"From that time on...

...Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand."

These are not my words.
I copied it from Matthew, as he speaks of the beginnings of Jesus' Galilean mission in his Gospel.
But in so doing, i am making it Mine too.

The events were quick and unstoppable. during the last few weeks before our submission of our application letter, i was even very excited about what would happen in a few months time. Little did i know that God was preparing something more for me.
It so happened that a wake up call jolted me out of my dream mode, which, apparently i have been in all throughout these past years. the event (i should not mention details, lest my decision might take on a bad light) was a blessing in disguise and my saving grace. it was sooner than i thought that i realized only one thing: Have i really, concretely, convincingly made up my mind to become a Salesian, or am i still prancing around, hoping, one day to don the ego-enhancing cassock, take on the letters SDB, and walk home and say: "Look at me! I'm different now!"?
seriously, i know i haven't.
i haven't even thought about an alternative life if anything possibly goes wrong! i always thought, no, rather, i have always been made to think that this is the only life for me.
And taking this as the premise of everything, my motivations are still in that 'first year seminarian' stage, only now, justified in so many other ways.

This is where the roller coaster ride began.
I looked back at the nine months of "living the life" and i say, Gosh! i dont even think i'm enjoying this anymore (i dont want to hurt anyone in saying this, take this with a grain of salt, and read in- between the lines). of course i have been doing the most extraordinary things, experiencing the most unique of encounters, and have been taking on privileges that i never even thought a Salesian is entitled to have!
I read and re-read my novitiate journal, and i could tell you frankly, with evidence at hand, that since day One, i have been feeling ill about something. i could sense that something was wrong. It was a good thing that i was able to let pass nine months before coming to a conclusion, lest i would be living in a despondent subterranean desert, arid and cold, with no road to turn to.
I prayed and sought peace where it beckoned me. With God's grace and all of your prayers, i know that I have made the best decision i could make both in my life now and in the lives of the people around me.

Matthew's words, "From that time on..." is actually an antecedent to another line, which talks about the arrest of John the Baptist and Jesus' consequent loneliness. it reads: "When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee..."
a cause. an effect.
a missing. a mission.
an end. a new beginning.

i dont like the former, because im tired of hearing people say, "Sayang!" or "Bakit?" I think i'm well over those, and i want to be where i should be: at the start of something new.
thanks for hearing me out.
Lets pray for each other.

Lolo and Lola Darling FEVER! - Cebu Edition

I was able to frolic away from home today.
Lola and Lolo Darling spread their fever again as they visited me here in Cebu, vis a vis their convention preparation at Parklane Hotel. They picked me up around 9:30 and we sped away to Ayala, Cebu, for a day with them.

We talked about alot of things over snacks in Mcdo.
There was the topic on Taric, also on the red alert in Manila.
Then I also took the chance of shopping for my immediate needs and toiletries, just in case we run out of them in the house.

Before we left, we strolled around for lunch at the foodcourt, and headed for last minute pasalubong.

It was a cute afternoon. I missed them alot, knowing that tomorrow is a sunday, and that the whole family will once again ransack their house in Congre, QC.

I miss those days. But little by little, we are already accepting the fact this will not go on forever. At least, with them, we all got once-in-a-lifetime memories to look back to.

I love you lolo and lola!

Do I really need to be the next Gary V.?

Its very hard to put feelings into words.
If only they had vocaularies, and they knew how to spell.

Yesterday, i sang two of my favorite songs: "How did you Know?" and "Wait Forever." They were both popularized by Gary V, no less.
But little do the public know that the composer and arranger of those songs is a Bosconian. A former Aspirant in the Salesian Seminary, at that. His name: Jude Gitamondoc. I wouldnt want to brag, but i could be the luckiest Gary V. fan out there who was able to sing those two songs with him on the keyboards.

I was in seventh heaven. (see how words could not, even by an inch, measure up to what the heart says?)

He was here yesterday, giving a Creativity Seminar to the Aspirants. After lunch break, Fr. Andy and Fr. Nioret introduced me to him, and gave me the privilege of singing with him. Of course i needed to be modest, so i made up excuses and everything, but deep inside, i was jumping for joy!
So we dashed into the sems' refectory and in no time, were belting out Gary's songs.
I felt like Josh Groban in a mini concert!

Not until i received a pat at the back, with the words: "iwawala mo pa yang bokasyon mo dyan!"
Oh, Kuya Donnie. Thanks for the wake up call!

