I never wanted to be gone for so long. My blog is rotting with the smell of old posts. Ehehe … I haven’t finished the whole site, either. But, final examinations is getting nearer by the minute — next week to be exact. I hope vacation would make me think more and write more. Here’s my story:

It was earlier this day that I first met fulfillment in our Literature class. Yes — the first time in four months! We — my partner and I — have passed the Book Report on Cost Price by Kerima Polotan, which serves as our final exam in Lit 102. We were the first group to submit; the only group today to submit. I know our professor was happy — of course, we both were, too. Now, I have nothing to worry about except the other exams coming next week! 🙂

Another fulfilling thing was when we all were asked which selection from our textbook touched us in one way or another. She made each one discuss why we chose it. I was thinking about choosing Sayonara by Edilberto Tiempo — the moral was pretty straightforward: not all enemies are bad — but the hesitation grew in me as I really haven’t swallowed the whole story. I asked my seatmate if what I was thinking was correct. But simple hesitation backfired upon me — he was called to recite first, and guess what happened next: he recited what I told him! I was shocked! Anger grew inside me, but I have to think fast. I cannot repeat what he said, it was my fault anyway for trusting him with my precious answer. So I thought carefully, and chose Family Rites by Rosario Cruz Lucero, instead.

Reality dawned upon me that personal reflection should not only be made from the context of the story alone but also with how the story was written. Yes, I like writing — it is one reason I blog. But thoughts cannot be words unless I put more time and effort unto it. This is what I realized from Lucero’s short story. She made the story with every thought no one would be saying out loud — or even in whisper. I didn’t even realize I have thought about those things until she mentioned it. My precious answer was not so precious after all.

Now, I just realized what I lack — the same reason I haven’t written something in almost a month. Put more time in thoughts as you translate them to words … and the world will know what you feel.

Oh, and by the way, I’ve lip-read my teacher say, very good, after I have recited. 🙂

Note: Try to read Family Rites by Rosario Cruz Lucero; I hope you feel the same way I do. 🙂


Comments

21 responses to “On Writing”

  1. eViL tHirD Avatar
    eViL tHirD

    Your precious answer is not precious after all, because according to our lit class (I forgot which of the lit crit said this), what exists in the imagination is perfect, and what you write or say is just a poor copy of the one which is in the mind. so what you have told your trusted seatmate is just a poor copy of your imagination and what he answered was a poor copy of a poor copy of your imagination, so it is very dull. Even what you have recited was just a poor copy. Just be glad that he/she cant get what is in your mind which is the perfect thing.

    wala lang… hehehe… sarap magbwisit….

  2. eViL tHirD Avatar
    eViL tHirD

    ayun

    alam ko na

    si plato ang nagsabi nun…. ok…
    yun lang

    pahabol lang sa sinabi ko kanina…

  3. eViL tHirD Avatar
    eViL tHirD

    so dapat bilang ECE makagawa ka ng isang electronic device na magcoconvert sa imagination into real concrete something para lahat na ng bagay dito sa mundo ay perfect…
    ok ba?

    pangasar ako no?

    hehehe…

  4. Ehehe… Tama ka dyan… Pero I won’t let loose of the thought na ang time at effort sa pagsulat ng nilalaman ng isip at damdamin ay makapagpapaganda sa “poor copy” na iyon. 🙂

  5. Pang-asar? Hindi… Mahilig ako sa comments, eh! Sige lang … sige pa! Ehehehe… 😛

  6. eViL tHirD Avatar
    eViL tHirD

    naks naman…. babasahin ko yun….

  7. Actually, yung Family Rites ay hindi tungkol sa “writing” per se. Pero iyung thoughts ng main character ay napakalawak na hindi ko maisip o balakin man lang na maisulat.

  8. Patalo classmate mo ah. Nakakaasar naman yun. hehe. Pero you’ll have to thank him for stealing your thoughts. Atleast you thought of something better. hehe. Anyway, sometimes I find it hard to translate my thoughts into words. Parang I have the idea na, pero I can’t seem to blurt it out. Wala lang. Kaya I don’t like writing and public speaking. Lucky you. hehe

  9. Ayaw ko din naman ng public speaking eh… Sinwerte lang ako nung araw na iyon… I bet, next time wala na naman akong masasabi sa recitation! Ehehe… Pero syempre: Hopefully not 😛

  10. nakss naman!! put more time in thoughts as you translate them into words.. grabe! lalim nun ah!!

    pero may point ka nga dun.. shempre, san naman manggagaling yung mga sasabihin mo kundi sa thoughts mo rin diba? yun naman yung parang cause ng lahat ng nagagawa or nasasabi natin.. 🙂

    pero baka siguro pag sinabi ko lahat ng thoughts ko, wala na akong maging friend non! harharhar!! juz kidding!!! 🙂

  11. Haha… That makes me wonder what your thoughts are… Ehehe… 😀

  12. Hi! I’m also from UST. I would just like to ask if you have a copy of Sayonara by Edilberto Tiempo. I need the copy this week sana, if you can send me the copy, please do so. I really have to have that copy…please! Tnx. I hope for your favorable action…

  13. im from ust din, and im having a hard time looking for mr. edilberto’s sayonara. parepareho lang pala tayo sa phil. lit. hahaha..

  14. mr.researcher Avatar
    mr.researcher

    heeeeeeeee pot-pot u nmn e kailangan q un cost price yan’ pot-pot kc proe. q e

  15. corinne Avatar
    corinne

    may copy ka po ba ng sayonara ni Edilberto Tiempo? pwede po bang makakuha ng copy.. kailangan ko lang po talaga.. salamat!

  16. nako..hnd ko maintindihn yng family rites..kung paano na-alienate c linda sa kanyang husband??yan ang tanong ng prof namin..
    prelims namin buks s lit..hay
    taga-eng k rn?gudluk n rn.hehe.

  17. ako din taga uste! at pinapagawa kame ng critic paper ng sayonara. pwede magpatulong? ndi ko kc malaman kung anong metaphorical sa selection na un e. aun. thanks in advance sa tutulong! n_n

  18. putangina nio

  19. ako merong copy ng SAYONARA ni E.K. Tiempo, pero scanned. i was hoping for a .doc or pdf file. XD pare-parehas lang pla.. anyways, it isn’t really that hard to do book reports/essays for this selection.. mas madugo pa nga ung ibang selections eeh.. XD

  20. marilou abordo Avatar
    marilou abordo

    napakaganda pu. . .char . .sana mkagawa din pu aqu. .

  21. marilizer Avatar
    marilizer

    whou……. musta naman kayo? ………maxadong nakka nosebleed mga english……hahahahahahahah…….ang lalalim po kasi eh”……..hindi kasi masyadong marunong mgenglish………hahahaha,,,,,,,,char,…