More Hodge Podge

It's been quite awhile since I had an entry. I blame my hopelessly full schedule. Let me see, where do I start?

I bought a new Palm Zire a couple of weeks ago. My boyfriend (yes, it gets easier saying it everyday) sync-ed it for me the next day after he joined me and my family shopping at Greenhills. Anyway, regardless of my new toy, my schedule is still messed up. Messed up in a sense that I'm beginning to value every minute of my time due to my activities and commitments. Nevertheless, no use in complaining. I just have to make do with what I have and try to cope. Thank God the term is almost over. It would mean (1) I have more time which I can devote to work and (2) Leo and I have more time together. It's very difficult to arrange our schedules as it is. In fact, we only see each other during weekends (which is usually after his class in the later afternoon). Weekdays are difficult since I work late and he lives an hour away down south. We fill the gap by burning the phone lines day and night. Regaling each other of stories of how our respective days went.

Friday last week, Leo and I went out with my officemates. We went to this place in Pasig which is owned by the brother-in-law of another officemate. It's a "grill" place where there's a band late in the evening. My friends picked on us by requesting a song dedicated to me ("Kate") which was supposedly requested by him. The song is hopelessly mushy and L. and I laughed so much when we heard the song ("Because of You"). After a few hours, we bade goodbye to meet Rico, Ching and Mike at Greenbelt. My boyfriend and I arrived at Greenbelt less than half an hour later. It was already 11 pm by then.

LOVE ACTUALLY...

is all around.

I really love this film. It's one of those feel-good movies that we seldom seem to have nowadays. It's akin to having a sugar-high. You feel giddy after you watch it. Moreover when you have your significant other holding your hand the whole time.

My favorite part involves the bestfriend of this black dude who's married to the character of Kiera Knightly. He loved her but let his bestfriend marry her. She found out about it when she saw the videos that he took of her during her wedding day. On Christmas Eve, he went to her doorstep and declared his love through cleverly made placards. I could not help but cry and sob while watching this particular scene. He acknowledged that he has no agenda or hope of getting something out of his declaration. And I quote, "My wasted heart wants to say that you are perfect and that I will love you until you look like this." (picture of a mummy). Kiera gave him a kiss afterwards and she joined her husband. The guy then turned around and whispered, "Enough." That was the heartbreaking part. For me, that is what true love is all about. He loved her enough to let go of her and let her be with her husband and he in turn, resolved to stop torturing himself and to get on with his life.

This movie celebrates all kinds of love. Love between an aging former-heroin addicted rock star and his fat manager; Love between a man and his bestfriend and his wife; Love between a middle aged-couple and the husband's secretary; Love between the most powerful man in Britain and his "catering manager; Love between a man, his dead wife and his stepson; Love that overcame language and racial barriers; and a couple more side stories of love.

Love actually does exist. I almost gave up on this very worthwhile emotion but a part of me held onto the promise of God. In fact, my favorite passage in the Bible is all about Love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But greatest of these is love.

I would want to think that this is the kind of love that I am blessed to have right now. I am not saying that we have a perfect relationship. We're still trying to learn and know more of each other. It's a journey, and an exciting one at that. One where we both want to know where it will take us.