This was a story of letting go and moving on.

I was eating my heart out of cups of rice with nilagang baboy on the right side of my medium-sized plate. I was happy, it wasn't just of my almost-full tummy. It was that of enjoying myself without restraining to the possibility of getting myself fatter as if I'm fat enough to worry or worse, that getting fat was even possible. Diet was never something I waste my time worrying, I act as if it was never existing. But boom! My nilagang  baboy was gone. I was so blown away with my happy thoughts I hadn't notice I have eaten them all. I was about to get sad and push myself to stop until I heard my dad, "sisig coming up". I knew right there & then, there's a purpose to every letting go, moving on. So, do.

Ang Lipa ng aking kabataan, tila kumakatawan,
sumasalamin sa mahal nating Inang Bayan

Ilang tampalasan na ang dumaan
Kolera eltor, malaria, pesteng balang
Mga sundalong Hapon, mga sakang
Malulupit na kampon ni Kamatayan
Dumaan pa ang sakit na kalawang
sa dahon ng kapeng inaalagaan
At bukbok sa bungang manibalang,
nanlalaglag, di na pakikinabangan.

Ngunit ibang klase itong ngayo’y salot
Bala ay di nakikita, mala-bola daw ang balot
at tila may mumunting galamay na nakakakilabot
at masusundan ka, sa’n ka man sumuot.

Binago ng COVID ang ating kapalaran,
pananaw, pagkilos, pati kabuhayan
Nakita kung alin at sino ang dapat pahalagahan
at kung sino ang tunay na karamay at kaibigan.

Kung sa nilagang kape pa ang pagtutularan
kitang-kita kung alin ang latak at alin ang matapang.
Nawa’y may masalok na pag-asa sa Silangan,
Nawa’y may malagok tayong kaligtasan.