the sanctuary

It was the height of the war. The enemies came and took control of everything. We tried to fight but we were powerless held against our own will right at our own backyard. Gone were the days where we could roam our fields carelessly without fear and panic. I can no longer afford to spend my days as a child. 

Many have fallen victims to the savagery that ensued. Life is hard, but everybody needs to continue on living. We still need to tend to our fields hoping that no enemy took notice. 

Despite the risk of being captured, I took the initiative to go to our small patch of land. It is a two-hour walk from our house. It is situated beside the Lumsoc river which snakes its way inwards to the rocky interiors of Mt. Lumsoc. Our garden is small, but it is where we grow staples away from the prying eyes of the invaders. A few meters away is a waterfall making a thunderous thud as its water joins the river, a serene and scenic view to behold The rocks are enveloped with mosses and lichens as they attach themselves in the rocky outcrops. Hidden from view, it has become a sanctuary.

I continued with my usual routine of pulling weeds and watering the crops. Then I heard  a gunshot. A few seconds later, I heard another one.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Greatness...

Image
Look at where you are now and look at where you want to be... Don't look at the distance. Don't look at the time. Don't look at the obstacles. Just make a decision...  And tell yourself... "As I am... I want to be there..." And just as when you have reached your destination, try looking back on your past. For sure, you won't regret that you endured pain... You won't regret facing the hardships that you had met... The only thing that will be bothersome is perhaps the thought that there might have been a slight chance that you have not worked the hardest possible, of not having gone the most strenuous path to the accomplishment of your goal, of not having made the most out of the chances that life has offered you... In the current now, take your best chance, strive for greatness and pursue your dreams unconditionally. You might not end up as a hero, but you will end up as someone who can look at the mirror and be content... For g...
Read more

Amidst the roaring sea

Image
Too much time has passed. Though still young, I already feel old at my age. Why do things have to turn out this way? What have I done to merit this kind of life I’m leading now? I am supposed to be happy and content with the things I have achieved. Yet, there is a certain inkling in my heart telling me that I am supposed to be someplace else and that I have something yet to do which will prove the worth of my existence.  I have lost my self-worth in the midst of my journey. Regaining it back is going to be a slow process. I have to retrace the path I’ve walked upon and find the inner child obscured within. The sky is overcast and gloomy. It is the season of the northwest monsoon. The seas at this time of the year in the Western Pacific are bound to be rough and treacherous as the waters are being churned by deep-sea currents underneath. It did not take long before the boarding was announced for the 24-knot catamaran which will be traversing across an open sea towards m...
Read more

2 - Bituun

Image
on the evening of that same day, with a heavy wounded heart I set out on a stroll. the sky has cleared since then and all that I can see is the wide expanse of the celestial sky filled with a multitude of stars, the pain within could not conceal the grief that extends to the very soul... as I made my way towards a cliff beside the sea, tears flowed out of my eyes obscuring the dimly lit path I looked up once again. I'm sure that the fire which burned within him has come to light a distant star. That star might not shed its light for me now but as heroes rise and fall, on my ascent, my great master will illuminate a path for me... in the coldness of the night, he will grant me warmth... In times when the road gets blurry, he will carve a route for me to walk on. I lit a torch then offered a prayer. "Master, may the heavens guide me for I don't know what to make of all the things that transpired. May all the stars align to show me what my destiny beckons. Bituun, hea...
Read more