na alam na papalapit na, sisiklab ang pag-aalsa

    Once upon a time in a land far, far away, there were two lovers—Elio and Selene. To simply describe Elio, he was bright—blinding even. One could easily spot him in a crowd from his golden locks and tanned skin. His glowing smile and dazzling eyes lit up every room he walked into. Not only this, Elio was also very sharp. His quick wit and intuition always played to his advantage whenever he would encounter little snags every day. Because of this, Elio was well-loved by all. The children and the elderly alike would always offer kind smiles, items, and quick stories whenever Elio passed by.

    Exactly the opposite of Elio was Selene. She was quiet and always put on a serious face. Her long dark hair and clipped remarks would always scare away the children. Despite her cold aura, no one could deny that she was beautiful. Her pale skin made elders tell stories of how she was born at the stroke of midnight when the stars shone the brightest, but the night was at its coldest; and her piercing eyes made her seem like a flower on a cliff—beautiful but utterly untouchable.

    Selene loved painting. She would usually paint from when the sky started to brighten until the stars came out and the entire world was shrouded in darkness. Selene loved to paint by her window as this gave her a picturesque view of the town and the landscape beyond. It was also a great place for her to hear the muted chatter of the villagers and the harmonious songs of the birds; it made her feel less alone, for she hated the silence. She felt loneliness creep in whenever the villagers avoided her like the plague when they saw her painting by her window. Selene hoped for a spark of light that would accompany her and brighten up her dark surroundings. She wished upon the infinite fields of constellations above her, for hope is the bringer of light. 

    Elio loved baking. He worked at the bakery near Selene’s house. After he delivered the bread fresh from his oven to every house in the village and gave the burnt ones to the stray dogs and cats, he would make a fresh new batch and give it to the person by the window. The girl, who would always be painting, would gladly accept and munch on the still-hot bread, eating silently as Elio told stories of his early morning encounters with the villagers. 

    As days passed, Elio’s warmth slowly crept past Selene’s walls. Elio would grin brightly whenever Selene chuckled at his ridiculous jokes and never-ending stories. 

    Elio would say, “Your eyes are like crescents,” whenever Selene’s eyes disappeared as she laughed loudly at his attempts to impress her with different types of bread and flowers every morning. 

    Elio never failed to show up. The pair would usually stay together until late at night, just painting, talking about the mundane things happening in their lives, and anything else they could possibly think of. Eventually, Elio managed to coax Selene away from her window; they started to take walks together. Elio filled Selene’s once-quiet life with boisterous laughter and absurd tales. Every night, Selene hoped for the spark of light to forever accompany her and fill her quiet surroundings with dulcet tones. She wished upon the infinite fields of constellations above her, for hope is the bringer of euphonious music. 

    Much to the surprise of everyone—even Selene’s—she started to join Elio on his early morning deliveries. Selene would shyly smile at the villagers as Elio caught up on what was happening in town. Who would have thought that the cold moonflower—as she was usually called—and the town’s sunshine boy would be seen walking around together and enjoying each other’s company? That the golden light could still shine brightly beside the mysterious darkness?

    After their early morning walks, the pair would go to the hills—as per Elio’s request—to give Selene space to paint. Elio liked to lie down on the limitless fields as Selene painted whatever captured her interest. Sometimes, Elio managed to pull Selene out of her trance by putting flowers in her hair and chasing around rabbits and squirrels. Afternoons would be filled with carefree laughter and the smell of flowers; paintbrushes and canvas were tossed aside in favor of soft hands and wide green hills. 

    As the world darkened and everything quieted down, Elio gazed at Selene, her crescent eyes bright in all the soft ways there were as she painted under the illumination of the fireflies’ lights. With every dip of her brush into the night sky, she borrowed the glimmer of stardust. With every brushstroke, sparkles of light found themselves a new home in the vast expanse of her canvas. 

    Once the painted stars lit up the world in the canvas instead of the sky above them, the pair would begin to head home. Every night, Selene hoped for the spark of light to forever accompany her and fill her cold surroundings with warmth. She wished upon the infinite fields of constellations above her, for hope is the bringer of comfort. As the pair walked back to the village, both silently wished that the next day would bring as much beauty as the last. 

