stitched_soul

DiNaH says...
2004-02-02 01:57:28 (UTC)

a blessed weekend with good samaritans, and other stuff

first i was invited to join a supposed swimming with some
officemates and editors in laguna. second, i was on my home
from laguna, without my glasses on, and a stranger named
kuya nonoy helped me with commuting. third, it was in the
hospital where my friend jhona works, when her co-employee
helped me with my check up with her eye doctor friend. what
can i say? i had a very blessed weekend with strangers!

it was around 11 o'clock in the evening last friday, while
reading the last parts of the tearjerking novel A Walk To
Remember, when officemate Mira texted me and invited me to
join them in laguna. the trip was sort of an x-deal for a
publicity release in a sister publication. i was hesitant
at first 'coz the trip was unplanned and i have no bathing
suit to wear! big problem huh? hahaha!!! but really, my
swimsuits are all in cavite. in the first place, why would
i bring any here in manila? but well, it's almost summer so
i have to buy a new one! as i was saying, after a while, i
gave in to Mira's invites. the next day, we skipped the
work load in the office and... up we went to the province
of the hot spring resorts!
the place was cool! it was actually a retreat house/resort.
after the tour inside the vicinity, we plurged in a nice
lunch, as if we're not getting off the table again! siesta
followed before we interviewed the owner and her daughter,
which by the way looked like sisters and not mother-
daughter ek-ek. mind you, the interview took almost two
hours. but then, it was fruitfull. it wasn't not just for
the publicity or the enjoyment for being away from work in
a working day, but spiritually, it was overwhelming. i was
able to relax and unwind. the swimming was great. the water
was hot. the snack was even more yummy. cassava cake and
mango-orange juice. when we were about to go home, the
owner handed each of us a box of buko pie. what a treat!
although i don't eat buko pie, the thought of meeting
someone so kind, so unconditionally giving was awesome. we
learned how charitable she was, and we might just contact
her to hand some help.

i was blind again. after swimming, i found out that my
glasses broke off again. aaaaaahhhh! and i was to go home
to my parents' house! i didn't even know how to get to my
hometown! i've been there many times already, but i was
always with family or friends. and i never mind where i am
whenever i have company.

but then, a stranger, also a passenger of the van was kind
enough to help. after we got off, he accompanied me to the
mall to look for an optical shop, but i wasn't lucky to
find a replacement of my glasses. and so we went out and
took a bus. it's not all. he paid for my fare. it was
already too much, i said. but he insisted. he was kind, and
i didn't see or feel any negative characteristic in him,
that was why i was so trusting. kuya nonoy, is a civil
engineer, so i held on to that aspect about him, he's a
professional and he has a family, and a daughter like me.
he wouldn't want any stranger to take advantage to her own
child if ever she needs help. i thank God for kuya nonoy!
may he and his family be blessed always!

sunday noon, i was going to meet AM at the Manila
Sanitarium and Hospital. i first went to Jhona to say hi.
after a while, i met up with AM at the lobby and we talked
about the last few revisions of his term paper, which i
blurted out, was giving me a hard time doing than my own
thesis when i was in college! mind you, i was doing
someone's term paper, in between tons of work load, meeting
friends on occasions, family visit on weekends, special
assignments, and time for myself! how i juggle up my time
even amazes me.

AM is good friend of mine, special actually. and doing the
TP serves as the passage between him & me. thru it, i
learned more about him as a person. the TP itself was an
eye opener as well. and i swear i won't just plurge myself
into anything that might lead to marrying someone and not
mind about the future first, especially the consequences
and the possible problems. i don't wanna go through the
problems my cousins are going thru right now. i've learned
so much about marriage that i don't wanna do it, not right
now. not next year. not until i am sure that the guy and
the future connects. huh? it's my view, it's my life.
anyway, i still haven't meet him, so it ain't such a big
problem, even if my dad's been lecturing me about marriage
and stuff.

marriage?! how did it come up as a topic of AM's term
paper? i can't remember anymore. but it sure does got us to
think -- hard. you really have to be wise nowadays.
marriage is not just a game, it's a commitment.
would you believe that by doing the TP, one of my dreams
has just come true? i've always dreamed of someday becoming
an author of self-enhancement books, and anything about
relationships and stuff like that. another one is to become
a speaker, a spiritual counselor -- someone who gets
invited at seminars or retreat or something, or like a
youth camp i used to attend to. the TP serves as my
practice writing. someday, i will be able to write a real
one, i'm sure of that!

2:00 p.m.
ate esther, jhona's co-worker, offered to help me with my
glasses. i was shy and hesitant at first 'coz i only have a
few money alotted for the glasses, and the rest, for my
allowance. i couldn't afford the doctor's fee. but because
of the generousity of another stranger, ate esther,
accompanied me to her friend doctor, and the very nice
doctor offered a free consultation and she even gave me a
discount for the frame!

i am so blessed!

around 3:30 p.m. -- i met up with laarni and jenny.
we talked over pizza, chili chicken wings, fries and iced
tea. the topic? well, the usual... whoever is absent...
hehehe!!! i really can't talk about it, it's vrey
confidential. i swore not to tell anyone, without their
permission. sayang wala si acel, at si wina... huhuhuhu! i
miss that crazy old maid! ay patay! she might read this.
lagot ako! we'll have another girltalk session on the 29th,
i hope acel can come this time, or she will be the topic
again! acel, if you're reading this, be afraid, be very
afraid!

my assignment -- i was supposed to be at caffe carabana at
7p.m., but due to some unavoidable circumstances, i was one
and a half late. Mira was furious. but what can i do? i
don't usually come late, but last sunday was different.
anyway, i arrived there and the presscon was on the last
few drops. and what even surprised me was when my name was
mentioned."we would also like to thank (my name) from (my
company) for coming over! oh my goodness! I FELT MY BLOOD
WENT UP TO MY FACE. i wanted to shrink! but then again, i
composed myself and everything went fine.
but really, it's like i just went there to eat. 'coz after
a few minutes, the presscon ended and the dinner followed.
i just had some lettuce, a seafood soup, some fruits and
juice. the snack i had with arni and jen was still drilling
over my tummy and i can eat any heavy stuff anymore.

after dinner, mira and i decided to go home.
at home, i drolled myself to the book The Purpose Driven
Life, to figure out, again, 'what on earth am i here
for?'




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