If he could then he would, he has tried myriad times. If he could take your sorrows away and bring gladness and joy, that he has been doing. However, there comes a time when dark days would come. We are all human. Indeed.
That fateful day, he went for a pensive walk, he knew no one. Not a single soul. All nameless faces. It was disconcerting. But, he trudged on. Living in the City of Naga was bearable. His next of kin, just two.
Bespectacled with a shade of goodness, with or without, actual eyeglasses made it adventurous. His Manila friends always reach out. Consequently, he is far and away.
Unspoken
His father spoke Spanish but he never spoke it with him. Only once, he heard him spoke that language when a Spanish-language professor visited their house. Providentially, his mother spoke the language of Cervantes with him. Hindsight, she had a premonition that he would study it at the university one day. It is a complex language. The syntax and other grammatical rules are rigid and expansive.
Spanish is virtually going extinct in our country. You would be surprised that in Spain they are trying to learn English. Mexicans and other Latinos prefer to speak English as well. Why then are we trying to discard English here in our country?
Business language
Admittedly, the most used language in the the world is Chinese because of their huge population. In the final analysis, English is still widely used in most countries. It is the premier International language.
Gone are the days when you could watch on television every channel with English language shows. Now, free television stations offer English shows dubbed in Filipino. It is ironic that even the Japanese are learning English along with the Koreans.
English is an asset and not a setback. A lingua franca.
Language of the Heart
When you travel abroad, basic phrases would help a lot. But, a smile makes a big difference. If you are lost, people would accompany you to where you need to be. Being a stranger in any foreign land, helps you realize the goodness of other people. Locals would try to speak in broken English or make hand gestures similar to sign language. If you have a map they would show you how to get to your destination.
Language of silence
Probably, prayer is the best form of communication. A conversation between you and God. He realized that early on, support from people can only get you up to a certain point. But when you reach the breaking point right at the edge. It is not, definitely, an infinity pool but a cliffhanger.
Our Creator is, literally, the One who makes you warm and fuzzy deep inside your heart and resonates within the depths of your soul.
Visual language
If for a seemingly eternal period of time you have been stagnant in the same place, you need a change of scenery. Vacation or holiday rejuvenates the mind, body, and spirit. A simple walk around anywhere where you live will suffice to make melodies out of the monotony.
Nature is the best cure for all of us. Do you remember the very first time you saw the sea or the ocean? Building sandcastles? Picking up shells? Now, that is not allowed. And the waves that reached the shoreline and touched your toes?
How about the trees with ferns? A forest filled with enchanting flora and fauna. Have you tried climbing a mountain? The feeling is exhilarating. The brook, the stream, the river, the waterfalls and then all lead to the sea or ocean. Except for the lake, of course.
Sacred language
Some things are better left unsaid. People would know when something is going to happen and they choose to remain silent. Saying sorry they say is the hardest thing to do but he begs to disagree. Saying goodbye is…
Discernment of the Spirits
As pilgrims here on earth, we save the best for last. But what if, our life ended abruptly, then what would we be known for? When he is introduced in social circles, people would exclaim, ‘ah, the writer!’ But, frankly, he would rather be just remembered as a friend of Jesus. That is something he has been trying to become all his life. At times, he fell, he stood up, and walked again. The road is long. And his choice, is the one less traveled by but somehow it made sense to him.
It is a narrow path and only few would experience enlightenment. He has two tenets that he anchors his writing to, once you have a lamp, you do not put it under the bed but rather on the bedside table so that others may see. And the other, love keeps no record of wrongs. Those lessons he paraphrased from the Bible.
At the end of the day, we cherish the good times. The unbearable memories are forgotten. At the start of the day, we begin anew with a prayer then again we fill it with small wonders that bring clarity to our humanity and definition to our mission. He sometimes, endearingly, calls his readers his friends. Because, essentially, we all have a mutual Friend.
And again, His name is Jesus. Keep walking. And walk with God!
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