Thoughts on Desiderata

“It is beautiful, isn’t it?” I said softly.
“It must be,” he said.” You seemed awed.”
He laughed.
“It is beautiful,” he whispered, after reading the Desiderata himself.
“Why are you whispering?” I asked.
“Because you were,” he said.
“I was?” I asked.
I laughed. “I did not realize I was whispering.”
“Hmm, you hardly ever realize anything, except the fact that you’ve fallen in love with this piece,” he commented.
I laughed again. ”It’s beautiful.”
“Who wrote it?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” I admitted.” We tried to look it up, but well, the author wished to be anonymous.”
“Hmm,” he murmured. “There is certain calmness in the author,” he said thoughtfully.
“Yes,” I agreed. “He seemed to have found peace, and that made him very wise.”
Cy10.25.2005

Greatest Inventions of Man

“That one looks beautiful,” I said, pointing a picture of a Lamborghini Murcielago.
He smiled. “It does look very sleek.”
“But I like yours more.” I said honestly, remembering his black Ferrari.
He laughed.
“It is one of the greatest inventions of man,” he said.
I was silent, recalling the first time we’ve met.
“You don’t agree?” he asked.
“Of course I agree,” I laughed. “It is Beautiful,” I sighed blissfully.
“Yeah, I think PCs and cellular phones are pretty impressive too,” he said.
“Not to mention airplanes, submarines and space crafts.” I laughed again.
“But they don’t really impress you, do they?” he asked, eyeing me curiously.
“Of course they do,” I protested.
He arched his brows.
“Tell me what you think are the greatest inventions of man,” he invited.
“Vanilla ice cream” I said on impulse.
And then burst out laughing at his expression.
“Why do I have this strange feeling that you mean it?” he asked.
“Because I do.” I said.
“Ok,” he said helplessly. “Is there anything else?”
“Oh yes!” I said. “Books, music, pain reliever and motion picture. Don’t you agree?”
He laughed.
Cy10.16.2005

Greatest Possessions

“What are you doing?” I asked him, one morning.
He did not say anything, but just continued to sort boxes from boxes.
“Should I help you?” I asked again.
“It’s ok,” he finally muttered.” I’m just trying to find something.”
“Hmm, “I said. Although I was tempted to ask what he was looking for.
“Aha!” he exclaimed, holding a baseball in his hand.
“What is it?” I asked, amazed.
“This is one of my greatest possessions” he explained.
“Ah,” I said, understanding.
Then he smiled.
“What are your greatest possessions?” he asked.
Memories.
I answered silently.
“Hmm, let me think.” I said smiling.
“Just name the first five things that come to your mind,” he invited.
“My mother’s guitar,” I laughed at the memory. “It’s not really mine, but, it was ours.”
He smiled. “She taught you the basic chords with it and you abused the poor instrument until your fingertips grew calluses on them.”
I laughed.
“And then my PC,” I said.” It was my father’s gift.
“And I can see how much you love it,” he said, after a pause.” For a moment there, you looked pensive.”
I was silent. I remember the day we purchased it, and my heart ached with the memory.
“Anyway,” I said. “I have the CDs and the sketch pad Rein gave me.”
“To which I don’t need to ask why,” he said.
I laughed.
“And then my cellular phone” I said.
“Which you purchased with your very own hard-earned salary,” he agreed.
Cy10.13.05

For the City of Flowers

“October 12th is the feast day of the Lady of the Pillar, the patron saint of the city of flowers," I said.
“Yes," he said. “And this is the second time that you missed it, right?” he asked.
I was silent.
Because that is true. It has been over a year -
And my heart secretly longs for her.

“For the city of flowers-
How my heart longs for you -
It’s been almost forever since I last saw you...”

mi corazon -
nunca ulvidar -
mi preciosa, preciosa cuidad....

Cy10.11.2005

The Gift

“Inside each man is power,” he said.
I said nothing to this.
“Man may not know this,” he continued.
“Yes,” I said. “He often forgets it.”
“Or take it for granted,” he said, agreeing.
I nodded.
“Man has the power to make a choice,” he said.
“And that is his ultimate gift.” I finished.
Cy10.07.05

Of Letting Go

“You will have to choose, you know,” he said out of nowhere.
I blinked. Shook my head and arched my brow in question, not understanding what he meant.
I heard him sigh. But he did not say anything.
“Choose what?” I asked finally.
“To release yourself of the things that bother you,” he said, almost impatiently.
It was my turn to sigh.
“I know,” I said. “Letting go is not to cut myself off, it is merely accepting the fact that I have no control over another.”
Cy10.01.05