Poem 85 - Hold My Hand

Hold my hand
Let me borrow your strength
No matter how short it is
You'll add life to mine, in any length.

In these trying times
Where my faith is in the edge
With your hand in mine
You're keeping me off the ledge.

I run out of courage
When trials are so overwhelming
With you holding my hand
I'll give my best and remain fighting.

Hold my hand
Even for just a while
It's just what I need
Enough to make me smile.

Feeling your touch
Is like a salvation already
During these times of struggles
Your touch drives my worries away.

Comfort is such a luxury
For trials are shaking me night and day
The moment you hold my hand
I know everything will be okay.

Quote 170 - Ordinary

Moment 85 - Damselfly

Never in my wildest dream that I will experience a moment of awe with a damselfly.

I used to wonder before where do dragonflies and damselflies came from.  After watching the animal planet, I learned that they were actually laying their eggs in a body of water, such as ponds or rivers.  In their early days, they spend their entire time in the water until such time that their wings will develop.  And that's the right time when they have to leave the water and enjoy the life in the air.  The moment they are air borne, their remaining days are already numbered.  Though it looked like they are having fun in the air, gliding with the wind, they are actually in the lookout for their possible mate before their time will end.  

One day, I went with some colleagues for an out-of-town escapade.  We were to visit a nearby town and let them experience an unspoiled nature.  True enough. They were having fun all throughout the day.

During the course of our fun-filled activity that day, a damselfly was like hovering near me.  Actually, there were plenty of them in the river.  They were like kids who were chasing one another.  But that one particular thing was flying near me.  As I watched it, it tried to land on my hand for a couple of times. But since my hand was near my body, its attempts were not successful.  

I tried to keep still and watched it intently and it did not flew away from me.  When I raised my hand, I don't know for whatever reason there was, the damselfly simply landed on my thumb.  I could not believe it.  After it landed on my hand, I slowly moved my hand back and forth and yet it remained there for some time.  With several of us on that place, I was the lucky one who had this kind of experience.  And the feeling was just splendid.  

Quote 169 - Borrowed Life

Random Thought 85 - True Friends

I can proudly say that if ever I will die, I will die a happy person because I happened to know who my true friends are.

Our family, as we know it, will always be by our side no matter what the odds are.  But our so-called friends may have some reservations when the time of great need is at hand.

During these struggling and trying times, I guess I can rightfully say that my true friends are there for me.  By God's grace, they were able to extend their precious time and offered themselves unselfishly for my sake.  Words cannot simply express my emotions of gratitude toward these people.  But there is one thing that I am so sure about, they will always be in my heart as long as I live.

Thank you, my true friends, for letting me feel that I am worthy to be a part of your lives.  Thank you for showing your overwhelming support on the toughest battle of my life.  Thank you for the regard that rejuvenates my fallen spirit.

Rest assured, until my last breath, you'll always be in my prayers.   If ever I cannot repay your kindness, I pray that the good Lord will be the one to prosper you and your family. 

Food Trip 84 - Pork Pastel

Just like the rest, my day to day activities are somewhat routinely and boring including my food. The food in the canteen are all the same since the time I’ve been with my work.  There came a time that I can actually taste the food just thinking of going to the canteen.  And the delight of enjoying my lunch was no longer there.

One time, on my way home, I chanced upon a food stall a couple of blocks away from my place.  Since I happened to be acquainted with the people selling the food, I got curious about the one they called pastel.  Of course, a vendor would always claim that his food tastes good.  But since I am not familiar with the food, they allowed me to have a taste of it. And yes, it was indeed good.

Their version of pork pastel is composed of pork meat, pork liver, hotdog, carrots, red bell pepper, and pickles.  The pickles added some sour taste and the taste of bell pepper could hardly be felt.  The sweet and sour taste complement each other.

It is a common practice that food stalls would always compromise their ingredients and the taste of their food with its price.  But not these people. The preparation was a bit extravagant considering their serving ( I always enjoy some add on) and its modest price.  Their serving would allow one to enjoy up to four cups of rice.  And they always make it to a point to provide all the ingredients as much as possible for a much tastier experience. 

Exploring Philippines 84 - Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro (Post 5 - Fire Dancers )

Before I went back to the resort, I had to fill my stomach first. I asked the driver about a good eatery within the area and he directed me to one of them. I was delighted because the food was good and I had a decent meal for 60 pesos only. After my early dinner, I went back to the resort and stayed on the beach enjoying the full view of the crowd. It was early evening and the place live to its name because it was alive and people gathered at the beach to enjoy. All the those establishments that are closed during daytime were now open and were flocked with guests. As I gazed on the shoreline, I happened to see all my colleagues gathered in an area along the shoreline and enjoying an early evening chat. They were actually looking for me since the time I left the place.

After our short bonding moment, they decided to go back to our room but I opted to stay.  Since I was informed earlier that a fire dance will commence soon, I waited for it. And true enough, after five minutes or so, the performers soon start to prepare.

I was thankful because I was at the right time and place. The moment the performers had their cue, the spectators easily gathered around at the beach ground forming a large circle. I was on the inner part of the circle and I had the full view of the show without any difficulty.

The two performers easily captured the audience. They dance to the tune of an upbeat tune and were graceful in their moves. Their routines and stunts made the audience exclaimed  in delight.  One can feel the intensity of the production and from time to time, spectators would clap their hands for a remarkable stunt and their accolades further boosts the performance of the fire dancers.

The performance was a spectacle for me and I was literally feasting with my camera. At first, I was struggling with my camera setting but eventually I learned how to capture a worthy sight of the performers.

