"Goodbyes always wound us" - LTG

        Habang nakaupo ako sa sofa kaninang umaga’t nagkakape, binuklat ko ang naglalakihang  mga pahina ng The Philippine Star, yung issue ngayon (July  5, 2009). As usual, maraming patayan, bumalik na sa mga projects niya si Katrina Halili, baka makagawa daw ng world record si Federer, pobre daw ang Pinas dahil walang maraming stock ng Flu vaccine at iba pa. But I saw this article written by the famous Lucy Toress-Gomez which really has captured my profound interest. Anlungkot ng article but I learned something. The title itself was the lesson.  – “Goodbyes always wound us”

It started this way:

” So much sadness, this month of June. I attended so far too many wakes, I came to know of too many deaths, of both people I know and know of. I am shaken and my emotions are as jiggly as Jell-O. There is this fragility that seems to have washed over the world in my eyes, and all is just tender, fleeting, at first near but then so suddenly hazy and distant, somewhat lonely.”

This is what I have to say. Goodbyes, no matter how much you wanna coat this word with positive euphemisms, still means a sad greeting told during departures. I know a lot of people who come to think of goodbyes as reinforcements and at the least, challenges, that would make their relationships and bonds grow and get stronger. But soon, they’d succumb all the hopes. Well, there’s nothing wrong with it, you know, trying to be optimistic rather than letting yourself be engulfed by the ravaging depression when someone says goodbye. I would do the same, though, if I were to be left by someone. I would think that having someone miles away from you strengthens the bond in between. I had this girlfriend before whom I’ve shared my love with though the distance between us runs from vast plains and islands.  Half a thousand miles at the least. You could just imagine the desire and amity that I’ve felt while we’re both away from each other.

 “Siguro hindi na tayo magkikita ulet.” I told her once.

Then she answered “Siguro nga but I think it’s better this way”.

“Why?” I asked her.

“Because I want you to miss me, the way I’m missing you right now” she said.

And so, I stayed undoubtedly positive.

We were both happy. But soon we broke up.

 (It just reminds me of this Indonesian song sung by the Asian Idol winner Hady Mirza entilted “Berserah”. In english, it’s “Surrender”. )

Sometimes, the efforts are just not worth it,  for optimism would  certainly run in no permanence. Sandali lang yan. It wouldn’t last for long. I aint sure if many will agree but I think it would be better if the hoping people will develop  early this sense of acceptance that in one way or another, there’s already this slim chance of them (those who went away) from coming back. Especially those who left due to inevitable circumstances such as death.

Just understand the meaning of the word GOODBYE. Don’t interpret. Don’t exaggerate. Don’t make a story. Just understand what it truly means.

P.S.; I appreciated this part from Lucy’s article.

“Somewhere along a tear’s way though, I learned something good. There were no prior signs that told me I would; I just woke up one day knowing that I did. Like the gentlest wind , or a soft dawning settling about me, I just knew something was different, something had shifted, maybe even changed. It is a gentle push, so gentle it does not shake up my life and circumstances, but I know it is there. I feel it entirely in it’s subtlety.”

Salutes to Mrs. Lucy Torres-Gomez for the article. I’m now a new fan of hers.

Please read the reference: G-1 section (Sunday Lifestyle); THE PHILIPPINE STAR; Sunday Issue (July 5, 2009)