IN PRAISE OF THE SUN

I left Manila with a void in my heart. I came back complete. I found myself in the most unlikely place, in an island where people go to forget.

Boracay for me will never be the same again. It served as my catalyst to help me renew my faith… to God, to friends, to love, to life… and most especially to myself. I rediscovered my essence. I found my being.

Boracay is not about the chorizo burgers, nor the sumptuous to-die-for grilled seafoods. It’s neither the happy-hour pitcher daiquiris nor the countless Tequila shots in Cocomangas. It’s neither the endless parties nor the 500 Pesos Spa in Station 2. The best things in Boracay are actually free.

It’s the simple things that are unforgettable.

How I marveled looking at the full moon while its beauty was reflected on the low tide sea… how I was left at awe with the amazing sandcastles built by the friendly kids inhabiting the island… How I was almost teary eyed watching the glistening ocean bed while everyone was having their fix and taking a dip on the beach. How… how fulfilling it was to burry your feet in the powdery white sands while spending countless hours talking to someone who totally understood your being… someone who listened, and someone who at that very point in time was one with me in spirit.

My last day in the island was with mixed feelings. I was in a roller coaster ride and it was so fast it left me breathless. It was hard for me to leave because I know that a part of me will stay there and I will never see myself in the same light again.

The change could be for the better or for the worse… I don’t know, but all I know is that it’s inevitable. Holding back has been limiting me for quite some time now and it was time for me to let go. And by letting go I was able to breathe freely and put things in perspective…

I discovered lots of things in the island. I found my limitations. I found my weaknesses. I found my strengths. I even found some things about myself I never knew existed. I didn’t know I was capable of rage, of utmost anger. I didn’t know I was capable of unconditional love. All these things happened in the last 24 hours before I left this island paradise. I found my sanctuary. I found utopia.

It was one of my best journeys, a life’s stone marker. The sun was about to set when we left the island. He was kissing me goodbye but I wasn’t sad because I knew that the next time I see him, the sun will be there to greet me with its full potentials.

I closed my eyes and felt the last heat that he, the sun, was emitting. It was priceless.