Fleeting.

Last weekend, a former colleague died of breast cancer. She was 28.

For days, a friend had been calling out for help and prayers on Facebook for her as she’d been battling Stage IV cancer with bone metastasis. Sadly, J lost her battle Saturday morning.

I don’t know her personally or even recognize her from her pictures, but we have common friends. People who knew her said she was once vibrant and full of life before she got diagnosed with the Big C in May of 2018.

I believe them. Seeing J’s travel pictures in contrast to the pictures of her lying in her hospital bed was just too hard to look at. The decline in such a short period of time is unfathomable you won’t even think you’re looking at the same person. But I guess that’s what any disease—especially cancer, does to anyone.

My heart sank when I think of all her hopes and dreams that will never be realized. I feel for the family and friends she left behind who would miss her terribly. While things happen for a reason and some can even say that at least J’s not feeling any pain anymore, her loss is never easy for those who loved her. I understand why they mourn; why they said it’s unfair; why a friend even questioned God for allowing it to happen.

We always hear that life is short but for some, it’s even much shorter. Too soon. J didn’t even reach thirty when I’m sure she had thought of what she’d do when she gets to that age. Perhaps she would have wanted to travel more or settle down and have kids.

Then again, if God wills it, who are we to fight the One who gave life to us?

I just imagined if I died at 28, I would’ve missed out fifteen years of lessons from my experiences; or that chance to fall in love again after Alex; of meeting people who I now consider my best friends for life; or even seeing my wonderful nephews. I wouldn’t get to feel the warmth of the sun, the cool wind, and chill from the rain. I won’t get to see the beauty of the world around me.

But because God wills it that I wake up every morning, I still can feel, enjoy, laugh, think, write, sing, dance and love. Some weren’t as lucky.

  
Life, in general, can be hard on me at times but I’m still here. And while no one really knows when their time is going to be up, I thank God for my every day.

Oh, baby.

I’m not really in my usual mojo to write anything today, being that it’s the dreaded “time of the month” for me again.

So I’m just gonna put this here.

…because I’m always in the mood for this guy. PMS-ing or not.

(P.S. I sooo want him to hug me like how he hugged Elizabeth after that scare prank)

Happy Friday, y'all!

Waterlooneys

Our City Government is currently having extensive road clearing operations. Last week, the clearing team was in our area demolishing illegal structures and anything that extends to the road are being removed. Even our small tree right by the gate that provided shade was not spared and had to be chopped off.

The road clearing also targeted water hand pumps that were haphazardly installed right by the sidewalk.

In our neighborhood, it’s no secret that basic utilities like water and electricity are acquired by some illegally. Not judging, but pilferage of electricity and water has become a way of life for most of them. For illegal water connections alone, many were already blacklisted by the local water service provider because of previous offenses.

One of the water pumps was recently removed; it’s still not clear where the local barangay intends to move it but this resulted in some household in our area with no access to water.

One family in particular, which is just right across the street, asked us if they could fetch some water. My mother, God bless her heart—sees no problem in giving some, to the point that she even installed an extra faucet right by the porch.

She had been warned by some relatives, and even by my older brother, that the neighbor might abuse this, but my mom said that she couldn’t turn down a person in need—especially if it’s for something as basic as water.

Yesterday morning, I found my mom shaking and on the verge of tears. When we asked why, she said that on the first day alone, the neighbor had filled up more than fifteen 5-gallon water containers using our water line.

Mom knew she agreed to it, but only because she thought that the neighbor will only be getting water to drink. She didn’t realize that they will eventually fetch water for four families living in one house many times a day! It’s my mom who pays the monthly water bill so she has cause to panic and all the reason to be upset.

Adding to that, the neighbors would leave the whole porch flooded.

We are expecting tension between our families once we put our foot down but we can’t just allow the moochers to go on. We already told mom to turn off the main knob so there will be no water flowing to that faucet. It’s a drastic move, I know, but we don’t want to be slapped with a high water bill.

We were also hoping that with it, the neighbor will get that cue and hopefully make them realize that generosity has boundaries.

My mother, specifically, raised us to be good neighbors because she always says we’ll never know when it’ll be our turn to need something. But goodwill should have its limitations.

It still shocks me as to how some people can take advantage of another’s kindness and genuine generosity just like that.