    One day, Selene woke up to absolute silence. 

    The moment Selene opened her eyes, she noticed that the world seemed a shade darker than yesterday. The world seemed dead. The smell of freshly baked bread was also missing. She noticed a gloom took over the entire town. Ignoring this, she patiently sat by her window to wait for her sunshine boy to fetch her. She waited. 

    And waited. 

    And waited. 

    By the time the sky darkened, she decided that maybe Elio was sick and unable to stand from his bed. Realizing that Elio probably had no one to accompany him, Selene immediately rushed to the bakery next door with medicine and some food to give to the missing sunshine boy. 

    But the bakery was void of any light. There, Elio lay, pale as paper, coughing up blood. Selene sat by his side trying to give him medicine. She laughed softly as she recalled their memories of the past few months. She remembered how Elio bothered her every day and refused to leave even if she glared at him. She remembered how Elio made flower crowns for them to wear at the hill. She remembered Elio’s wide eyes, bright in all the soft ways there were, as he gazed at the night sky under the illumination of the fireflies’ lights.

    “Your eyes are like crescents,” Elio managed to say weakly.

    Selene shook her head. Her eyes disappeared as she attempted to not shed any tears. She feared breaking Elio whom she held delicately. Elio tried to show off his once-blinding smile to reassure Selene that he was truly okay, but his eyes only grew dimmer and dimmer. At the stroke of midnight, when the stars shone the brightest, but the night was at its coldest, the sunshine boy lost his shine.

    The next day, the world seemed a shade darker than yesterday. Everyone wore black. Selene felt loneliness creep in. The villagers started to avoid her again. The town was in an eternal gloom. 

    Her eyes traced the glowing path of stars above her, hoping that at the end of the trail she would see the eyes that held the galaxies inside them. Selene hoped for her spark of light to come back to her side. She wished upon the infinite fields of constellations above her, for hope makes one check every day for the answer longed for, only to confirm that it is not there.

    Selene had loved painting. She had usually painted from when the sky brightened until the stars came out and the entire world was shrouded in darkness. Selene had loved to paint at their hill as this gave her a picturesque view of the night sky above.

    She wished for Elio to come back; she swore she would do anything just to have him by her side again—even if it meant she would stop painting. Selene looked at the paintbrushes and canvas tossed aside. Maybe that was how the universe worked. Wishes don’t come true without sacrificing something in return. 

    The entire town was bathed in gold the very next day. A bright ball lit up the world. The warmth was back, and everything seemed better. Perhaps, all of Selene’s wishes for the spark of light to come back came true. Perhaps, all the wishes upon the infinite fields of constellations were granted, for hope is the bringer of granted wishes. 

    As the town enjoyed the sun that they would see every morning, they failed to notice the disappearance of the painter. 

    Soon, they learned that as the sky would darken, there shone the bright crescents that Elio loved so much. There, beside the meteor showers and exceptional comets, was the moon. 

    Some said that Elio became the sun, shining every morning to tell everyone to cherish the day and the next, or to try again, to fight for another day, always bringing warmth and comfort even through the coldest of seasons. 

    No one knew where Selene went. But some guessed that if Elio was the sun, then she was the moon, forever walking amongst the stars, looking for a path to meet Elio again someday.

    And maybe the universe was unfair that way, taking away Selene’s loves. 

   But it was during particularly bright days when the people were reminded of the pair who went around town delivering bread and running around the hills smelling of flowers. It was also during those cloudless nights when the crescent moon gleamed as beautiful as ever, and the fireflies were out illuminating the universe of stars above.

As I stare up at the pitch-black sky

A thought pops into my head.

Tonight, will a star be visible to the naked eye?

Will it be able to distract me from the struggles I face?

Observing the ill-lit sky,

Looking intently, my vision starts to blur.

I continue to look for a star, but cannot help letting out a sigh,

Because after a while, the sky becomes clouded with haze.

Bit by bit, I’m losing hope

‘Oh, why now, when I need you the most?’

I am about to give up but just keep staring as I mope,

I glance the other way, and I am in awe of what I see. 

Look, there it is, the single star I have been waiting for!

Just shining alone in the gloomy sky.

Alone in the darkness, yet it manages to soar

‘Oh, if that star can do it, then I’ll be alright.’

