Tuesday, April 14, 2009

can we blame them? chronicle: sunset

she was sitting beside her window alone, overlooking the running green terrains outside. she could see daisies, mums, stargazers and some wild flowers that she haven't met before. this was one of the reasons why they have decided to buy the house.

she was already on her 70s, weak and fragile. far different from what she was before: athletic, adventurous and daring. for her everything in her life came so swiftly and if she will be asked to recall it, she could only group it into a number of events. first, she recalled flirting with a couple of women while drinking inside a misty bar. then the time she moved in with felice. and now, this, sitting alone on her brittle chair that probably as old as her, waiting for the sun to set. on her hand was the note that was given to her by her partner before she died.

she remembered the last question she asked to felice before she retire. "was it all worth it?" there was a long pause. felice never answered back. she just closed her eyes and kept her answer behind the acquianted silence.

from there, more questions emerged. they were as many as the tears that dropped off from her tired eyes.

for those who have hold their silence forever, ink and paper, 01/07


she started wondering, if it was a good thing that she followed her heart? or would it be better if she didn't and followed what her family and other people insisted? will she be happier?
will she be seeing herself in a different situation than what she is currently at?
will she have someone with her now?
will she fear what is ahead of her?
and finally, is it all worth it?

then she smiled. but before she could even utter her answers, the sun waved its last burning ray and slowly disappeared from the wide bleeding horizon.

the night howled a very long silence and the news about the old woman's death spread throughout the entire town.

the next day, she was found on her death chair. but unlike what they have expected her body was as warm as her smile and on the floor was felice's letter--- a blank sheet of paper.




***
can you blame them?
trinoma mall, quezon city

19 comments:

♥ N o v a said...

Very thought-provoking story, and one that can apply to just about any decision we make in our lives.

No matter which route she would have taken, there will always be some wonder about what the path not taken would be like.

Isn't life just blank sheets of paper in which we color with our thoughts and actions?

Anonymous said...

Paano nga kung nangyari ito pero maaga kang iniwan? Masasabi mo bang masaya ka pa rin na mag-isa ka na lang hanggang pagtanda? Na hindi mo naisalin ang apelyido mo sa isang babae at sa mga anak? Na ano ang naging papel ko sa mundo?

Ito ang mga tanong na bumabagabag sa isip ko kaya nagdadalawang isip ko kung susundin ko ba ang sinasabi natin na magpapaligaya sa atin.

citybuoy said...

agree.. galing!

Tristan Tan said...

Bittersweet. :)

Rain Darwin said...

one thing ive learned from past is "not to look back".

Dont live with regrets. embrace the providence that life has offered you.

nice post.

hitman said...

happiness is not determined based from how many individuals you have offsprung with your last name with them. its simply just a name.

happiness is determined based on how you have lived it, how you have touched other people's life.

malay mo, she has many friend with her, who knows, that is why i liked this post. it can be read in different angles.

Herbs D. said...

*hats off* you're good.

gillboard said...

ahh.. the questions of what if's.
thought-provoking nga yun...

this one's nice ewwik!!!

Chyng said...

wow, may I relate ba ito sa current job?

pagdating naten ng 50 (kung aabot) is it all worth is?

chos!

Yas Jayson said...

napakalungkot.
napaka-eksistensyal.

apir.

Anonymous said...

Tingin ko sa pagtanda. Kung di natin mahanap ang special someone, tingin ko naman e me friends tau na makakasama natin hanggang pagtanda. Pero nakakatakot kung walang special someone at ang mga friends natin e me kanya kanya ng buhay at wala na masyado time para sa atin. Nakakalungkot. What ifs.

eeeyakhee said...

nakakatakot ngang harapin ang hinaharap..hindi mo alam kung anung nagaantay sau sa kabilang dako,,sa lugar na di maabot ng mata mo..lagi kang mag aabang..lagi kang kakabahan.. panu nga ba maging masaya?panu kung lahat ng desisyon na ginawa mo sa bandang dulo,mali pala?
na pagkatapos lahat ng hirap pasakit at luha,,malalaman mo lang na dapat pala hindi un ang ginwa m?
pero sabi nga ni ulan,,dont live your life in regrets..waht you've done,,and whatever you'll do wag mo pagsisihan dahil maging masakit man ang maging resulta for a time pinasaya ka ng pangyayaring un..
masarap mabuhay..pero mas masarap mabuhay kung sa pgtanda mo kasama mo ang taong pinakamamhal m =)

E said...

NICE!!! ASTEEGG SOBRA!!!

Niel said...

I like how something not written can make her happy.

the geek said...

@niel: i agree. a blank sheet of paper can speak volumes. it depends on how you see it.

Dabo said...

the fictionist.


hats off!

Yj said...

naman naman... i don't even know which is better? your story or your artwork.....

okay... the best sila pareho hehehehe

LoF said...

tibetans do not move a body after death until the warmth has left. highly realized beings can use this time to further develop consciousness before entering into the intermediate state before the next life.

jason said...

eto ang estado ko ngayon