Spot the Difference

My whole life, I've always said that my reading skills is only up to easy books... I admit, it's true. But reading what I call "heavy" and nose-bleeding plays as required by our teacher I slowly come to appreciate the unique beauties. Each story may seem to have the same plot or the same conflict but somehow they are just different. With this, it leaves you wondering how are they really different. You can't say it but you know ou feel it. The plays "The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams and "A Doll House" by Henrik Ibsen (Holla!) were both about family... What you do for them and what you cab sacrifice for them. These stories really touched me because of the depth of the conlflict and how both conflicts are quite realistic to me. I do believe that there is really a possibility that this may happen to a family, I even imagined it happening to me. But somehow the action on how both conflicts were revealed were different... One was sprt of secretly and the other was all out. In the said play of Tennessee Williams the conflict was between a mother and son... And it was all out. It was also direct. Unlike in the play A Doll House, the conflict was secretly revealed (though technically, it was not really revealed). And the conflict here was between two "strangers" if I may describe it. This may seem a bit confusing for writing it actually is. But this is the beauty in these. Life is not given to us in a silver plate, so why read the easy way if there is something that will make your mind go round?

Hills, just like White Elephants.

In the shorty story of the great Ernest Hemingway, "Hills like White Elephants", one thing that really struck me most was the "hills" that, according to the story, are white elephants. The hill symbolizes the child that Jig is bearing, the child that is definitely a precious gift from the Heavenly Father. But though we know (and they know)that this is something special or further more precious, they don't treat it as one because they know they are not ready for it. They (or the American guy alone) still don't have the courage and the will to raise a child of there own. The guys believes that this unwanted pregnancy is too much to handle at the moment that was why he was forcing the girl to undergo an abortion which is something Jig is very scared to undergo through.

A guy ... The guy ... What a guy!

Imagine a guy who forces a girl to do what he wants ... Ain't just that gross? Yes, I admit that I am a sucker for guys who are bossy (in a romantic kind of way) and are protective of his girl, but too much is too much brother. A girl should be treated with respect and the simplest way in doing this is by treating her like a princess. Yes, this may sound a bit cliché and all but this is just the plain truth. Girls may not say this often or even deny it at times but the fact is this is really what we want and guys who forces girls to do whatever they want is definitely off the list.

The Art of Letting Go

To let go is an easy thing to say but to be done is a totally thing. There are many things in life that we gradually learn to let go. The question is how we do it. It's such a mystery, maybe this is why it's called an art.


In life there are ups and downs, highways and railroads, skyscrapers and bungalows -- just like how a man can let go and accept the fact that he has done it. To let go is such a hard thing to do. May it be someone you once loved, someone you tried to love, someone you've always loved and someone you never learned to love. Just the thought of it is such a burden. Letting go is somewhat like throwing away a piece of memory you kept in you heart. Maybe with this in mind that is why people tend to have a hard time. In letting go of a person, a pet, or even a thing is like a bungalow in the vast city of Makati which is filled with buildings and 3-story high residences. This is a very low period in a person's life. Thinking that you are about to let go of something so dear to you. The thought of just being away from your loved one is hard. How much more if you knew that you won't just be away from this beloved for a day or two but forever? The thought of this will definitely break a man's heart that will definitely be classified as one of his low points in life.


Accepting the fact of letting go may seem to be also hard but think about it: what would happen next? Grasping the fact that it has been done, you have assured yourself that you can let go and you have accepted the fact that you have let go, life becomes easier to be lived. For one that you have let go of a burden you have been carrying inside your heart though I'm not saying that you loved ones are burdens, it's just that you can't really let go if you can't let go what is hurting inside you. Yes, memories may retain but the fact that you have known in yourself, in your heart that you have learned to accept the reality that struck is also accepting the fact that though your love may never go away, you still have set him free and let him be. Then ask yourself, what happens next? After this downfall, you'll slowly see your life, may not be back in the normal normal, has slowly restored its life. 

IRONIC?

There are 3 types of Irony. There is Situational Irony, Dramitical Irony and Verbal Irony. 

The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

1. [Verbal Irony]  When Montresor said "We will go back; your health is precious.... Luchesi--" to Fortunato when actually he didn't care at all about his health. He even wanted him to die.
2. [Dramatical Irony]  When Fortunato decided to go with Motresor, we knew that Motresor is planning to kill Fortunato but he doesn't even know a thing about what was going to happen.
3. [Situational Irony] Montresor and Fortunato were close friends but in the end, Motresor killed Fortunato.

A Long Walk to Forever by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

1. [Situational Irony] Catharine was engaged to Henry. But when she was kissed by Newt, she liked it.
2. [Situational Irony]  Newt, a very promising soldier, went A.W.O.L.
3. [Situational Irony] Newt, a close friend of Catharine, wasn't invited to her wedding.

Die Alone

Life is a cliche. Or is it? I've always believed it was until the of 4th o'July. Life is unpredictable. It really is.


I am Jenny, a corporate worker with a middle wage salary, a small apartment and a cat named Didi. My days have always been work, eat, sleep, cat, work, eat, sleep, cat, work, eat, sleep, cat, work, eat, sleep, cat -- a never ending work-eat-sleep-cat routine. But this was what I wanted, honestly... Or was it? I've always wanted a simple life, no huss and no fuss. But then again, I am getting older and life is getting shorter (and so is my hair). Am I satisfied of what I have attained?


