Romancing the Stone

It is undeniable. I can feel it in my bones.

Change is coming. And it is coming very soon.

Everything is pointing in one direction.

The Merlion beckons.

And I will answer.

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.

(Photo courtesy of Piper)

Before the Ritual

Piper and Prue.

Leo and Paige.

The Ritual of Truth and Remembrance

Get three charmed witches and a whitelighter together under a dark, pregnant sky and you have for yourself a most potent recipe for enlightenment.

Tonight the coven gathered in the middle of an almost deserted parking lot and gave birth to a most powerful ritual, one that transcended time and space and elevated the Charmed Ones to a higher level of self-discovery, self-understanding, and self-appreciation - the Ritual of Truth and Remembrance.

It was unplanned, and began with simple but probing questions casually thrown at each other by the four beings as they walked to their cars. When they got there, they could not immediately board their vehicles. A mysterious force kept them glued to where they stood. The spot had been chosen for them and they knew what they had been called that night to do.

The Charmed Ones and the whitelighter took their places. The fires were lit. And the ritual began. The four beings connected, and immediately, images from the past flashed before their eyes. Details of long-forgotten events came to fore. Insights that were never realized materialized all at once. Pieces of long-standing puzzles came together and formed clearer and more accurate pictures of the past. Light came forth and the riddles of each one's present were suddenly unlocked.

One found the key to chances and choice. Another found higher purpose. One found solace in being alone. And another found the light of self-awareness.

The witches and the whitelighter each threw in their personal share of honesty and openness into the cauldron of night, and brewed a potent potion of truth from remembrance. In minutes, the potion was reduced, and the rain fell and blessed it.

The four beings parted and took with them their fair portions of enlightenment. The night had given birth, and each was now more aware of himself and of others. Each was now more empowered by the fusion of collective energies. Each was now more bound to each other by their new ritual, the ritual that transcends time and space, the ritual that elevates to higher levels of self-awareness - the Ritual of Truth and Remembrance.

Inevitability

Dear Beb,

This is probably one of the hardest letters I have ever had to write. I stared at a blank screen for over half an hour, not really knowing what to say, much less how to say it.

Just a few hours ago, we decided to break up. We both thought we were better off apart, that there were things about us that were irreconcileable - lifestyles and values that were not aligned, plans that were incongruent, limitations that neither of us could surpass. But we knew this had to happen and we decided to break it off two weeks into our relationship.

It pains me that despite our status, we still have so much love and affection for each other. I remember it took us all day yesterday to say goodbye. Buckets of tears fell before we were able to let go of each other. The truth was neither of us really wanted to break it off, but the circumstances and the awareness that this was not the perfect time for us pulled us apart. We knew it was inevitable.

Beb, I am so sorry I could not be the man you need now. I am sorry, too, that I could not give you the assurance that I will be. No, you were not asking me to change or give up anything, in fact, you loved and accepted me the way I am. But by staying with you or by asking you to stay, I am unintentionally asking you to give up the values you have so faithfully held on to and change the plans you have so carefully laid for yourself. I will never let anyone do that for me, eventhough I knew you would because you loved me, but that will be unfair.

But I have no regrets. The two weeks that we spent together were the most enchanting two weeks I have had in recent memory. The best part about it is that I felt from you the most genuine appreciation of who I was. You saw my value, and you valued me as if I were the most important (and most beautiful) person in the world. You did not express your love with mere words. You showed your love and made me see, feel and taste it. It was real. It was palpable. And it was sincere.

I got reactions like, "It was that quick?" and "That's that?" But you know, Beb, I will not trade the two special weeks we had together for anything. I would choose two short meaningful weeks with you anytime over four long years with someone else. You have made your mark. You will always be, to me, the Beb that loved me with all his heart, with all his mind, and with all his soul. Quality of time, Beb, that is still your most wonderful gift.



You have a most kind heart, and you will bless many people with your kindest intentions, your gentlest demeanor, and your humblest service. Go be a Ray of Light. Go do what you were born to do. Follow your calling. Follow your heart.

