Footsteps

I love it whenever I set foot on a place peculiar to me. I feel carefree. I feel thrilled. I feel blessed. I get to encounter a variety of strange faces. I get to see places that I don’t frequently see. I get to hear dialects that I seldom hear and are more often than not, weird in the ears. I get to taste food that I won’t find anywhere else.

Let’s then take this time to chill out for a while and tour to some earthspots where I left my footsteps behind - some for joining contests, some for attending seminars, some are work-related, while some are simply for leisure. Yet no matter what my purpose for roaming around is, I don’t miss the chance to appreciate the place and be delighted by God’s amazing creations.

I will never forget this travel to Naga. We traveled by land, and I thought it was the longest travel I'll ever have. I was a college freshman and I was with my seniors in the publication (who kept on scaring me that they will leave me alone there) to vie for the Luzonwide press conference. And as naïve as I was that time, at the back of my mind, I was afraid that they will seriously leave me there alone, I wouldn’t know how to go back home!
 
I spent four years in college, so, if I remember it right, I’ve been in Tagaytay four times. (We were sent yearly by our school to join the regional presscon.) The first time, I can’t hide my excitement. The second time, I’m still quite excited. The third time, I was not excited. The fourth time, I didn’t want to go at all! But kidding aside, I so treasure the bonding memories I had in this place with my fellow Phoenix-bloods.

I’ve been in Baguio twice for attending seminars, and I so love the cool breeze. The first time, I belonged to those who were causing our chief editor’s headache because we were wandering around the city without his knowledge. The second time, I was the chief editor who was having headache to keep my staff members behaved. I will never forget Cags, a soft-spoken girl, who wanted to try zipline, which for her is very cool, but for me is very dangerous. It took me an hour before I convinced her not to go. She was sad; I was relieved.

I was junior in college when we went to Tuguegarao in Cagayan, and I so dislike the place's temperature. It’s so hot there, you’ll feel like the sun is just right above your head. It was already evening when we went to Callao cave, we could barely see anything inside, but we just knew that the place is beautiful.  The Buntun bridge is so long, we stepped out of our van for a while, and took some pictures (for evidence).

 

And how could I forget Palawan, my first travel via airplane. My last and best travel as a college student, this is the place where I bid my farewell to campus journalism.

After college, I thought my having “free” travels had already come to a halt, only to find out that I will land to a first job (in PDIC) which will require me to travel every once in a while to assist in the takeover/receivership of closed banks.

My first travel was in Pangasinan where we took over the closed Rural Bank of Bautista, Inc. I was assigned at the Head Office.

My next  travel was in Camarines Sur where we took over the closed Cooperative Bank of Camarines Sur. I was assigned at the Libmanan Branch.

And my last was in Leyte for the asset disposal of First Interstate Bank (RB Kananga), Inc. This was my first travel in Visayas and my first time to travel via airplane alone. It was such a delightful experience, I felt alone but never lonely. God was with me.

There go my escapades that are school and work-related. Tiresome yes, but all worthwhile.

But ofcourse, there are also getaways that are merely for fun.

Swallowing my “shy-girlness,”  I joined in the summer outing of Orix, the company where Maynard works. We went to Cagbalete Island, in Quezon, and it’s such a gorgeous place. When you are there, you’ll feel like you own the whole island!

 

I also went to Lagos del Sol Resort along the Caliraya Lake in Laguna for a summer camp with Maynard and his churchmates. Such a wonderful way to spend summer - unwinding while knowing more of God.

To avail of an air-fare promo, I again went to Palawan last year, this time, with my sisters, Maynard, and our common friends. It was such a magnificent feeling to be with special people in your life, in such a beautiful place. At the end of the three-day stay there, I just hollered, “Palawan was even sweeter the second time around!”

Sometimes, all that fill our ears around are complaints, grievances: that nothing good is happening, that this is not a good place to live in, that you are sick and tired of working, that your earnings just equal your expenses, that every day is just the same as another day, that you are lazy to even wake up in the morning.

Our eyes are already blocked with all the bad stuffs that happen around (I sometimes am also guilty), that we fail to notice how beautiful life is. When I feel this way, I just look up and see the sky. When it’s raining, I find the little raindrops lovely in the eyes. When it’s sunny, I find the clouds seem so serene, which is enough for me to find peace in my heart again. When it’s evening, I find the moon and stars marvelous. They do not have switch on/off or batteries in them, but still they shine in the midst of total darkness.

And then I look down and I find so many great things given by God, especially the beautiful people whom He purposely brought to my life. Everything that we see, every breath that we take, the food that we eat, our family, our money, the work that we have, even the way our hearts beat, these are all gifts from God. And when we receive a gift, we don’t pay for it. We just accept it and appreciate not only the gift itself, but more importantly, the giver.

And so let’s cherish every morning that we wake up, let’s enjoy the life that we have, let’s always seek His purpose and His goodness amid any of our circumstances, let’s put our faith and confidence in Him, and we’ll realize that we are actually overflowing with blessings.

Before, I’d like to think that the places where I have been will never be the same again, because I left my footsteps there. But I knew it doesn’t work that way. My footsteps, after a short while, will just fade, and soon disappear in that place.

  

Just like the footsteps that we leave in any place where we go, we, as human, will just stay on this earth for a while. Question is, how do we use the precious gift of life that we have? By missing the mark and living in complaints and grievances? Or by giving thanks and honor to the loving Giver*?

          *Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. 1 Chronicles 29:11-13