Tuesday, April 19

because without our memories, we are nothing.

last weekend, after five long years of busily living our lives away from home, our family was complete once again.

the brother who slaved away two years of his life in dubai, the other brother who is now pursuing a geothermal engineering career in the metropolis, and the sister who spends her days and nights nursing the inconsolable and the medically miserable in cebu finally went home.

naturally, what ensued was a mayhem that we have not tasted for those five longing years. love, apparently, is fleeting and evasive altogether -- but all it needs is an ignition, a memory, and once stoked to its full form, it rushes back to the sensibilities.

last sunday, we spent the entire day melted by the sun's warmth, bathed by the blue waters of the loving sea, and engulfed by the childhood stories and life anecdotes that we have collectively gathered and called our very own.

and right in the middle of the beautiful ruckus, in the unguarded moment when one simply feels, sees, and tastes the bliss of childhood abandon, i mused about:

how we are all really transient beings. that there is no definitive label as to who we really are. yes, we are defined by constructed standards -- we have our identities -- but more than these trivialities, we are defined by our memories, our collectivity, and our shared sense of identity.

our memories, of happy and loving days, and most especially that we are all inclined to romanticize the past, remind us that once upon a time, happiness was within reach.

for in the midst of the chaos that surrounds us as we try to make our own niche in the vastness of the world, our memories keep us grounded and remind us of who we truly are -- that in the midst of family, the world is ours for the taking, and there is nothing that can hinder us from becoming what the universe has intended for us to become.

yes, it is easy to get lost in the trappings of the world, and our very identities are oftentimes compromised by the fluidity of living, but when we are reminded of our childhood bliss -- of days spent frolicking under the sun, nights dedicated to reminiscing stories of days and nights that have since passed, and summers spent being sun-kissed and not minding that sun burns will scar the skin – we are reminded of what satiates the yearnings of the heart.

and even when our very mortality inevitably makes the flesh wither and perish, our memories will forever be infinitesimal -- and they will be our validation that once upon a time, when happiness was abundant and life was less doleful, we were in the midst of love, and love was as trivial as the morning dew, or the first flower that blooms in spring.

yes, we are all transient beings -- but having the best travellers around can make the lack of permanance less scathing.


26 comments:

Carlo said...

naiinggit ako at gusto ko tuloy magkaron ng kapatid. maski isa lang. hehe. lucky you are that you have been blessed with siblings that seem to be nice and great. stay happy kapatid!

hongkyut mo nung baby ha lols

claudiopoi said...

naks. thanks friend. mas cute naman ako nung lumaki na. ayun oh. fumafayting spirit lang. hehe :)

alagaan ang atay! :D

glentot said...

No matter where life brings you, as long as you have each other in your hearts, you'll always be home...

Eternal Wanderer... said...

amen!

Nimmy said...

ang kukulit niyo tignan kuya! parang na-retain mo ang innocent look. ahihi

claudiopoi said...

@nimmy,

naks naman. salamat naman sa compliment my friend. kaya nga niliitan ko ang mga pics. para hindi gaano makilatis. LOL

@eternal wanderer,

mag-aral ka pa ng ibang bisaya words. wag lang panay burikat at pampam lang ang alam mo. LOL

@master glentot,

tama. feeling ko tumatanda na talaga ako -- mga ganitong tema kasi ang gusto ko isulat lately eh. LOL

deus_ex_machina said...

this is just too precious. close din kasi ako sa siblings ko kaya na sweetan ako. I love that I love my travel buddies, they make the trip of life more meaningful and way too fun!

red the mod said...

In the end, we all would seek the comfort of home and family. Whatever it is our definition of both happens to be. Because, no lives are more entwined than those whom we call family.

claudiopoi said...

@deus,

me too! minsan nga, i think na i can do without romantic love. fraternal companionship pa lang, solb na solb na ako :)

@red the mod,

true that, sir. sa pagtahak natin sa mundong magulo at marahas, sila lang talaga ang aasahan nating aakay at gagabay sa atin. amen! :D

Spiral Prince said...

hasus ginoo, vlad, this is beautiful. everything just flows naturally in a nice, feel-good poetic kind of way. :) good to see you get your mojo back! :D

Kapitan Potpot said...

Awwww! Ang ganda niyo lng tingnan sa mga pics. Sana ganyan din kmeng lahat na magkakapatid na very close to each other.

jc said...

this is something i never really had. :( inggit! but happy ako for you kasi finally magkakasama na ulit kayo. ang saya! :)

claudiopoi said...

@spiral prince,

yes topepow! i got your mojo! haha :P anyway, i hope you also get yours back, because i miss reading you na! and by the way, i think i am more of a sage than a fool for sometimes needing the aid of intoxication for my writing. HAHA :P

@louie,

thank you naman sir! it's never too late. you can still make that happen. :)

claudiopoi said...

@jc,

thanks, man. wala ka bang mga kapatid? sayang naman. pero in any case, alam ko namang si baabaa ang pumupuno sayo ng pag aaruga at pagmamahal, kaya ish ol good! :D

Twiggy said...

Happy birthday Clydie! :)

claudiopoi said...

Thanks, Twiggy! I hope everything's okay on your end! :)

migs, the manila gay guy said...

ang ganda neto:

"how we are all really transient beings. that there is no definitive label as to who we really are. yes, we are defined by constructed standards -- we have our identities -- but more than these trivialities, we are defined by our memories, our collectivity, and our shared sense of identity."

keep in touch, my friend!

xoxo,
migs

claudiopoi said...

@migs,

finally, napadpad ka na sa humble abode ko. hehe. :) yes, i intend to keep in touch, and sana magkita na tayo the next time you visit cebu! :D

The Gasoline Dude said...

I envy big families. Only child kasi ako, and my dad's not around anymore. Kainuman na niya si Papa Dyesas.

claudiopoi said...

@gasdood,

okay lang yan sir. bawi ka nalang at gumawa ka ng madaming supling pag ikaw ay naging tatay na. hehe. :)

John Ahmer said...

title pa lang. malalim na. anu ba nosebleed ako. haha and yes im back. haha

claudiopoi said...

@ahmer,

kamusta naman ang bakasyon, mehn? :)

Camerasian said...

every memory used to be the present

claudiopoi said...

true that sir @camerasian, so it would be wise to choose our memories wisely from here on out. :)

gillboard said...

Ang dami mong kapatid. Nakakainggit! I want to relate to the post, pero ala eh. Sigh.

claudiopoi said...

gawa nalang kayo ni Kasintahan ng madaming madami, kuya @gillboard. :)