THE SURPRISE OF LIFE.

(For  my ADOBO FORUM column - Arizona Fil. Forum newspaper in March)

In this world where all electronic gadgets function with microchips and toys can be most complicated than they had ever been 25 years ago, I was - for some strange reasons, lately- hit by a myriad of retrospection coming from friends and anecdotes that branched out from certain conversations! And somehow, they evoked memories with their power - like to wash them back from the sea to the shore to form the sand.

A few days ago, I wrote something about an airplane. Not about how it was made or if it had the engine that can par at launching a space rocket - it was about childhood wonder, a snap in a conversation that was focused on how nice the linguine looked with all the shrimp toppings! Grinning, I suddenly had the inspiration to put the scenario in black and white and thought about my generation when we were children contented in measuring happiness by counting the dragonflies we caught and innocently kept in our bottles.

It may sound too shallow but I regaled catching the attention of people close to me, when I published the journal online, who said they felt the same and were once again thrilled by the thought of it! In essence, all I want to put to light many times over is that simple joy can come from unexpected circumstances. We don’t have to pay for it to have it. Come on,the world is overflowing with its virtual presence - only, there’s too much loneliness and grief brought by poverty, unfair social discrimination, war and crimes. What we have to know is that we can always find that state of bliss in the simplest situations, whether or not we get reminded by the memories of airplanes and dragonflies.

Please read on the piece I wrote two days ago and remember how it used to be. I am, after all, the sucker for anything nostalgic from childhood and I use that to empower me in my reflections on life as an inevitable,vicious cycle.

* The previous article was called HOW IT USED TO BE.*
(Written on Tue 1:46pm ;March 3rd.)