Once In Katipunan

Chapter 19

"Lola kailan nagiging mali ang love?" I asked while sitting on my grandmother's lap.

"Apo, ang love hindi kailanman naging mali. Hindi naging masama ang pagmamahal dahil wala itong ibang hangad kun'di ang kaligayahan ng isang tao," she answered and brushed my hair.

The slightly scorching heat of the morning sun and the fresh breeze of air which makes the trees dance, touches my skin. The leaves of the mango tree brought shed to the swing where we were sitting. In front of us is the vast land covered with home grown palays and corns. The towering Mt. Arayat boasts its wondrous and provided aesthetic to the place. The tweeting of the birds which are flying freely from the clear blue sky served as a background music to the calm surrounding. The place is just full of magic which amazes my young mind.

"Lola, kung hindi nagiging mali ang love, bakit maraming tao ang umiiyak at nasasaktan dahil dito?" Asking like I'll fully understand the possible answers.

Lola fixed my hair and placed it at the back of my ear. She then put a fragrant fresh sampaguita in my right ear which for me symbolizes purity.

The profound white sampaguita had completely complemented the blissful appearance of my white dress which is swaying along the dance of the swing.

"Apo, hindi naging hangad ng pagmamahal ang magpa-iyak ng kahit na sino man. Parang sa pagkain, ang tanging hangad ng pagkain ay ang mang-busog. Sumasakit lang ang tiyan ng isang tao dahil kahit alam niyang busog at puno na siya, sinubukan niya pa ring kumain nang kumain. Sino ngayon ang tingin mong nagkamali?" She meaningfully asked.

"Edi 'yung tao po, masyado po kasi siyang matakaw!" I heard my grandmother's laugh at my response. "Eh ano po ang ibig ninyong sabihin? Na ang tao rin po ang nagkakamali sa pag-ibig?" I tilted my head backwards so I could face my lola.

"Mismo, apo," she answered.

My brows furrowed in confusion as the swing swayed on the beat of the wind.

"Hala, Lola pa'no po nangyari 'yun?" She looked at me, directly in my eyes. It seems like she wants me to fully understand her sentiments.

"Ang tao kase, kung magmahal, sobra-sobra. Lahat nang kaya niyang ibigay ay ibibigay niya dahil sa bugso ng damdamin na hatid ng love. Kapag nagmahal ang isang tao, wala siyang itinitira sa sarili niya. Doon nagkakamali ang isang tao, nagkamali siya noong nagmahal siya nang sobra sa kapasidad niya. Dahil kapag dumating ang panahon, at naglaro ang tadhana, siya ang talo kasi inubos niya ang sarili niya, nasaktan siya kasi wala na siyang itinira sa sarili niya," marahan niyang hinaplos ang aking mukha at inayos ang puting bistidang suot ko.

"Edi, Lola kasalanan pa rin 'yun ng love. Kasi hinayaan niyang masaktan 'yung tao," I persistently debated.

At a very young age, I became curious to how love really works. I've been so curious to whatever love is up to, like it will really apply to me in the near future. Parang kailangan ko itong malaman sa maagang panahon dahil alam ko na gagawa ako ng sarili kong kuwento pagdating ng araw.

Real life love stories has been my kind of fantansy, it piqued my interest more than those fairytales read on the books. I never get interested in fairytales just like how the kids of my age do. I never dreamt of becoming a Disney princess who'll get cursed, fall into a deep sleep, wait for my prince charming's true love's kiss and live happilly ever after. I find it absurd whenever I hear those kind of stories; like who the hell gonna marry a man who you just met after waking up from a sleep? How could you even say it was a true love's kiss when it came from a man you doesn't even know? Fairytales for me, most of the time, ruin the reality of love. It fixes the mind of the young viewers to the idea of love which is far from reality. That's why it never get my attention the way my grandma's love story does.