Palanca letter = high school days

Palanca is a spanish word which literally means “lever”.  To give lift or to rise. It serves as an encouragement as if you are lifting a retreatant’s soul like sending good luck reminding them you are praying for them while you’re on your retreat. It  is more often send in the form of a prayer.  The palanca is not actually the letter but the action. It’s what you do (writing them) that moves and encourages them within the presence of God.
When I was in high school, I used to experience retreat a lot of times. Starting on my 1^st year of secondary school, our school held numerous mandatory religious retreats , may it be within or outside Metro Manila. Of course, we were always praying the location will somehow be out of town or farther than the previous year.  As a kid we were interfered by the excitement of going out and having fun with classmates who are also friends, than praying with them.
I think 90% of my high school  pals will agree with me that we enjoy this primarily because this is the perfect moment to bond with each other, sleep together, having fun like an outing that we almost forget that we were there to pray then eat and then pray again. And one of the highlights and exciting part before going to retreat is sending and receiving those “palanca letters”.  Some letters  are brief and straight to the point with just a simple “good luck” inside. Others were as long as novelas as if you’ll be gone for years or entering the convent as a monk... Others were sweet notes but came from a crush which makes it the best and well-kept among others. I can say that I was looking forward receiving and writing palanca letters from people of all levels of importance to me and me to them.
Years have passed but still I kept each palanca letter I had before inside my pandora’s box. They were living memories of my high school and teenage years.
And those palanca letters were never an ordinary letters written by ordinary individuals. They were written by people close to me and no matter how short, sweet, touching or simple the messages are, the thought that someone is supporting and praying for me while I’m there “lifts” me and draws me closer to God by the power of prayer .
How ‘bout you? Did you also experience having palanca letters?
 

Epitaph

Have you ever asked yourself what epitaph to write on your tombstone when you die?

As I’m taking pleasure in relaxing last night, my attention has been snatched by a news on TV about the mass shooting of a drug addict on a neighborhood in Cavite City. Eleven civilians died while a lot of people were injured.  Everyone was inexorable.  And all of that was just because of a “trip” of a certain person drown to drugs. And then I whispered behind my head, how fast we could all die! One blunder of someone can stop the life of another. One means of a person’s enjoyment hooked on drugs can be a slaughter for a lot of people in a community. Anyone can be a victim, anytime and in any place…

How can we escape this so-called “death”? How are we prepared for it and how can we possibly accept  with readiness when none of us wants to die? I suddenly recall ideas in my head when I thought about “epitaph” on a trip on All Saints Day 2010 to Tarlac for a visit with my brother-in-law’s deceased members of the family. From one cemetery to another; I even thought it was a reunion. How can I stop my mind from being open and vague to imaginations?

I wonder why only famous people contain epitaphs on their graves. Can’t ordinary people put their final say on their tombstone? It pinched my attention from roving my eyes around the trees and mountains alongside the area as we passed through Hacienda Luisita coming home that day. And suddenly I asked myself what’s the best to carve on my own tombstone? I want something so special, an inscription that will summarize my stay on earth. How I want to be remembered when I die? The works I have done and accomplished? My sayings and grown-up beliefs? The character I want people to recall when they think of me.

Lines came to me as we trail on the expressway…

Maybe I should say, “thanks to friends who enjoyed my stay and also to the enemies who can’t wait for this day".  I laughed at myself while thinking of my loved ones’ reaction after reading that. Or perhaps a better line could be “see you soon.” I have thought of a lot of things to say like “here comes the body of a girl who loves night but scared of sleeping” or “finally this girl will sleep longer than 5 hours”, “those who want to come with me here, text text na lang”. Now I’m laughing my heart out but nobody seems to figure out why! LOL… “Sorry for being pale, death failed to request an appointment” or “I was always ready to die, however, people around me left unprepared“  or yet “sorry for the short notice”. I have considered a lot of entertaining lines which simply describes me. “Due to the constraints of time, I wasn’t able to coordinate with you regarding this event" or “Some people wish they can have part two, well I don’t”. “This girl has been very excited meeting her maker, she refused to wake up”. I can also use it to describe myself like “the explorer who refused to rest and eat, now dies tired” or  “the girl who never missed a gathering will now miss her own”. On a serious note, these also entered my mind. “Fragile emotions, brave heart” and “the date of my birth and death is unessential; my epitaph is the interval between them”. 

But before we went home that night, I have come up with I think the best thing that can ever describe me:

“The girl who always looks for thrill in ordinary, finds courage in fear, strives appreciation in emptiness and hits life in trying.”

What about you? What lines would you want to leave the world when you die? Share that here and leave the world with question...

No fear for New year

The past year, 2012 has been a year of “struggle” for me. A lot of problem arises, have embraced and solved them all as much as I can. Family problems, love life matters, work-related concerns and self issues… All of that has contributed to my growth as a more responsible person now.

One of the complicated things I encountered on the first quarter of 2012 was “stress”. I really can’t handle it well at first, but realizing that I have a lot of fall backs to rely on, I finally made whip those barricades away.  Travelling has been one of the major factors why I still maintain my sane despite disasters of the previous year. Middle of my year was ok. We traveled a lot.  Even on a stormy day, we managed to travel to Laguna, Tanay, etc. just because we wanted adventure… Last quarter of 2012 was a bit shaky and challenging. Family problems never cease to pain my head. But I maintained my composure amidst everything. I knew I can make it all through the help of God!

Counting problems without setting your fingers on your blessings is like overlooking God’s gifts. If we only knew how to take care of every little thing He has been giving us since day 1, one can spend a lifetime praising and thanking him. As I said once before, I really feel the divine intervention helping me all throughout my journey. Every time I need something as life requires me, I can always look for a silver lining to cope up. I really feel God loves me. And I want you to feel that too.

Celebrated it with my loved ones is priceless. Something I can never ever exchange with anything else.  As expected, I tried to end the previous Dragon year 2012 with a puff! And I really know and feel and believe that I can have my two thumbs up for this new year 2013.