Fourth coming

Sometimes, destiny takes detours -- 

But it never takes its eyes off the destination.

To whom it may concern

To whom it may concern
This, you have to discern
I'm not here to play games
True love is what I aim

I have been there, done that
The life of a wildcat
I'm in for the long run
I'll wait to be The One

To whom it may concern
My time, you'll have to earn
I promise you my all
For me, you should stand tall

Willing to take a chance
Go all in for romance
I'm ready for this change
One's up for the challenge

    To whom it may concern
    You have to be certain
    We must want the same things
    With my heart, no gambling.

The nomad

A nomad's home is the road
His favorite spot, the window.
The eyes wander constantly
Heightened by their vicinity.

A nomad adores people
To his travels, they're fuel.
Differences is what he seeks
A common ground is what they'll reach.

It is a nomad's addiction
Have this world leave an impression.
He will get smitten with a place
Set off, but not without a trace.

It is a nomad's prerogative
To venture, for him, is to live.
Memories in his suitcase
New experience, he'll embrace.

     This nomadic life he chose.
     Globetrotting is a purpose
     For a nomad, it never stops
     There is no such thing as enough.

The virgin diaries

When I was in the Philippines a few weeks ago, while we were driving from Makati to Las Piñas, I happen to listen to a radio show that caught my attention immediately. The show, like any other typical "Doctor Love" session past the witching hour, had a male caller complain about a certain issue he recently had with his girlfriend. He courted her for more than a year before they became a couple; and they were going strong for the last two years. He loved her simplicity, her shyness - and her "hard-to-get" ways were, in his opinion, worth all his time and efforts. More importantly, what attracted him in the first place was her virginity. She prided herself in the fact that she wanted to wait - and he was more than willing to. 

But like all zealous men in their twenties, he looked forward to taking the relationship to the next level and even though she rejected his advances quite a number of times -- after two years together -- she finally gave in. Unmatched, their first time was going to be beautiful. It was going to be spectacular. Yet, instead of it being the new experience he had long hoped for; he was in for a bad surprise -- because right after they had sex, he found out that it was, actually, not such a new experience for her. Indeed, he was not her first. She had been touched before - and this sudden revelation, completely and utterly, destroyed him. 

But as the male caller explained his story, I, like the host of the radio show, could not clearly identify what his real problem was. Undoubtedly, it was wrong for her to lie about her virginity -- and no one in this world would judge the poor guy for being so cross at her. But as he went along, I could not help but sense that he was much more upset about the fact that she was not a virgin than the fact that she hid the truth. Above all, he could not get past the reality that since she was, indeed, not a virgin; then why did she let him wait an eternity for sex? Finally, he seeked advice on whether he should break up with her or not. The host then raised two important questions: "Do you want to break up with her because she lied or because she was not as pure as you thought she was? And if it is the latter, does her non-virginity truly make her less worthy of a woman now?" The caller hesitated for a while before admitting that he contemplated on ending their relationship because of the latter: because she was touched before, and not because she did not tell the truth. He even confessed that if he knew she wasn't a virgin to begin with, he would not have bothered to date her at all. I was furious -- and so was the radio host because she said "Actually, I strongly believe that she should be the one breaking up with you, and not the other way around. You do not deserve her -- or her love since you are judging her based solely on her (non-)virginity. It is like saying that all her other qualities do not count. It was definitely a mistake for her to lie about it -- and whether you forgive her or break up with her because of that false information should be the real issue. Having said that, maybe she did not tell you because she knew you would react the way that you are right now? And she was right - you are being a fool. In the end, did you truly love her or did you fall in love with her virginity?"

One's virginity - surely a person's most precious possession - has always been a very sensitive and long debated subject, especially in more conservative  societies where even discussing it is a huge step. Sex before marriage, contraception and protection, teen pregnancies, sex within cultural and religious differences - these matters related to sex have indeed raised awareness, questions, and eyebrows throughout the ages. As early as our teenage years, we learn that having sex for the first time will be an important happening in our lives -- and it is of course better if we wait for the right person to experience it with. Some people will get to have their fairytale story while many others will think of losing their virginity as a horrendous event.

Without doubt, one's virginity is something that should not be taken lightly and it is a fact that a woman's purity, in comparison to men's, has always seemed more of a serious matter - for women and as it appears, it is at times even more of value for men. It is perhaps a double standard that is arguable and unfair on so many different levels -- but a social truth nonetheless. Moreover, we can concede that this subject is closely connected to what will (eventually) become a woman's sexual and/or romantic history - which will honestly matter for many men when they meet someone. Of course it would be wonderful if one is lucky enough to live his/her true love with one person alone, but we live in world today where opportunities and options have widened. Consequently, women are incontestably more liberal about sex - embracing their sexual prowess as much as men do -- which was not the case only a few decades ago. And so it becomes a reality that a lot of a woman nowadays will have more than one partner in her lifetime -- whether she is proud of that fact or not. The consequences are of course both negative and positive: women gain more experience and confidence, but they are also somehow labelled because of such practice. And so we can ask ourselves: does our sexual history define us? Does it become a factor that will weigh on our dating life? And ultimately, is it right to judge a person because of where he/she has been before?

