Kismet By Wein Gadian
written for a weekly column
A WEEK ago, I was in Boracay to supervise a project. Planning for the trip was not as exciting as the first time I went there,considering that we have to be in Boracay by 10 a.m. It means my colleagues and I have to leave Iloilo at 4 a.m. Too early, but it always pays to be obedient to your boss. Of course, it was a tiresome travel. Imagine, waking up at 3:30 a.m. to prepare for the trip? I would have wanted to sleep more but it just can’t be. We were on the road for six hours and sleepy as we are, without a radio signal and music to play, we have to entertain ourselves the best way we can. We cracked jokes even if our jaws are still too weary to laugh and even sang our favorite songs. We couldn’t sleep as our driver-colleague requested us to be awake.In my mind, I pictured the Boracay sunset just to keep myself awake. We dropped by Leganes to buy pan de sal and one thing I learned is, if you’re tired, think of food. In Sigma, Capiz, we ate breakfast and after a few hours we reached our destination. From the moment we arrived, it’s been work and it was only until 3:30 p.m. that we went back to our hotel. My colleagues took a nap while enjoyed my bath. By the time they woke up, I was ready to watch the sunset. I’ve been going to Boracay for years, but it was my recent visit, which was different. It was perfect. Before, I didn’t have the time to swim or to enjoy the beautiful sunset. It was only during this visit that I told myself, it’s so nice to live here forever. The beach still has its overpowering energy that would left me breathless and empty of worries. Watching the sunset from the shore was just too perfect for me. I’m not a sentimental freak but I always fall in love with nature’s simplicity. I’ve written too many times about sunsets, about the ocean and the forests – but nothing compares to the experience I had there. Aside from the hike and the beach, there were drums, guitar, flute, saxophone and piano under the moonlight. I may be a hopeless romantic but these are the things I enjoyed the most. The cool breeze, the soft white sand. These are the things that I know I’ll miss when I go back to the city. I found serenity and peace by simply watching people swim and little girls and boys laugh as they play with sandcastles. After months of being in the office, it was the first time I felt secure, felt peaceful. Maybe it was the place, the mood or the moonlight glistening in the ocean. On our last night, we checked out the bars. I watched the people, observed their behavior. The bars were okay but I expected something really unique than the ones in the city. I didn’t find it though. And since I’m not really into dancing, I stayed in a corner and watched my friends. I also watched the stars above me as the music played. Yes, I’ve been going to Boracay for years but it would be my recent visit that I would remember most. A perfect experience, indeed, and I’m thankful for it.
