Unwritten Thoughts

I was having my work marathon when my friend popped this alarming news link on Tuesday morning, May 13, 2008.

Just when I thought everything will be fine for this incoming olympics when this earthquake just came on a complete surprise. My condolences to all those people who have died.

Feel free to click the following links below.

• http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080512/ap_on_re_as/china_earthquake
• http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/world/view/20080512-136089/China-quake-kills-nearly-9000-toll-likely-to-soar
• http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/05/12/2242529.htm
• http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP239734.htm
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/05/12/ST2008051201226.html
• http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSSP23973420080512?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews
• http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article3918438.ece
• http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gBr_dOzJ9Pnc_U9gSgtTgE-cR-KwD90K62E80
• http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=thousands-feared-dead-in
• http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200805122221.htm
• http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/05/12/quake.quotes/
• http://news.google.com/?ncl=1212253382&hl=en&topic=h

Ang maikling istoryang ito ay inaalay ko sa dalawang tao na nag-post ng kanilang mga saloobin ayon na rin sa kanilang mga sariling karanasan sa buhay na naging mitsa upang makapagsulat na naman ako ng maikling istorya…

http://bunz2605.wordpress.com/2008/01/21/when-does-love-ends/
http://kurokurokoto.wordpress.com/2008/01/22/i-wanna-quit/

At kay “deathstalker_phoenix (Eternal Equinox Member)“, ang payak nagsabi sa akin na, “Eh di magsulat ka.”, habang nag e-emote ako sa aking cubicle. Kaya yun… Nga pala, wala palang boyfriend yan, at hindi pa nagkakaruon ng boyfriend ever itich. Baka sa mga biyudo o binata na gustong magka-relasyon, iniaalay ko siya para sa inyo. Ahehee! Peace out fwend!

Katulad din ito ng nauna kong istorya dalawang taon na ang nakakaraan. Kung ano man ang pamagat o istorya nun, hindi ko na maibabahagi sa inyo. Siguro ay tinuldukan ko na ang istoryang iyon simula ng nasagot ko ang mga katanungang bumagabag sa aking kalooban sa loob ng maraming taon.

Para inyo ito… at sa inyong lahat. Sana’y magustuhan nyo.

Love Ends When You Quit
ni foobarph (January 23, 2008)

Sampung minuto na lang at matatapos na ang shift ni Razie sa trabaho ngunit hindi pa rin siya mapakali simula ng magpaalam si Zeo dalawang linggo na ang nakakaraan. Permanenteng pamamaalam na ba ito? Ang laging tinatanong niya sa kanyang sarili. Marahil, mas maigi pa ang malagutan ng hininga kaysa ipagpatuloy ang kanyang buhay.

Nagpasya na lamang siyang pumunta sa Starbucks kung saan lagi sila tumatambay upang magpalipas ng oras. Ngunit bago pa man siya makapasok ay may napansin siyang isang lalake na nakaupo lagi nilang inuupang couch.

“Zeo! Ba– bakit nandito ka? Akala ko ba.. nasa Australia ka?” tanong ni Razie sa kanya matapos na makilala ito ng malapitan. Hindi siya makapaniwala! Nasa harapan niya ang kanyang matalik na kaibigan!

Magsasalita pa sana siya ngunit agad namang sumagot si Zeo na tila hindi nabigla sa kanyang pagdating. “Huwag ka na ngang magtanong dyan, inumin mo na itong kape mo, baka lumamig pa yan.” alok nito sa kanya.

“Hinihintay mo ba ako dito? Paano mo nalaman na darating ako? Bakit yan ang inorder mo? Alam mo namang hindi ko paborito yan! Hmpf!” sunod-sunod ang mga katanungang lumabas sa kanyang bibig. Hindi niya namalayan ang lumalakas ang pagbuhos ng ulan simula ng mag-usap sila.

“Ano ka ba, bestfriend mo ako kaya alam kong dito ka pupunta. Pakiramdam ko kasi badtrip ka na naman kaya sinubukan ko kung matatagpuan kita dito.” sagot ni Zeo habang hinihigop ng paunti-unti ang kanyang sariling kape. “Bakit hindi mo naman subukang tikman ang paborito kong kape?”

“Inaasar mo ba ako?” sagot ni Razie bago niya higupin ang parehong kape na inorder ni Zeo para sa kanya. “Aba… masarap nga! Bakit ngayon mo lang sinabi na mas masarap pala ito kaysa sa iniinom ko dati?”