I’ll be alright even when I’m alone,

There’s no need to be afraid on this journey I’ll take.

Like the lonely star above, I will glow on my own,

As long as I focus on myself and my dreams.

Thank you, star, for being my light;

A much-needed one when I felt alone and stuck.

As I go through my journey, which I long to be bright,

I will always remember your spark.

Mahirap kayong akayin isa-isa

Habang pauwi, pinagmamasdan ko ang araw na lumulubog.

Ang sabi sa akin noon, ang mga Mata nila'y maliliwanag--
mga bituinG kumikislap na 'di maikubli ang pangarap.
Noon, ang kanilang diwa'y gising nA gising--
damdaming nag-aalab sa pagtaguyod ng hangarin.

Noon,
Mga kamay ay nagliliKha,
nagsusulat, nagsusulong, nagpapahayag.
Mga labi'y nanginginig man, pAtuloy ang pagsasalita,
nagbibigay-boses para sa mga pipi at paos.
Mga binti'y hindi nagpapahinga at tuhod, 'di sumusuko
hangga't hindi pa nAipararating ang mensahe't adbokosiya
Mga tainga aY pinakikinggan ang lahat,
mula sa mga sigaw ng poot hanggang sa mga bulong ng saklolo.

At ang nagmamadaling mga paa ay hindi naliligaw ng landas,
mabilis na kumikilos,
matatag na umaangkla sa mga pinaninindigan.

Ang sinasabi sa akin noon, ngayon ay nasaan na?
Alam kong nariyan pa sila, maaaring nakalimot lamang.
Siguro totoo ngang hindi maaaring maghintay lamang at magpaubaya,
Kaya ngayon, anak, hinahamon kong hanapin mo muli ang liwanag.

I know it can be challenging, but your

Blood, sweat, tears

Will be taken into account.

Life has a better path for you 

So go, stand your ground.

Struggles mold you to be better,

Conflicts prepare you to be smarter,

Battles only make you braver. 

Life may be hard, but you are tougher.

The journey may be long and weary,

a rough path that seems steeped in misery

But be patient, my child 

Everything will make sense,

All in good time.

All in good time,

My child,

All in good time.

Good luck! Goodbye for now.

Until the next entry,

What's with that frown?

Are you feeling down?

Come on, let's go to the beach

'Cause at the beach, we'll see the SUN

Soon, there'll be light

Soon, it will be alright

Beneath our feet, there's the SAND

Send others some good news

Send both love and hope, don't choose

Of course, there's WATER

Whatever happens, don't be scared

Whatever happens, I'll be there 

There's FISH for FISHING

Push all your fears aside

Just keep pushing, everything will be fine

Get that CRAB

Grab every opportunity

Grab every positivity

Drink that COCONUT

Don't say "I could not"

But say "I could not say I couldn't"

Quick, let's ride the BOAT

Change "But I can't"

To "But I can"

Lastly, don't forget to set SAIL

And that is to 

Stay

Ablaze

In

Life

In this world of ours

I see a bright shining light

Within the darkness

In times of hardship

It shines brighter than ever 

Blazing like a flame

Pushing the limits

Against the veil of darkness

I see its true form

A desire for change

A world full of peace and joy

A beautiful wish

Luminosity

In a world of gloominess

A beacon called hope

    Hindi ko alam kung paano o bakit ako napunta sa ganitong sitwasyon. Kahit sa murang edad, natuto na ako kung paano magtrabaho at alagaan ang aking sarili. Bilang mag-isa sa buhay, natuto akong kumayod dahil kung hindi, baka hindi na ako masikatan pa ni Haring Araw.

    Sa aking pagtanda, nakagisnan ko na ang pagsilip niya ang hudyat ng aking pagpapahinga. Bilang sa gabi ako nagtatrabaho, ang pagpapahinga ko tuwing umaga ay para mapawi ang aking pagod at para na rin mag-ipon ng lakas para sa panibagong araw. Gustuhin ko mang magtrabaho kahit na umaga, hindi ko na ito pinilit dahil wala rin namang makapapansin sa taglay kong ganda.

