Sooner or "Letter...'

15/aug/2006

Last sunday, 13th of August my antipolo girl best friends and i decided to get together after, well... let's just say it's been close to ages! Since i owe aids a lot of next-time-soon-and-one-of-these-days promises, we also decided to extend the invite to him. Dinner at old spaghetti house with old friends for old times sake. Oh, i don't have to emphasize the word OLD, do i?

Picked up by the only PINK thing in this world that i'd actually call 'hot,' because Yvette drives it, I was actually teased and tortured over the thought that i'd have to ride her pink jazz. Not that i mind really! (there's always (an) exception(s) to the rule... this car and yes my pretty godchildren!) Kascade providing us with estrogen-boosting-feet-tapping tunes, we went non-stop on updates and stories to tell. Ghaad! I missed these girls. I missed 'US' sooo much. You know that feeling when you're in the company of your REAL friends and that's when you realize most how much you've missed them? It's the next best thing to being HOME (and the next best alternative to triple layer of molten chocolate cake with caramel syrup oozing from the core. Could i be more graphic of this emotion?

When we got to spaghetti house, there were 3 foreigners inside. a couple and an american who were casually having good conversation over good food. The surprise? One of them, who turns out to be a tourist visiting the couple, stood up with a camera in his grip. So being naturally prophetic (!?!?) hahaha, i asked if he wanted us to take their picture (hey! i know how it feels to be a tourist so i thought it was my turn to do the favor!) Incidentally, he wanted to take a picture of us girls!!! what a funny thing! Yvette smart-alecked our supposed way out of the favor by saying "only if u have a Kodak camera!" (yes call it for-the-love-of-her-job!) The other lady said wittingly, "I have one, does that count?!" I just loved the banter there. We did give in to the favor. I just had to transcribe this. let it be known today that it was supposed to be a wholesome shot. If we do land in some internet site for not-so-kids, we never signed for it ok? tee-hee. the waiter, dennis said the hubby and wife are residents of Valley Golf who worked for a religious group so that itself should indicate their visitor is of good moral standing right? (or he's up for renewal?) maybe he just wanted take a keepsake of the locals...or as we teased each other, the 'aborigines?' Hmmm, but we're too kikay to be all that!

Anyway, the whole sunday thing was a revelation of so many things to me so here's my usual-and-trivial-feel-good-self sharing that might hit a nerve out there just the same.

It is true that we often meet people by chance. They become our FRIENDS by choice. We sometimes don't make the best of choices in life. Thus, you have friends who make you feel the 'empowered woman' in you or those who bring out the flawed person that you are. Even for the latter, true friends will love you for being 'human.' I don't see these people as often as my credit card bill, but when i do at any given blessed chance, it's worth the long wait, and the distance. They never cost you a thing.

It's been almost 2 years. Aids dated the gap well... Digicams and inches off or onto our girth aside, i was overwhelmed with stories of old and new. Beneath all that, it was easy to find a population of reasons why they became my friends and why they still ARE. We're never made perfect. Some of them have strayed away at one point or another. We have lost touch for months and some even decided to take a detour on their own. In the end, when you see how much you've been spared from, you find a forgiving heart and that alone fills up the gap. Now it makes me wonder, when some of us claim to be 'blessed' and we escalate emotions to prayers of gratitude... how can we leave those small spaces for bitterness and let them eat the best of us and the sincerity that's left of our hearts? When we say we're doing well, how can we not forgive those who are on the less greener side of the fence? It is not always what we see or how we feel that make up God's plan. However, when you are in the company of true friends who are just but another person to someone else, that alone is a blessing, and the friendship that surpassed those 'ages'... always a miracle.

Life unfolds a multitude of faith-altering experiences. In the end, i know i don't get to keep everyone in my life. However, nothing changes the fact that he.. (or she) has been part of your life. Who you keep for the rest of your life however, is again, a tough choice to make. In my friendships, there is no use for words, for even in silence, they know who they are. To those others who are merely 'instrumental' thank you for showing me who i really am.

Bechang, you make me proud everytime i see you. Ting, here or abroad, we' ll find our places soon. Aids, you are one good reason why trying is always worth it. Aims, you always are patient and kind... are you sure you're not related to love? (my humor sucks!) Jason, good luck.

We all deserve to lead a good life. With friends like those i have, i know i am living it.