“Kasi nga matigas ang ulo mo at ayaw mong maniwala sa akin. Ayaw ko namang makipagtalo kaya di na lang ako umiimik.” sagot nito sa kanya. “Saka ayaw kong makipag-away sa tomb–”.

Magsasalita pa sana si Zeo ng biglang sumabat si Razie, halatang gigil na gigil sa susunod niyang sasabihin. “Tomboy!? Di ako tomboy no! Tingnan mo nga ang suot ko! Daig ko pa si Maria Elena kung magdamit. Di mo man lang napansin… hmpf!” pagdadahilan ni Razie habang nakatitig sa labas ng bintana, umiiwas siya ng tingin kay Zeo.

“Manhid ka talaga… kung alam mo lang…” bulong ni Razie sa kanyang sarili habang nag-iisip ng susunod na sasabihin.

Isang mahabang katahimikan ang namayani sa kanilang dalawa habang patuloy pa rin ang malakas na pagtagas ng ulan. Wala namang bagyo na naiulat sa telebisyon ngunit kakaiba talaga ang panahon ngayon, parang hindi normal.

“Bes, gusto ko ng chocolate cake, yung 12 piece package ha?” sabi ni Zeo upang putulin ang katahimikang namamayani sa kanila.

“Aba, ang kapal naman ng mukha mo Bes, dapat nga ako ang ilibre mo kasi kadarating mo lang galing sa pagpapagamot diba?” Magsasalita pa sana si Razie ng ma-realize niyang siya nga ang dapat manlibre sa kanya dahil nga bumalik ito sa kanya at siya agad ang kanyang pinuntahan.

“Ok, ako nang bahala sa order mo ser, maghintay ka lang dyan, ser!” sabi nito sa kanya bago siya tumayo at umorder ng mga cakes ayon na rin sa request nito sa kanya.

Ngunit pagbalik niya sa kanyang upuan, wala na si Zeo. Nag-cr? Hindi. Nagpa-load? Imposible. Kung anu-ano ang pumapasok sa kanyang isipan habang nag-iisip kung papaano hahagilapin si Zeo.

Hanggang sa mapansin niya na tila may nakasulat sa tissue na nakalagay sa ilalim ng kape ni Zeo. “Nauna na ako. Hindi pa nagsisimula, ni nagtatapos ang pag-ibig ko sayo, Razie. Kausapin mo na lang si Manang. Smile!”

Pagkabasa ng sulat ay agad na iniligay niya ang tissue sa kanyang bulsa at saka pinaharurot ang kotseng dala-dala niya. Sunod-sunod ang kanyang katok sa gate ng bahay nila ni Zeo. Dumungaw si Manang at nagmamadaling pinagbuksan siya ng pintuan.

“Aba Razie! Napasugod ka iha?” tanong ni Manang sa kanya pagkatapos buksan ang pintuan. “Teka, ipasok mo muna yang kotse mo at magpatuyo ka muna ng katawan, basang-basa ka eh.”

“Yung kotse dyan na lang po muna sa labas. Pakihanda na lang po ang tuwalya at mainit na tubig…” marahang sagot ni Razie, halatang giniginaw pa rin ito kahit sandali pa lang siyang naulanan. “May chocolate cake po kasi akong bitbit. Pinabili kasi ni Zeo ng magkita kami sa Starbucks kanina. At saka sabi niya kasi makipagusap daw ako sa–”

Biglang sumabat si Manang sa sinasabi ni Razie, “Ano!? Si Zeo!? Nakita mo!? Por Dios Por Santo iha!? Huwag mo nga akong tatakutin!” halos makalimutan ni Manang na nababasa pa rin sa ulan si Razie at nagsimula na itong magtanong.

“Manang… nilalamig na ako. Sa loob na lang po natin pag-usapan yan, pwede?” sabat naman ni Razie bago tuluyang pumasok sa bahay nila Zeo. Kapamilya na rin ang turing ni Razie sa pamilya ni Zeo kung kaya’t normal na sa kanya ang makipag-usap sa mga ito.

Pagkatapos ayusin ang sarili ay agad na nag-usap ang dalawa tungkol sa muli nilang pagkikita ni Zeo. Halatang hindi pa rin mapakali si Manang sa mga narinig niya mula sa dalaga.

“Wala na si Zeo, nung isang linggo pa.” ang tanging nasabi ni Manang sa panimula ng kanilang usapan.

“Alam ko pong umalis si Zeo, pero nagkita ho kami kanina. Siya pa nga ang nag request ng mga cake na ito. Dahil na rin sa sobrang dami kaya naisipan kong ibigay na lang ito sa inyo. Tutal, di ko naman mauubos lahat ito. Masarap ho yan.” sabi ni Razie bago ngumiti kay Manang.