So going back to the 4th of July, there I was... sitting all alone... waiting and waiting... drinking my soda... waiting and waiting still until he uttered "The Independence Day raffle prize winner is Sidney Chace!" Dang it! I really hoped to win that prize, I really really really did. It was a car for Godsake! I just can imagine me and Didi having fun strolls, going to picnics, going to beaches, watch a movie in the parking lot (Wait, why would we watch a movie in the parking lot?). But still, I really wanted that car... withal, I shall go home prizeless. I was sitting at the farthest table, still drinking my soda when slowly everything became a huge blur. Then... blackout. What the the hell was happening? I was half awake when I realized I was in a medical bed being pushed so fast I can feel tingles in my feet thinking 'This is the most exciting experience in my life -- being rolled.' I savored the moment and grew fast asleep. When I woke up, I was in a room -- a very big one with white walls if a must say, a nurse checking me on my side and a doctor (a you're-so-hot-I-wanna-die doctor to be specific) writing on what seems to be a... paper. I sat upright, said 'hey' to the nurse and asked the doctor what happened. He slowly approached my side, and then he sighed. Oh no, why did he sigh? This tension is killing me. He opened his mouth and uttered 


"Mrs. Lawson..." 
I was dumbfounded and replied "Hey, doc... I know I look quite old and all but I'm not yet married. Just wanna clear that out."
"Oh, then I apologize Ms. Lawson. Now, here are the results of the tests we did."
"Wait, you did tests on me? Oh my gosh, what did you see? Did you see everything? Oh no! This is so humiliating!"
"Huh?"
"Did you see it?"
"See what?" 
"Everything!" I replied as I act my hand all over my body.
"If it makes you feel better, then no, I didn't see your everything."


I hid myself under the sheets as he continued to talk about my sickness. I didn't actually understand anything he said until he said 'You need to undergo chemo.' Then I just dropped. Am I going to die? I mean, Lord are you going to kill me now? It's okay if you want to but the fact is what have I done to deserve to die? I've always been the same my whole life, so why now? The you're-so-hot-I-wanna-die doctor gave me some alone time to absorb everything he told me.. and it actually to me days to absorb it. Then it hit me -- I shall live a life that I'll remember! A life of all ups and no downs. A life that I've never expected I'll have.


So without any notice to anyone one I know (which is my co-workers and Didi -- my cat), I left and traveled all over the world thinking of only having fun and not of what I have spent. I am going to die anyways so why worry? I'll let Didi handle that. So I traveled and traveled and traveled and traveled, traveled, until I arrived in Bora Bora. The sun is shinning, ocean flowing, birds chirping -- it was perfect. I savored it all. I even tried to reenact those scenes in movies when the girl arrives in the beach, they twirl and twirl and twirl around. But I think mine was bad, way bad. I sat along the shore in silence then suddenly (with some backround music ringing in my head that goes 'Say you, say me... blah blah blah blah blah... naturally'), there he was, the man who made my trip more perfect than perfect -- his name was Karl with a hot lovin' body. My days were perfect as I spent it with Karl, I felt really good. But I never had the courage to tell him about my sickness. Until one sunny afternoon while we were strolling along the beach, he held my hand.. we strolled a liitle bit longer... we kissed... then I passed out. When I woke up, I was in his rest house. Then I saw him, with a confused look stamped on his face. I knew I need to tell him, but I didn't want this damn sickness get in the way of this fling I'm experiencing. It's too precious to be ruined by this sickness. I discerned on whether I should not or tell him. In the end, I did. I see that he was shocked, so shocked. But then he hugged me and said "You don't need to die alone."


Now I am living with him here in Bora Bora. Our days were spent preciously you wanna try it yourself. We'd have breakfasts on the shore, strolls on the beach and so much more. I never had so much fun in my entire life. Until one afternoon, when we strolled along the beach... and sat to watch the sunset... he knew, I knew... it was time. 

The one who's loved? The one who loves?

Being ask who would I pick, the one whom I truly love or the who truly loves me? Honestly, I'd rather be with the one who truly loves me than be with the one I love -- for a list of reasons actually. I would choose the one who loves me because it has always been my motto in life "I'd rather be the one who's hurt than be the one to hurt." Choosing between the two would actually be easy for me because I think if I chose the one whom I love, the one who loves me will get hurt. But if I chose the one who loves me, then (maybe or rather I'm positive) I will be the only one hurting. I'd rather be in this situation than the other. I know myself and I believe that I will someday learn how to love this man who loves me. Yes, I will take time. But knowing what he feels for me makes it a lot easier.


On a more selfish side, wouldn't you want to be loved and loved and loved than be the one giving the love without any bit in return. Life doesn't always go the way we want them to be (maybe, that's why we have brains to make things work!). The assurance that there is someone who loves me and is there for me is more satisfying than to be with someone that I love and am loving without any assurance of his love for me. Think about it. Practically speaking I have a point, right? Because if I chose the one that I love, how sure am I that he will love me back? While there is someone beside me, waiting for my sweet "Yes".