An Alchemist’s Journey

We’re all waiting for something – waiting for the next payday, for your turn to be seated in a crowded restaurant, for him to make the first move, for her to give you the answer you’ve long been waiting for… There’s an endless list of things we look forward to and sometimes it’s a frustratingly long test of patience.

The other Sunday’s homily was about waiting, too.  It was about waiting for God to answer prayers.  Often, the things we ask for don’t come instantly.  Then, we lose hope when it takes a very long time for these things to come.  The priest said that we mustn’t lose hope no matter what.  He said that we should trust that God listens and then, if God thinks that what we ask for is what we really need, He will grant our wishes when the right time comes.

That moment, I felt like I was being given a message that I haven’t figured out yet.  See, I’m praying for something, too, and it has remained unanswered for quite some time.  Sometimes, I think that I’m waiting for something that’s never going to happen.  Maybe I’m asking for something that is not meant for me to have.  Maybe God thinks I’m not yet ready to have it.  I don’t know.  That’s the worst part, I don’t know what I should think or expect.  All I can do is wait.  Wait for things to become clear.  I only hope it happens soon.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

To my north star who I fondly call Pong Pagong:

I like you.  Don’t you know that?  Sometimes I think I see signs that you like me, too, but most of the time I think I’m just imagining things.  If by some twist of fate you feel the same way, then tell me.  It’s not going to be easy, I know.  If you’re scared, so am I.  Just the same, I’ll be waiting.

It’s the wee hours of the morning and I’m sitting on my bed with a laptop.  An old compilation of some of my favorite songs is playing in the CD drive.  The last time I did this was when I was still in Chicago.  My onshore assignment there was a truly happy experience.  For my first attempt at blogging, I’d like to remember the things I loved most about my stay at the Windy City.

The first thing that comes to mind is that it was in Chicago that I had my first taste of independence.  I live a rather sheltered life and always feared that I couldn’t possibly live apart from my family.  Living in Chicago to do my own chores proved me wrong.  I did my own laundry, cooked my own food, washed dishes, and brought out the trash.  I had no complaints; sometimes, I even enjoyed it.

I love, and sorely miss, Chicago springtime.  I arrived in Chicago just after winter.  The weather was cool and everything was in bloom.  I suddenly remember the Botanical Garden.  There were flowers of every color, trees with leaves of every imaginable shape and texture, and plants that gave out fragrant scents.  It was a wonderful treat to the senses!

Last on this list, but probably the most enjoyable, is the work and life balance I experienced during my two-month assignment.  This balance is not easy to come by if you work at A.  I had my usual load of work but had plenty of time to unwind.  I had fun spending time with friends in parties, inuman sessions, movie marathons and sightseeing trips.  Sigh.  Happy memories…

So there, that’s Chicago remembered.  It’s an experience that I won’t soon forget and will make me look forward to more adventures ahead.