When the routines of the two performers ended, it was now time for the audience to participate and have their pictures taken together with the fire dancers.  Some were excited while others were afraid to come near the performers because of the fire balls. Since I was inside the circle of spectators, at some point, I could feel the heat of the fire balls and most probably, some audience were not comfortable with the fiery things.

After a while, the crowd dispersed and hurried to the next set of performers on the other side of ground. There were actually three different sets of performers from three different bars. Each set of performers have their own sets of routines and stunts that would capture and excite the crowd. This form of entertainment is a nightly event that every visitor should not miss while in Puerto Galera.

Poem 84 - Once Again

I never thought I'll see you again
After these long years of separation
You just never know how much I missed you
You've been my strength, my inspiration.

I thought the distant shores will divide us
And it will remain a dream seeing you again
You're the best part this life has ever got
Whatever happens, you will always remain.

I thank the Lord for our much awaited reunion
God knows I really look forward to this day
And when I finally see you once again
I just can't hide my joy, my ecstasy.

God is great for allowing this day to happen
God knows that we complete one another
This is one joyous moment to celebrate
Another milestone for our memories to gather.

And there you are, just like in the old days
Nothing has change, still the same old you
I am glad about this delightful golden moment
Relieving old times, rejoicing, just me and you.

It feels great to share this lasting memory with you.

Quote 168 - Holding On

Moment 84 - Colorful Hair Styles

We were at Marinduque for the Moriones festival.  As we cruise around the town of Gasan, we chanced upon these guys.  

From a distance, these guys caught our attention because of their colorful hair styles.  And the way their hair were styled were all identical.

As we came closer to them, I asked Frank to stop the car for awhile.  I wanted to try my luck with these guys if I could take their picture.  They were walking ahead of us and as our car was nearing them, they continued walking in a single line.  The moment our car stopped, I ran after them and asked for their pictures.  Even though they were surprised, nevertheless, one of them smiled and nod in approval.  I did not waste any precious second because they might change their mind.  The moment they faced me, I quickly took a couple of shots and thanked them afterwards.

Quote 167 - Kids

Random Thought 84 - Being Cold

Sometimes, it is better to ignore negative people rather than deal with them in a pretentious manner.

Whether we like it or not, some associations may turn sour especially if personal matters are at stake.   Not all individuals that surround us may stand by our side and help us in carrying our struggles and fights.  Only a few of them will take risks in order to support and help us in any manner possible.

Some people, those who are thinking only of themselves, don’t want to compromise their position.  Some of the worst kind of selfish people are those suckers who don’t give a damn about you but have all the nerves to bring you down further.  When they do their treacherous acts, they render their judgment as if they are absolute about the kind of truth they wanted to believe.   And yet, they can manage to smile at you with all their pleasure.  Such hypocrites are the most low life creatures of their kind.  

Though it is hard to co-exist with such people, if the situation calls for it, we have to learn the art of being cold and disregard them as if they don’t exist at all.  Even if it is not part of our personality to ignore people and it is hard to go to work and see them every day, through time, we will eventually get used to it.  What’s the use in dealing with these kind of people when they don’t deal with us fairly?  Indeed, it may not hurt a bit and we cannot blame ourselves for being cold towards them.

Food Trip 83 - Nilagang Baka

Among the red meat, beef is my favorite.

Frozen meat are prevalent especially in the city.  But in rural areas, fresh meat are readily available every market day.  And nothing beats the taste of fresh meat.

Nilagang baka is one of the favorite dish in the Philippines.  Almost every part of the country has its own way in preparing nilagang baka.  In our place, nilagang baka can be served depending on the vegetables that are available on a particular season.

Perhaps the most common recipe of nilagang baka has cabbage, potato, and beans on it.  But regardless of the vegetables in nilaga, one of the best stuff that I always look forward to a nilagang baka is the beef tendon.  I find it fun and enjoyable if beef tendons are included aside from having the red meat itself.  And beef tendons are best appreciated only if it is fresh.  

Exploring Philippines 83 - Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro (Post 4 - Tamaraw Falls)

Tamaraw falls got its name from the species of buffalo that can only be found in Mindoro. There are three tamaraw statues right beside the road and the falls. Tamaraw falls is a majestic 423-foot wonder and for a tourist like me, it is one breath-taking natural wonder to behold. Usually, a falls like this one is situated in a far flung area and one would literally spend some time and exert much effort in order to get there. Since Tamaraw falls is located by the roadside, it is already a bonus to people who are not fond of hiking.

The cascading waters of Tamaraw falls pass underneath the bridge and are gathered in a man-made resort located right at the foot of the falls. The entrance to this resort is 25 pesos and tourists would usually take a time off to experience the cool waters of the falls. I would love to plunge into its waters also if I really planned for this trip or if there could had been enough time. Since it was almost five in the afternoon, I cannot afford to be late in going back to the resort.

I just can't get enough of the sight of Tamaraw falls. Actually, if I have a whole day, I would love to simply let time fly while I am enjoying the sight of the falls. The mere sight of the falls gives me certain delight, enlightens my spirit, and rejuvenates my energy. This is a kind of luxury for me where I am enjoying a peaceful and happy existence.

While I am preoccupied with the delight of taking pictures, someone joyfully called my attention.  She is a familiar face and the last time I saw her was two years ago. Jen was with her husband, also visiting Puerto Galera and they rented a motorbike and cruise around the countryside where the falls was their last stop.  It was nice to see a familiar face in an unfamiliar territory and I am equally happy because I am still part of her memory.

It was already five in the afternoon when we left the place.  Time was so short when you are having fun and I   am happy because of this little adventure of mine. Actually, I was planning to visit this falls the following day but I might not realize this one if I will be waiting for my colleagues who are not fond of exploring out of their comfort zone. Even with just little amount of time in Tamaraw falls, I was somewhat happy because of the worthy side trip I made out of the blue.