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I was on my way to NAIA Terminal 1. I was shaken because the car in front of the taxi I was riding along Macapagal Ave. stopped without warning, only inches from getting a head-on collision. I felt my knees weaken, and my breathing shallow. I imagined what if the driver wasn't able to swerve just in time, my right leg would have been smashed to bits from the impact, or worse, be thrown out of the windshield. I regret not bringing my company ID with me, because it had an In Case of Emergency information on it.
As if the angels knew, I just could not die that day.
With heart pounding and wiping beads of sweat on my forehead, I arrived at the airport at around 3:30 p.m. The taxi driver brought me to the departure area by mistake so I had to walk down the concrete paved roads to the Arrival Building, under the scorching sun. Even made small talk to a guy who was nice enough to point me to the right direction, "Pasok ka dun sa may gwardiya.."
4 o'clock... As I was scanning the LCD screen for the schedule of flights, I heard the lady over the PA announcing that the plane from Kuwait has just landed. Good, I said, I was just in time. For a moment there, I witnessed how families eagerly waited to get a glimpse of their loved-one's homecoming. Bond papers with handwritten names across their chest, you could actually feel their excitement and joy. Tears flowed and long embraces abound.
This just was not the welcome I was hoping to give her. I was imagining it with a tarpaulin in my hand, balloons or a bouquet of flowers perhaps. Instead, I bought her a strawberry-flavored Mogu-mogu which was her favorite during our review days.
I sneaked into the arriving passengers' area, and sat on a bench in front of Duty Free. Honestly, I did not know what to say when I see her. Minutes passed... after craning my neck so many times to check if she arrived, finally I saw her. Struggling with her trolley that seemed to be malfunctioning, I went up to her and we just hugged. Words seem futile, no words were enough to comfort her aching heart.
Sewang was one of my best friends in college. Although our personalities are to the extremes- she's loud, I'm quiet (?). She's outgoing, I'm (sorta) reserved. Making friends is easy for her. I, well, they say is a bit snobbish (which I firmly contest.) I remember it was our first ever PE class when I first saw her, or in that case, "heard" her. Being her jolly self, she was easily liked by everybody, some of our professors even.
We became close when we ran for the College Student Board on our fourth year. I was the Governor, and she was one of the Board Members. She was the one who helped me bring food and water to the players during intramurals, or take the cheer dancers home in her owner-type jeep after practice.
Whenever we have plates, she would spend the night at our house so we can share the techpens and other drawing paraphernalia. I even do some of her perspectives (*wink*). She became close to my family, who love her just as much. I also became close to her family, especially her brothers.
Although poles apart, one thing that truly binds us is, yes you guessed it, food. Whenever we have extra money, we'd go around town satisfying our palates with our cravings. Or when I feel like having a breather, she'd let me drive her motorcycle and we'd go somewhere quiet or just anywhere as long as there's gas in the tank.
For some reason, my parents trust her enough to let me stay up late as long as she's with me.
She was the most positive person I know. Even though bad or unexpected things happen, she always stays optimistic. It's contagious!
I owe so much to her... She was always there for me, even more when she went overseas to pursue her dreams in a foreign land. She knew what to say and I'd get comfort in her bizaare/strange ways. I never felt that she'd left. And she never got tired of my rants especially about my non-existent love life or my endless work woes.
Yesterday, was a different Sewang. I saw a different side of her that she never showed in almost twelve years of us being friends. She was always the strong one, also the one who would not let anyone get in the way of her dreams- mostly for her family. I guess it's just understandable to lose all hope and to regret all the things she did and did not do. Now that it's too late.
I saw the pain in her eyes, felt her sorrow emanate. I could not take it away, I do not know the right words to comfort her. It's sad that she feels all her dreams shattered, all her plans went down the drain.
I just hope and pray that she'd bounce back from this. I know she will. Maybe nobody just expected it to be this soon.
RIP, Uncle Nasser. Have a safe journey!
“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.”
― Rabindranath Tagore
Photo Credit: https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=changing+seasons&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jU0VU_zcIKfwiQeAk4DgDg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1198&bih=329#q=shattered+dreams&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=RC6IlCprSA6v3M%253A%3B59FEQ3HiobNywM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmiloadornoworld.files.wordpress.com%252F2012%252F04%252Fshattered-dreams.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmiloadornoworld.wordpress.com%252F2012%252F04%252F27%252Fshattered-dreams-2%252F%3B750%3B511
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Please extend my condolences to Sewang.
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