This blog entry is a scheduled post; written earlier, made to be published on Ivan's birthday which is today. Idea came and inspired through Mitch Albom's "Five people you meet in heaven."
Merce
I met her on our trekking adventure in Mount Ugo at Benguet on January. She's an office mate of my older cousin. At first impression, you won't notice why some people in our group gives her quite an attention until you make contact with her. She is deaf. She's having a hard time communicating with us and vice versa. Regardless, she's jolly all the time. She acted cheerfully and normal as if you don't have to look after her given the condition. Despite the fatigue, struggles and physical hardship we experienced in hiking, there was never a moment I saw her looking neither giving up nor irritated. We get along easy and well during the trip. I don't know where does she get the strength and courage, and I must say that I salute her.
Ejay
Ejay is a 7 year old cancer patient who has leukemia. I met him during my brother's birthday celebration held at ChildHaus - a haven for children battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. He's the first kid who approached me the time we reach their place. It was the first time I saw him (for it was my 5th time visiting the place). Physically, he looks very thin. He's wearing a mask attached to his mouth. He's quiet but is showy of sweetly gestures. He stayed beside me the whole time we were there. Before departure, he gave me a hug and told me "Kuya Ivan, babalik ka ah." He cries while saying it to me. What a tear-jerker. God be with Him.
Ms. JD
Ms. JD is a CWTS professor in UP Manila. She was introduced to me by an environmentalist friend sometime this February while we're biking at the Diliman Oval (Ma'am JD lives within the vicinity). We went at her residence, roam around her garden and see her collection of plants, fruits, crops and bee house. The ambiance was a breath of fresh air. She loves anything clean and green. Upon entering her house, I was suprised of what I saw - a collection of names of people, written in a very small piece of paper, pinned in each stick, attached in a pineapple-looking object located at the table in the living room. She's a birthday collector. It's the first time I've encountered a person which has an unusual collection! She got my name and my birthdate and then attached a stick bearing my name in a paper. It was such an amusing moment.
Mang Jun
Kuya Jun is a cab driver. I rode his taxi sometime in March when I need to go to Banawe, Q.C. to meet my cousins. I have this mannerism of establishing a quick connection with people I've just met especially if having a conversation can be achieved. It's my way of making my presence felt and for a precise term in tagalog: 'palagayang loob' with a significant other given that-very-moment-you-are-with-him-or-her-situation. He has three children and a niece in his accountability. We talked about how he manages to budget his 'kakarampot na kinikita' on a day-to-day basis. Despite everyday struggles in life, I was very happy to hear from him this line: "Kahit maliit ang kita basta marangal, 'yung wala kang taong inaagrabiyado." Naligayahan ako sa narinig ko. Sadyang may mga taong mabubuti ang loob. I gave him plus 100 pesos upon paying my taxi rate when I've reached my destination.
Nonoy
Addison is my cousin. He's more commonly known as 'Nonoy', that's how we call him in the family. I included him here for these two aspects in life he embedded upon me through his recent action: Brave-heart; and Risk-taker. I admire him for having the guts - the guts to leave the comfort zone and taking the road less traveled. To give a little background, he's a manager in an international food company - earning the respect of corporate world, living the life of an ideal eligible-bachelor in the making. And then this year, he just resigned. Why? What for? That is to enter the world of photography. To chase his passion for art in form of taking pictures. The world he truly loves. In simple terms, he's just pursuing happiness. And guess what? He's nailing it.
Love is not complicated. People are. Cliche, but universal truth.