In the dating scene, many people fear that their history will haunt them because many things in that box could either be shameful, repulsive or even just crazy. And in spite of the fact that we are pushed to believe that we are able to learn from the past, many souls remain persistently judgmental on someone's (sexual and romantic) background. He/she has the history of... makes it seem close to impossible to leave it all behind. But, once again, although it may as well have that major impact -- it simply is not right to let it overshadow our whole being. If a man, like the male caller on that radio show, is not willing to take a bigger chance on a woman just because she's not as untouched as she should have been in his eyes, then he surely is not worth the bother to begin with. The past becomes a part of someone, but it definitely does not make the person. Love is loving it all: qualities, flaws and everything in between. In the end, the thing about virginity is that it symbolizes something new. And when we fall in love, for the first or nth time, aren't we always starting fresh? Of course that is the case -- and some worthy man will know the difference. And like Madonna once said, "I'd been had, I'd been sad and blue. But you made me feel shiny and new. Like a virgin, touched for the very first time."

Osmosis

Nothing but the sound of the waves

Feeling the warm wind on my face

Close my eyes just before I dive

I have never felt more alive

Millions have walked here before me

Still, this moment belongs to me

When my footprints will wash away

In my heart you are here to stay

The island's whispering to me

Overwhelmed by your energy

Everything in sudden osmosis

A harmony I'll surely miss

-Written in BALI, INDONESIA

Pebbles

One of my dearest once told me that life is like drawing a line on the floor; and every event -- no matter how big or small -- is a stone that is gently placed on that line as we go on our journey through life. 

Some incidents are as light as a pebble. Without any major impact, they are often forgotten as soon as they occur - left to rest in the back of our minds. Other stones are indisputably more significant - special, perhaps even pretty exceptional. When we take a look at them long after the moment has passed, it brings out a smile, a chuckle or even triggers a long, loud laugh. Some of these special episodes, naturally, have the opposite effect: capable of making our eyes roll, see red, shed tears and at times, they even make the whole body cringe. And ultimately, there are those events that are rock hard - real big, really heavy. Life-altering, they either make us - or break us. This type of happening usually compels us to question or even change our outlook on things, it molds our being in more ways than we sometimes wished for - and we know, to the core, that we are never the same again.  

Life - a line filled with stones of different shapes, colors and weight; and only God knows in what order. 

Exactly five years ago today, something monumental happened to me and if I may, I would definitely say that this kind of event belongs to the last category: rock hard -- real big, really heavy. It made me question, it made me change my outlook on things and it has truly mold me in more ways than I often wished for - and  I know, to the core, that I will never be the same again. Thing is, many days or events become but fragments of our past and memory -- but some have, to our liking or not, colossal implications. Like a huge rock seen in broad daylight, its shadow lingers -- the consequences of the event, much bigger than the event itself. 

Long have I wondered what I learned from such a massive experience and in truth, it is plenty. Once again -- and I reckon I will never repeat it enough since it has had a huge influence on my writing  -- I am grateful for the fact that I now get to appreciate the smaller things much better than I used to. I know what it feels to be extremely lucky. I found out that there is eternity in a moment. Whether we see it right away or not, people come into our life for different reasons -- all good ones. There is no age limit for learning... or fun. And I am sure that the best love is the "no-matter-what" one. 

Furthermore, I've learned the true meaning of patience - especially because I know what it is not having any. I also believe that although we may not be able to control our feelings sometimes, we are still able to get through them as long as we have the people we love by our side. It is extremely important to work our strengths, but let us not be so hard on ourselves because of our weaknesses. Adjusting ourselves, to a person or a situation, is undoubtedly one of the hardest tasks in life, and there is no way out but through. After this incident, I also came to realize that normal does not exist. Finally, we must keep the faith that turning plans into reality will always be possible - no matter our shortcomings and numerous setbacks, no matter how long it takes. Small steps are indeed frustrating, but we continue to walk the line nonetheless. Many of us live our lives with the belief that only special or stepping stones truly matter, but in the end, maybe the greatest lesson I have learned is that even the smallest pebble can create ripples.

The Innocence of it All

I would write your name on a piece of paper

Add little hearts and a whole lot of color

Then, the mere thought of you was enough for me

I would get a hello; my heart raced quickly.

Beauty of young love lies in its purity

Ephemeral, untainted eternally

A time when possibilities were endless

Love seemed simple - and the heart knew nothing less.

Once older, bruised from a crushed romance or more

Left space for cynicism to take over

And I wonder if it can happen again

Could I love like I have never been in pain?

Innocence of young love is indelible

Now, even forgot the mirth to just giggle
Would like to think there's naivete like before
Love is simple - and this heart knows it for sure.