out of the forest. A panic feeling began to engulf him but he kept his composure and as he continued his pace, he notices a man a few meters away. An old man just sitting under a bamboo tree smoking an own made cigar from the forest leaves. He did not think anymore but ran towards the man to ask for directions. And the man didn’t even looked at him or moved as he arrived in front of him. I ask, “Sir, where’s the way back to the road?” He didn’t reply. Again inquiring, “ Where can go to ask for directions?” To my amazement, he opened his mouth and said, “ Well, did you know that I was once a very wealthy man? I’m very rich! I own almost half of the _ barrio. And you know, why I am like this right now? Ah, well sir…I softly answer. The people that you love and have given your life hurt you the most. And the pain, like no other that you can feel. They sort of throw you out after benefiting from you. I tell you, it hurts the most. And I don’t quite understand why? Can you explain it to me? Because whenever I see them, the pain like a very deep sore aches like you’re being cut on an operating table without any anesthesia. In courtesy, I sat beside him and retorted, I know the hurt sir I tell you, but I resolved to myself that I will go beyond the hurts and aches and move on. Saying this made him turn his head and looked at me. Teary eyed, he requested that he joins me in searching for a way out of the place. He also told me that he’s been there for a long time grieving and trying to figure out why that he lost the sense of time, place and even himself. He’s just centered in his feelings.
We then walk and strolled passing through brooks and the rocks that seemed no end. To my mind, we’re going nowhere. Just in circles.