Then i was back on the ground.
Fun. Never to be forgotten.

Josh Groban's Concert. What else can you ask for?

I was at Joh Groban's Concert.

Yup. Last night, October 17, Gala night.

My mom called me up through her cellphone around 9pm, and i had no idea what she was up to. All i could hear were orchestrations at the background and I couldnt make out the scene.

Then she spoke: "Do you hear this?"

"Yes," i said.

"Sige, makinig ka lang..."

When she says that, i'm pretty sure, i'm in for a surprise.

Then i heard a voice, speaking on the microphone.
it was not just a voice: it was the voice.
I said: "Oh my, is that Josh Groban? Are you in Josh Groban's Concert?"

And she, with an equally excited voice, whispered: "Yes! Can you imagine?!"

I knew it! And it was not the first time they've gotten complimentary tickets to concerts such as these. They were with the high ends of society, such as Piolo Pascual and Christian Bautista, to name a few.

I just couldn't but keep quiet and bask in the melodies.

Then I heard him making some spiels, and at intervals, i heard everybody's lauhter. He's a funny guy, i surmised. And not long after, he was at the piano, singing one of the latest additions to my favorites: "February Song."

Wow! Mama said that to make up for the free tickets, she would instead be the one to pay for the phone bill. And i really appreciated it right then and there.

Then i heard him sing a couple of Italian songs, not to mention his rendition of "In Her Eyes." And just right where it should be, he called Ms. Lani Misalucha to join him on stage. They sang a beautiful rendition of "The Prayer" together. And off the record, I read somewhere that Josh wasn't going to sing it on this concert hadn't Lani become his partner.

By this time, the handset was already glued to my ear, anticipating every note and every word from his show. And towards the end of the hour-long phone call, i gave myself a "last song." He then introed the song "Remember When it Rained." And it really made my day. I always thought that it was a very challenging and high song, but without flaws, he hit every single note, just as how he did in the CD.

The call ended when mama had to change phones because she was running low on batteries. but i said that that was enough for the day. I couldnt thank her enough for thinking about me, thirsting as i was for the stage and for music, in this far flung hill. She said that Josh would always remind her of me, that's why she just had to make a phone call, despite the laws of the theater.

I bade good night, but i made a last request. i wanted to see what he looked like that evening. How the stage was like. How they were like. And so i requested for a video, at least for just one song, so i could really be there.

Then, after saying my thanksgiving prayers, i hit the sack filled with the melodies of Mr. Josh Groban.

...Minus the 20,000-peso-ticket to the Orchestra seats.

How often do you get an Unexpected Visit?

I wasn't actually expecting them to arrive at that time.
But Jhile, a friend from College, surprised me at that very moment when i was clad in full football regala, towards the last minutes of our game with the aspirants.
Imagine how dirty i was and how sweaty i looked that sunday afternoon, September 31.
But hey, a friend is a friend, no matter how you look.

She took three days off work, and visited Cebu (why Cebu? ...dont ask me). She brought along two companions, both her classmates from USTe and, together with it, lots of stories.
We exchanged exclamations while she introduced Juvy and Mark. Of course, with my best suit on and all, i led them up the Novitiate hill so i could change into better clothes while they toured the place.

I was very glad that i have friends from the "real world" visiting me here. It's like a refresher: just when you thought that you had problems, you see them, and you're like "hey! God has blessed me (and all of us) with different crosses to carry, after all!"
We talked about work, old friends, life, (she said "next question please..." when i asked about Love life...), plans, and all other stuff we missed back in those good ol' days.
They reqeusted if they could stay until 9ish, and i certainly agreed.
I bet that they hadn't herd mass that Sunday, so i invited them to join the celebration of our Cebuano Youth Mass down at the DBFC chapel. Afterwards, they joined the vespers with the whole community.

We prepared dinner for the three of them, but sadly, they had to go. everyone pleaded with them to stay, but they were getting rather late, and they had to meet a friend at SM. it was about 8:00, and i also surmise that they were a bit shy to join us.
So i hailed a taxi for them and saw them off to SM. With a final embrace, i said "keep in touch!" and wished them a safe trip and a blessed life.

It's not often that i receive friends who really go out of their way to see me. usually, YM or email or friendster will do. But it is in these very exceptional cases where i see true friends apart from the rest. Thanks!