“Hindi mo nauunawaan Razie… Pa– Patay na si Zeo, nung isang linggo pa.” garalgal na sagot ni Manang habang mahigpit na hinahawakan ang basong tubig na inihanda nito para sa kanilang dalawa.

Tila nabuhusan muli ng malakas na ulan si Razie sa kanyang narinig mula kay Manang. Ibig sabihin, hindi na niya kailanman makikita si Zeo. Ang lalakeng minahal niya ng palihim at patuloy na minamahal hanggang sa kasalukuyan.

Ngunit, bakit niya nakita si Zeo? Ano yun, multo? Sabi nito sa kanyang sarili.

“Hindi naging matagumpay ang kanyang operasyon. At dahil sa hindi kinaya ng kanyang katawan ang lala ng karamdaman, binawian na siya ng buhay. Ayaw naming ipaalam sayo ang nangyari kasi baka kung ano pa ang mangyari sayo” pautal-utal ang mga bawat salitang nasasambit ni Manang sa kanya. “Ki… kinuha na sa atin si Zeo! Razie, wala na si sir Zeo namin! Muhuhuhuu!”

Napaiyak na rin Razie na tila sumasabay ang kanyang luha sa malakas na pagbuhos ng ulan. Ang kanyang mga luha ang nagsasabi sa kanya na maging malakas ngunit isang bahagi rin sa kanya ang nagsasabing magpakatatag siya na bumubulong na kaya niyang dalhin ang kalungkutang nadarama.

Si Zeo! Siya ang nagpapalakas sa kanya! Siya ang sumasalo sa lahat ng kanyang problema. Siya ang lalaking laging nang-aasar sa kanya ngunit nanlilibre sa kanya sa kapehan upang makipagbati. Peace offering niya kasi ang chocolate cake at kapeng binibili nito para sa kanya.
Ngunit wala na si Zeo. Wala na siya… wala na.

Maya-maya pa’y may iniabot na sulat si Manang sa kanya. Sulat daw iyon na ibibigay sa kanya kung sakaling hindi na siya makakabalik, magpakailanman. Dali-dali niyang binuksan iyon at binasa.

Razie! Ang tomboy kong bestfriend!

Kamusta ka na? Siguro umiiyak ka na naman ngayon. Tsk tsk… lalake ka nga sa labas pero para kang gelatine sa loob. Napakahina mo kasi, iyakin ka. Bwahahaha!

Huwag kang mag-alala, ako ang magiging gelatine container mo para hindi ka masira at manatiling fresh araw-araw. Yun naman ang papel ko sayo diba, ang maging side-kick mo forever?

Pero paano yan kung mawala ako? Iiyak ka na lang ba palagi? Hay naku, pag naasar ako sayo, ipapatikim ko sayo ang paborito kong kape na ayaw na ayaw mo namang tikman. Ang arte mo kasi.

Anyway, punasan mo nga yang luha mo, hindi bagay sayo eh. Siguraduhin mong bubuklatin mo ng maayos yang tissue bago mo ipunas sa luhay mo, ok? Masyado ka kasing KJ maski sa pagpupunas ng tissue eh.

Ingat,

Zeo

Oo nga, umiiyak siya habang binabasa ang huling sulat ni Zeo sa kanya. Mahina, tomboy, couch, ulan, tissue, gelatine, kape, cake… lahat ng kanilang napagdaan ay unti-unti niyang naalala.

Kinuha niya ang tissue na sinulatan ni Zeo kanina nang mapansing wala na ang kaninang nakasulat duon. Binuklat niya ng maigi ang tissue hanggang sa mapansin niya ang nakatagong mensahe sa pinaka inner fold nito.

“Be my lady, Razie, forever.” ayon sa sulat.

“Oo mahal ko…” luha na may kasamang ngiti ang tanging naisagot niya sa sulat ni Zeo.

Wakas

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the pups and set about Nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he Felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the Eyes of a little boy.

Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of your puppies.”

“Well,” said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, “these puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money.”

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. “I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?”

“Sure,” said the farmer.

And with that he let out a whistle,”Here,Dolly!” he called.

Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight.

As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared; this One noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up….

“I want that one,” the little boy said, pointing to the runt.

The farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said, “Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.”

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself To a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need Someone who understands.”

The world is full of people who need someone who understands.

(First posted here on 09/18/2006 and I will repost this again since my task this day is to post a prose/short story content. Yes, I have a list of things to post per day, I’m going to share it to you guys this coming Monday! Hehehe!)

