Let’s Drink To That

It seems as though it was just new year’s day yesterday, and now, January is almost over. I have been quite busy with work, what with the 12-hour work shifts, and add to that the very harsh conditions at our work site. Imagine this: chilly winds, with almost whole-day/night rainshowers. More than enough to make your chin shiver (is that even the right term? LoL)…

Anyway, I was talking to the assistant driller the other night and he told me that in this line of work, we would certainly age faster. I asked him why he thought so, to which he answered that not only was our work demanding physically (with the conditions I mentioned before), but we had to keep sharp mentally as well, with the multimillion peso value of the repercussions of our decisions. I had to agree with him.

As we were discussing this, another thing came to mind, another image. As I was looking at them braving the cold and the windy chill of the night, I couldn’t help but think of errant and irresponsible children, so very caught up in the life and liberty that they enjoy. Sometimes to the point of just taking their studies for granted, engaging in drinking, drugs and other similar activities. I am no saint, but I can honestly say that whatever it was that I went through, it has certainly made me all the wiser. After all, what is important is not in the falling, but in the getting up after, right? So cliche. LoL.

What I would give to be able to take them on a magical trip, much like the pensieve of the Harry Potter novels. Just so they would see how difficult their parents toil to provide for them. I can’t help it. I don’t know, call it maturity perhaps, but somehow I just see life through a different perspective nowadays.

The circle of life. Funny but true.

Another belated post. LoL. I’ve been meaning to post about my musings as the year got underway but was just too damn lazy to do so.

First of all, I was feeling melancholic at the start of the year. This was mainly due to the reason of me not making it to the sendoff of my brother Ray. He had been arranging his work papers to Dubai during the 2nd half of last year and before the year was over, he got word that he’d be leaving early in 2009. He will be there for a 2-year work contract. When he got word that his final travel date would be January 7, he immediately texted me asking me when I’d be home. My base off from work would not be until the 10th so I asked him to delay his departure so that we’d still see each other before he leaves. There was no way I could escape from my work schedule and I was in Kidapawan that time.

Emotionally, I didn’t know how to describe how it felt thinking that he’d be leaving soon. Growing up separated by just 2 years (I am older, but I could easily pass off as younger than him..LoL), there was the usual sibling rivalry. It even is funny now that I think of the memories. My brother and I used to sleep in 1 bed together when we were still little. He was malikot when he slept, often kicking and turning about throughout the night, and I’d be awakened by this trait of his. At times, I’d punch him when this happened. Naturally, he would be at the losing end since I was awake, while he wasn’t..LoL. We weren’t that close growing up as I think I sort of looked at him as competition. Even in sports, we both were very competitive. I was even closer to my friends and classmates than I was with him. Oftentimes, we couldn’t converse without one eventually raising his voice. This did not get by without our parents noticing and numerous times, they even brought this to our attention. Blood was thicker than water, they told me.

As far as I remember, the turning point came when we were separated from each other for a long time, when he decided to work in Manila as a callcenter agent. When he came back after that, things were different. I couldn’t quite describe how, but it was just that. We were more gentle with each other. Another thing that brought us closer to each other was the game of badminton. We became partners and on a number of occasions, we went out of town to on road trips to join badminton tournaments. Yes, the usual conflicts between us were still there, but somehow, we were already communicating and it was easier to talk things over, unlike our situation before. When I was assigned in Bacolod, he’d text me whatever was happening back home, sometimes also to blow off some steam. I guess our bonding developed at that point. It came at a later part in our lives, but I think what was important was it did.

..1st runner up during our first tournament..

The whole family went to Cebu to send him off at Mactan International Airport last January 7..while I had to be contented with being passed around and talking to everybody on the mobile phone while they were at the pre-departure area. My brother is now an OFW.

Blood indeed is thicker than water.

Ingat always dinha brod!