Saturday, May 16, 2015

A Thousand Summers 9



Saturday Evening Posts
May 16-22 Edition

A Thousand Summers 9

That morning after shift, I went to Makati to re-connect with a friend from way back in 1998. I was depressed and I needed a metaphorical breath of fresh air.

The Greenbelt and Glorietta areas are also full of happy memories for me. The most special place in Makati for me is the Ayala Triangle, the park behind the Stock Exchange.

People, local and foreign, look at me and see a guy in a shirt, jeans and rubber shoes; probably a student, writing in a notebook,  couple of books on top of his knapsack , with trinkets on both wrists like a hippie.

I look up and see trees of gold like the cherry blossoms in a Shinto shrine in Japan. The trees take me back to the sprawling U.P. Sunken Garden. What plays in my mind at those places is "I’ll Remember" by Madonna, theme from With Honors, one of my favorite movies, set in Harvard.

I won’t tell you why, only it’s about peeks at the bright sparks on the verities of existence, sheltered by the arms of nature, under an infinite sky that will outlast our sojourn through eclectic lifetimes.


To Be Continued Next Saturday


I'll Remember
Theme from With Honors



Jonathan Aquino's Journals

April 9, 2015
Thursday

I was treated at Starbucks yesterday. I wanted to treat another person so I made a bet with a friend that I'm sure I would lose. When somebody gives you something, you also give to others. You pay it forward.



Pay It Forward 





3 comments:

Jonathan Aquino said...

It just turned exactly five in the afternoon as I write this on my phone on May 10, 2015, Sunday. I'm sitting on the trunk of an uprooted tree in the park-like area behind the Ayala mall. This is the path I take as shortcut to where I'm currently staying in Cardinal Rosales near the corner of Gorordo. I did a bit of traveling around the Cebu island this weekend: Talisay the other day, Naga yesterday and Apas earlier. A lot of things have happened in the last week. I made notes for my journal but I haven't really crafted stories on them for my next book yet. I have always been a very positive person so I'm still waiting for the metaphorical storm to pass so I can tell the happy ending.

Jonathan Aquino said...

Immediately after the much-hyped bout between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather on May 3, 2015, I sent this text to a friend: Have you seen it? 116-112. A world championship victory for only 4 points. The lesson to be learned is that a even a small thing can make a big difference.

Jonathan Aquino said...

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I'll share my journal entry for May 10, 2015 in this page on the latest edition, published January 30, 2016. A year and a half has passed since then. I'm become a much better person, and my life is still full of wonders and serendipity. I still travel, but instead of cheap thrills, what I seek is serenity of the arms of nature away from the madding crowd.

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