Note:

Next Friday, I will publish my own short story (In tagalog pocketbook format) instead of posting my favorite short stories I read in Friendster and MySpace wherein I’m not the author. Here’s the sequel to that story.

Anino ng Pagkakataon (Pocketbook Story Teaser, available online on January 18, 2008!):

DALAWANG dalagang pinaglayo ng tadhana at kapwa iibig sa isang lalake na siyang tutulong sa kanila upang lutasin ang suliranin ng kanilang nakaraan.

Si Jen, ang nag-iisang tagapagmana at sikat na modelo.
Si Faye, isang katulong na may mapait na nakaraan.
At si Sawn, isang playboy at easy-going na tao.

Anu ang kahihinatnan ng kanilang bukas pagkatapos nilang malaman ang katotohanan sa likod ng kanilang mga pagkatao?

The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box.

“There are 5 things you need to know,” he told the pencil, “Before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.”

“One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in Someone’s hand.”

“Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you’ll need it to become a better pencil.”

“Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.”

“Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s inside.”

“And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write.”

The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart.

Now replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best person you can be.

One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in God’s hand. And allow other human beings to access you for the many gifts you possess.

Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, by going through various problems in life, but you’ll need it to become a stronger person.

Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make.

Four: The most important part of you will always be what’s on the inside.

And Five: On every surface you walk through, you must leave your mark. No matter what the situation, you must continue to do your duties.

Allow this parable on the pencil to encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfill the purpose to which you were born to accomplish.

Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change.

A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully and before it blossomed, he examined it.

He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought, “How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns? Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready to bloom… it died.

So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects.

We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential.

Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns of another, and find the rose within them.

This is one of the characteristic of love… to look at a person, know their true faults and accepting that person into your life… all the while recognizing the nobility in their soul. Help others to realize they can overcome their faults. If we show them the “rose” within themselves, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over.

A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE.”

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: “TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, “After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?”

The other friend replied: “When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it.”

LEARN TO WRITE YOUR HURTS IN THE SAND, AND TO CARVE YOUR BENEFITS IN STONE

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love.

Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment.

When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help.

Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, “Richness, can you take me with you?” Richness answered, “No, I can’t. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you.”

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. “Vanity, please help me!” “I can’t help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat,” Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked, “Sadness, let me go with you.” “Oh . . . Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!”

Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her.

Suddenly, there was a voice, “Come, Love, I will take you.” It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder,

Love asked Knowledge, another elder, “Who Helped me?”

“It was Time,” Knowledge answered.

“Time?” asked Love. “But why did Time help me?”

Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, “Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is.”

A certain man planted a rose and watered it faithfully and before it blossomed, he examined it.

He saw the bud that would soon blossom, but noticed thorns upon the stem and he thought, “How can any beautiful flower come from a plant burdened with so many sharp thorns? Saddened by this thought, he neglected to water the rose, and just before it was ready to bloom… it died.

So it is with many people. Within every soul there is a rose. The God-like qualities planted in us at birth, grow amid the thorns of our faults. Many of us look at ourselves and see only the thorns, the defects.

We despair, thinking that nothing good can possibly come from us. We neglect to water the good within us, and eventually it dies. We never realize our potential.

Some people do not see the rose within themselves; someone else must show it to them. One of the greatest gifts a person can possess is to be able to reach past the thorns of another, and find the rose within them.

This is one of the characteristic of love… to look at a person, know their true faults and accepting that person into your life… all the while recognizing the nobility in their soul. Help others to realize they can overcome their faults. If we show them the “rose” within themselves, they will conquer their thorns. Only then will they blossom many times over.

There was a Nebraska farmer who grew award-winning corn. Each year he entered his corn in the state fair where it won a blue ribbon…

One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors.

“How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.

“Why sir,” said the farmer, “didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

He is very much aware of the connectedness of life. His corn cannot improve unless his neighbor’s corn also improves.

So it is in other dimensions. Those who choose to be at peace must help their neighbors to be at peace. Those who choose to live well must help others to live well, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others to find happiness for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

The lesson for each of us is this: if we are to grow good corn, we must help our neighbors grow good corn.

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer’s showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.

As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible, with the young man’s name embossed in gold. Angry, he raised his voice to his father and said “With all your money, you give me a Bible?” and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.

Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of things.

When he arrived at his father’s house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart. He began to search through his father’s important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.

How many times do we miss Spirit’s blessings and answers to our prayers because they do not arrive exactly as we have expected?