I will definitely miss you. But I hope to see you again several years down the road and find that maybe then the timing will be perfect for us. Things never stay the same, you know. Our lives are constantly shaped and reshaped by circumstances. Change is ever-present. It is inevitable. And it is always good.

Know that I will always love you my bebe.

Glenn

Change Incarnate

When I began this blog, I didn't know how much my life was going to change in the succeeding weeks. I actually find it a bit funny now that I came up then with the title, The Chronicle of Change, considering how much my life has ACTUALLY changed in the recent past. Now, this blog serves as a testament to how "chaotic" life really is, how forever changing, and how consistently inconsistent it is.

Now, I am seriously considering a career shift, and a change of environment. Somehow, things have become too taxing and too constricting on this side of the planet, and suddenly, the big world outside has become very attractive and alluring. It beckons, and calls me (by my first name), inviting me to taste and take a bite at it. And now, more than ever, it has become more than just a dream. It has transmogrified into an option. A real, solid possibility.

I am more than half-convinced I should explore this alternative. It's scary but it's also exciting. Change can pull the rug under you, but it can also give you a fresh perspective on things. Evolution is imminent, and I am not the type to prevent it. I am, after all, the epitome of change.

I AM EVOLUTION.

AND I AM CHANGE ITSELF.

Tommy and I

You will not believe this story. Until now, I am still reeling from the surprise I got. Just now, my bebe gave me a watch. A Tommy Hilfiger, for crying out loud!


It's black and has a hypoallergenic strap. I'm acidic and prone to allergic skin reactions, i.e. I develop rashes easily. My bebe knew. How thoughtful!

Funny how life gives you back what you so generously gave in the past. Hahaha!

So meet my new friend, Tommy, who will mark the passing of time and help chronicle the changes in my life henceforth.

Time for a Cool Change

Whew! That was the longest birthday weekend ever. And it's not over yet. This week, the celebration continues with parties for different sets of friends, and celebrations with family. It's tiring but I don't really mind.

Today I begin a 3-week vacation from work. Not completely planned nor expected but appreciated nonetheless. I will finally have time to do the things I have put off for a very long time - like cleaning my room! Hahaha!

I will have time to do the bilins of my mom, who is in Japan working hard for the future of our family.

I will have time to write. Not just blogs but poetry, which I miss doing, really.

I will have time to do some spring cleaning, i.e. cleaning out all the material (and emotional) clutter that have accumulated from previous seasons. It is time to clean up. And move on!

I will have time to read.

I will have time for love. I will have time for friends. I will have time for family. I will have time for myself.

And I will have time for change.

Comic Book Crossovers

Funny how fast time flies and how fleeting things are. Just yesterday I was stuck with the stigma of being "single and unattached" and now I am happily in a relationship and not so unattached.

The Sunday visit to the mall turned out to be serendipitous. Fateful. I didn't just get to spend time with my family. I got to spend time with destiny.

It came as a surprise. No warnings. No signs. It just came. The opportunity presented itself and both of us were ready to grab at it. The attraction was mutual. The needs and wants the same. The timing perfect.

Both hearts scarred from previous relationships. Both souls searching for a companion. Now we're ready to begin new chapters in our lives, chapters that cross, just like in comic book crossovers.

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

Okay, it's a Sunday. I have no urgent work and my friend Otep says my blog needs updating. (He cringes when he sees that picture of my swollen foot.) So here goes.

As for the foot, it has gotten so much better. I can at least give the appearance that I can walk straight without any pain. But it's unlikely I'd see any court action or get to hit the gym soon.



As for the weight-loss efforts, hmmm, well, what efforts? Since the accident, I have not made any to that end. I've been eating. My mom, who was visiting from Japan, was uber caring and attentive to my needs - thanks Mom! - whipping up the most delicious meals left and right. I gave up trying to avoid carbs or trying not to eat too much while she was here.

As for work, well, it's always there. I'm just glad I have none of that today. Later, the Ala-Coloma siblings are going out to watch a movie at Trinoma. Time for some bonding with the "kids."