    Ang hapon ang natatangi kong libreng oras para sa buong araw. Dito ko nagagawa ang lahat ng nais kong gawin. Pagmasdan ang hugis na binubuo ng mga grupo ng ibon na lumilikas, tingnan ang nagtataasang gusali, bilangin ang dami ng mga saranggola, at isipin kung anong imahe ang binubuo ng mga ulap ang ilan sa mga parati kong ginagawa. Ngunit ang pinakagusto ko sa lahat ay ang pagmamasid sa mga dumadaang eroplano sa langit. Ito ang paborito kong gawain dahil ako'y namamangha sa kung gaano ito kababa o kataas. Minsan pa nga ay natatakot ako dahil ito ay sobrang lapit sa akin.

    Kahit nais ko pang magsaya, kailangan ko na itong putulin upang makapaghanda sa aking trabaho. Dapat ako ay mukhang kaaya-aya at malinis. Hindi dapat magkaroon ng kakarampot na duming maaaring makita sa akin dahil kung magkagayon, hindi ko magagawang magningning sa abot sa aking makakaya. Lagi ko ring iniisip na ang bawat pagpasok ko sa trabaho ay panibagong oportunidad para sa aking buhay. Umaasa akong may makakakita sa akin na malaking personalidad at pasikatin ako. O kaya naman ay nagmamay-ari ng isang kompanya kung saan pwede akong makahanap ng trabaho.

    Sa paglubog ng araw, ang aking pinakahihintay, oras na para ipakita ko sa lahat ang aking liwanag. Dahil sa liwanag na aking taglay, nakikita ko kung paano ako tingalain ng lahat. Hindi man sila malapit sa akin, natutuwa akong may nakapapansin sa akin. Ang gabi ang parte ng aking araw na nagpapaalala sa akin na ako’y buhay pa. Sa araw-araw kasi na paulit-ulit ang aking ginawa, wala nang bagong nangyayari, sa tingin ko nga ako ay tila isang robot na walang pakiramdam.

    Ang pag-antabay ko sa malalaking personalidad o sa mga may-ari ng kompanya ang paraan ko upang makahanap ng pang-umagang trabaho. Ito sana ang pagkakataon ko para magkaroon ng “bago”, ngunit bilang narito pa rin ako sa aking kasalukuyang trabaho, alam niyo na siguro kung may nadiskubre na sa akin o wala. Ang mga tulad ko raw kasi ay nababagay sa panggabing gawain katulad ng aking nakasanayan.

    Sa kabila ng pagnanais ng bagong buhay, patuloy pa rin akong pumapasok tuwing gabi. Hindi ako pwedeng mabakante dahil maliit lamang ang ipon ko at kung ako ay tumigil sa pagtatrabaho, hindi ko masusustentuhan ang aking sarili.

    Isang gabi, minabuti ko nang lumapit sa aking katrabaho. Sinabi ko sa kanya ang lahat ng aking iniisip pati na rin ang nais kong pagbabago. Dinamayan niya ako at sinabing sisikapin niya akong tulungang maghanap ng panibagong trabaho. Bago tuluyang matapos ang gabi, kinausap niya ako.

    “Hindi ko mapapangakong mahahanapan kita ng trabaho. Ang mga tulad kasi natin ay hindi natatanggap sa mga trabahong lihis sa kung ano ang trabaho natin ngayon.”

    “Ayos lang… Pero bakit ba kasi kailangan nating dumaan sa ganito? Kailangan ba talaga na tayo ay dumaan sa dilim? Napapagod na kasi ako. Nakapapagod na kasi ang lahat ng ito. Magpapahinga sa umaga, panandaliang magsasaya, at magbibigay-aliw sa mga tao sa gabi.”

    Tinitigan niya ako at nagbalik ng tanong, “Bituin, makikita ba natin ang ilaw kung hindi naman dumilim?”

Its fingers are so delicate,
strangers to a life so adverse.
Its cheeks are so soft and smooth,
unknowing of hardships beyond its cradle.

Its eyes are the brightest,
perhaps more than any star,
though they resemble a monster's
they can't keep me very far.

Torn,
stripped,
and tattered,
I've been through a lot.

But in my arms I carry no burden
but the only right thing amidst it all.

I see the smile on my baby's face,
the warmest fire in the room,
and I think
maybe I can make it through.

That is when I smile too.