There is always a place
I call home although the life I try to endure day in and day out seems stodgy. There
is also a second home–away from home–where weeping and rejoicing they come at
random, but I have learned to embrace such existence because I have to. And so
a temporary home–a shelter for the passersby in the here and now–where goodbye
is never a taboo.
Indulging this special night–time
alone at my favorite café–for now. My smile can tell so. I once heard a
proverb, which says, “There is no pleasure without pain”, but I don’t buy
it this time. Sorry. For a cup of coffee always brings me delight–not for the
tolerant. It doesn’t bother me anyway.
Like any typical night
in Saigon, whenever I am in town, my best friend would always pick me up and drive
me around through districts–where surprises never cease to amaze me. We could
talk forever but time would usually spoil it. And before we knew it, it was
already midnight. And none of us are night owls.
Of all the countries I
have lived in, Saigon city is one of the most comfortable places to commute. I don’t
find it here so complicated or stressful despite congestion. Today, I hopped on
a public bus all the way to another province for two and half hours. And guess
what? It was a very cheap fare–for only eighty
cents.
Playing around with my
co-teachers during the ceremony, but do not get us wrong because we do respect
and value a beautiful culture. These photos were taken on the second day of the
wedding ceremony. It always brings me joy to immerse with the locals–in a short
walk–in a gift’s parade to the house of the bride.
They were my former students,
now they are my co-educators. As far as
transformation is concerned, this is by far the most fulfilling fruit to see. So
glad and grateful I became part of their milestone. I couldn’t ask for more but
to see them thrive and happy.
This is the only the
country where I had to dress up three pairs of formal wear to join a Wedding.
This weekend was another one to attest, but it wasn’t just any Happy Day because
my son was the groom.
These photos portray
more than meets the eye–a sacrifice–when walled classrooms weren’t just enough.
Were it not for selflessness of every kind person who touched my life tremendously,
I wonder if I could do the same. Many count successes, others collect gains, and
the rest gather riches while a few simply tick memories. From the fruit of one’s
sacrifice, never I thought would spring up a legacy.
One doesn't have to be famous or prominent to live up a dream. For even a lot of great philosophers including every unsung hero I have known would always as lief be remained nameless. Nonetheless, the word "unknown" still plays a significant vocabulary in the hearts of the many. A lot of people have lived out of the lime light all their lives and it didn't make any difference--we all breathe the same air after all. As for me, I still choose the same path even in the years to come.
Those are no ordinary ducklings, they are born wild--undisturbed even in the presence of a threatening situation. Needless to say, one can still find peace not only in the tranquility of the night but also in the midst of annoyances. It begins in us, deep within our soul--neither heart nor mind is bound to what the surrounding dictates. It is always a choice to be at peace with people and environment.
So stranded on my own island of unwanted agony. But there is comfort in reality that it will not last long--it sure won't. Whether or not it s a terrible pain, we all go through it in some ways. Who is spared from the sting of suffering? No one! Each soul is prone to this fragility sad to say.
We all have secrets kept in our hearts and minds, but they aren't all necessarily awful--not in every circumstance. Some of those are beautiful closures which only required the perfect time and the right place to reveal--in God's due time.
Someone's livelihood, somebody's discomfort--where abundant poverty is present--an oxymoron kind of day-to-day existence. We will never have a pretty grasp on the distinct life of fishermen unless we'd become like them ourselves.
When you feel life is playing around, just go with the flow. Sometimes swimming against the tide doesn't really help. It might telling you something--you'll never know it is out of the ordinary.
Whether it is a cultural diffusion or a cultural drift, glad McDonald's has his own way--a unique perspective so to speak. I call it a shared worldview out of cultural sensitivity both by an insider and an outsider. Grad school had taught me a lot about Intercultural Studies, but it didn't stop there because reality started the moment I left the training ground as a life-time intercultural educator. I failed a million times--many of which hard knocks occurred. That's how I found something out the hard way. It was actually an agenda to thrive in the end. Sensitivity doesn't limit only one side of the coin--both insiders and outsiders have a part to take.
