Echoing Whale Sounds From That Night

    The most beautiful discovery true friends make is that they can grow separately without growing apart.  True enough, I believe.  When was the last time you actually hear yourself say, “these are my friends….” and not just see them as good company for sheer fun.  I remember saying those words a lot.  I only have a few, of whom some might not even count me the same.  They were the bunch who were there with me when I started to understand my whole ABCs.  The experiences shared with them, no matter how insignificant, molded my trail.   A trail that was less than seamless yet the kind of path I’d take in a heartbeat over and over again.

     On a one cool December evening, listening to some of them crazily making whale sounds while half submerged on the waters and as I rolled on the camera, I could not resist thanking myself for not being somewhere else.  And in a fuzzy, I found myself travelling through time and saw their faces aging backwards to a time when I first saw us together in a room; all curious, hopeful, optimistic…all in a dying period when friendship still starts at hellos, eye contacts, handshakes and smiles.

     Year 1996.

     The year Kofi Annan was elected as Secretary-General of the United Nations and the year Java was released.  Spice Girls, BSB, Alanis Morisette…anyone?

     I really thought Maribel was a ‘He’.  What with that short boyish trim and her donning some jeans on the Pre-First Day General Assembly.   Then there was Ivy. The A1-looking stud who I’ve seen a couple of times during Division Meets and some forgettable inter-school contests.  Except for Maribel and Ivy and with my eyesight beginning to weaken that time, I could not figure out who else I’m going to spend the next four years with, except the familiar ones I knew from Primary School.

     Alas…there goes the single-lined train of students walking from the Division Office to “Compre”.  Can’t get any grander “Entrance” than that!  And a laboratory for a classroom?  Hmmm, sweet!  All those funny puns from our infamous First Day can still crack us up, after being retold of over and over again.

     I still can’t believe I mistook Ramil of having a crush on Jemar on the First day.  I also thought Sanny and Michelle, who I caught holding hands at times, were an item.  But who could ever beat the loveteam of the Century? Hear that, Maribel and Jhunrey? No one dared challenge you!  But, what if Cristine and Taboy made it longer?  What if one of the guys seriously stood straight up for Ivy?  What if Sheila, Chechay and Ephrem chose to stay?  What if Manny didn’t unbind from us? Would he be somewhere else instead?  What if we all gave up halfway through High School and went on to others for the better?  Are we still the first people you want to hang out with?  All these questions may be left unanswered forever.  We had led a not-so-perfect-coming-of-age yet each single moment spent with each other was a tidbit discovery of oneself.  You may never have felt it but I learned a lot from each of one of you which I took with me in my backpack on my way to more self discoveries.

     I left High School with no full closure with you guys.  I know I was never over it that time, but I had nowhere to go but forward, to where all of you were going as well.  The fear of not bumping into you again kept my feet glued from going further sometimes.  Yet that glint of hope that somewhere, somehow, a bend in the road will have me cross paths with you.

     And we did! Not only did we cross paths, we found our own detours and made our way towards the horizon together.  Bumps and humps were along the way, which made the ride and walks more unforgettable.  We never gave up our differences and at most times, we agree to disagree.  It is in our disagreements that we see how much we can endure and compromise for this thing we call “friendship”.

     Funny how you had remained the same over the years.  When together, from young adults, we immediately turn back into our very own caricatures, for all we care.  Because without wearing any mask we are conscious of, we have a special face for each friend...and that, among other reasons, make us grow fonder.  So, thank you.  Thank you for the friendship, for the companionship, for the camaraderie.  You made the story of my life. In a lot of ways, you have turned my limitations into beautiful privileges, and enabled me to walk, serene and happy, in the shadow casted by what I do not have.