ermitanyo beside the bonfire he had made earlier. He motioned me to come and join him and I did.
“How’s your sleep?” Ask by him.
“It’s so so exhilarating!” I replied.
Why are you here? I immediately ask the ermitanyo.
The ermitanyo pause for a while as if thinking very deeply what he will say to me, “I’m here because I want to.” “Okay.” I said and silence befalls us. As I watch the fire, he broke his peace and began to pour out his heart and he recant:
“I’ve been here a very long time now. I live alone. All these you see I made it by myself. I was a successful priest. I’m good at what I do but one day I fell into a temptation a priest must not do. And everybody found out and the church expelled me. From that day on, I pity myself. Whenever someone sees me, I’m like a leper that no one must touch or looked at. I’m so shameful that I went up here and live. I can’t believe myself. Why did I have done that? I just can’t!” Telling his story with eyes about to get teary beating his chest with conviction as if making a gesture that he can’t believe in himself why did he do it. He sees himself above and perfect than others. He continued, “That’s why I’m here, because I can’t face it.” I cannot bear the shame and the people.” Out of the blue I said, “You’re here because you can’t accept that you made a mistake. You sinned and you’re not capable of it!” Quickly putting my hand on my mouth I apologize to him. “I’m sorry sir, I didn’t mean it.” A little anger can be trace to his face but he said, “It’s alright. I think you’re right. Besides, it’s the first time that someone honest like you said it to me. I thank you.” His tone sounded with pride and dignity.
“Let’s now rest and I’ll show you what you want to see and know.”
Morning came and what a beautiful morning it is! The mist is slowly moving upward and it’s so cold and you can see the dark beginning to disappear and the light starting to appear and overtake the dimness of the sky. The ermitanyo’s awake and has already prepared our breakfast. He has an old black kettle on the fire and starting to boil. It’s black because of the burning wood. My buddy was awaken by the smell of the coffee and by the sweet odor of the bread being baked in a make shift oven made from clay. He motioned us to prepare and wash our faces and we went down where drums of water were placed under the house. We wash our faces and got cleaned up and went upstairs to eat. He greeted us first with a very welcomed smile.
“Good morning guys. How’s your sleep?”
“It is very refreshing. My strength has come back and I’m ready to travel again.” I said to him.
My buddy didn’t say anything but just pointed to his belly.
“O when you tasted this bread and drank my coffee you’ll not remember your name anymore!” He boastingly said.
He’s right! The bread baked fresh and so the coffee is so tasteful that we ate our heart’s out! It’s so delicious. I don’t know if we’re just hungry but we can’t get enough of it. After eating, buddy stood up and cleans the table and washes the dishes and makes the chores. While the old man and me went down to stroll and look at the Mountain View tops. He told me, “You know you can stay here with me and mind not anything but to savor the nature and sleep and leisurely walk everyday and make the house chores and get our food. You and buddy are most welcome. “ I thank you for the offer but I have to get back to my family” I then said. Then he again lamented everything that has happened to him all the negative things that drove him to be in this kind of situation and you’ll know that he enjoyed his situation for the moment but the fact is he is
“How’s your sleep?” Ask by him.
“It’s so so exhilarating!” I replied.
Why are you here? I immediately ask the ermitanyo.
The ermitanyo pause for a while as if thinking very deeply what he will say to me, “I’m here because I want to.” “Okay.” I said and silence befalls us. As I watch the fire, he broke his peace and began to pour out his heart and he recant:
“I’ve been here a very long time now. I live alone. All these you see I made it by myself. I was a successful priest. I’m good at what I do but one day I fell into a temptation a priest must not do. And everybody found out and the church expelled me. From that day on, I pity myself. Whenever someone sees me, I’m like a leper that no one must touch or looked at. I’m so shameful that I went up here and live. I can’t believe myself. Why did I have done that? I just can’t!” Telling his story with eyes about to get teary beating his chest with conviction as if making a gesture that he can’t believe in himself why did he do it. He sees himself above and perfect than others. He continued, “That’s why I’m here, because I can’t face it.” I cannot bear the shame and the people.” Out of the blue I said, “You’re here because you can’t accept that you made a mistake. You sinned and you’re not capable of it!” Quickly putting my hand on my mouth I apologize to him. “I’m sorry sir, I didn’t mean it.” A little anger can be trace to his face but he said, “It’s alright. I think you’re right. Besides, it’s the first time that someone honest like you said it to me. I thank you.” His tone sounded with pride and dignity.
“Let’s now rest and I’ll show you what you want to see and know.”
Morning came and what a beautiful morning it is! The mist is slowly moving upward and it’s so cold and you can see the dark beginning to disappear and the light starting to appear and overtake the dimness of the sky. The ermitanyo’s awake and has already prepared our breakfast. He has an old black kettle on the fire and starting to boil. It’s black because of the burning wood. My buddy was awaken by the smell of the coffee and by the sweet odor of the bread being baked in a make shift oven made from clay. He motioned us to prepare and wash our faces and we went down where drums of water were placed under the house. We wash our faces and got cleaned up and went upstairs to eat. He greeted us first with a very welcomed smile.
“Good morning guys. How’s your sleep?”
“It is very refreshing. My strength has come back and I’m ready to travel again.” I said to him.
My buddy didn’t say anything but just pointed to his belly.
“O when you tasted this bread and drank my coffee you’ll not remember your name anymore!” He boastingly said.
He’s right! The bread baked fresh and so the coffee is so tasteful that we ate our heart’s out! It’s so delicious. I don’t know if we’re just hungry but we can’t get enough of it. After eating, buddy stood up and cleans the table and washes the dishes and makes the chores. While the old man and me went down to stroll and look at the Mountain View tops. He told me, “You know you can stay here with me and mind not anything but to savor the nature and sleep and leisurely walk everyday and make the house chores and get our food. You and buddy are most welcome. “ I thank you for the offer but I have to get back to my family” I then said. Then he again lamented everything that has happened to him all the negative things that drove him to be in this kind of situation and you’ll know that he enjoyed his situation for the moment but the fact is he is
