For the past many years, my family and I have been welcoming new years with bonfires and marshmallows. But, since my siblings and I are now grownups, young professionals and are starting to get bored with family traditions, this is the first time we did not wait for the clock to strike 12. I wanted to run away after having a rough 2017. I wanted to welcome the New Year with a new ritual. Soon as my parents have gone to sleep, I took my camera and the car key. I ran, bought two bottles of beer from a convenience store and drove my way to the top of a remote mountain near the city I live in.
It was a chilly night. The cold winds blowing in from Siberia is greatly affecting the northern Philippines. I thought a scarf, a jacket and a small blanket were enough to shield me from the cold of the night, and for being alone. Yes. It was my first time to welcome the New Year literally alone. Soon as I have reached the foot of the mountain, the first minute of 2018 came. I stopped to watch fireworks from afar, which I did not have a good shot of because I wanted to savor the moment.
Soon as the noise and the lights dwindled down, I went on with my journey. City lights were already growing smaller halfway through to the peak of the mountain. The stars did not let their light fade out with the glittering street and house lights from below. I couldn’t help but pull over and take a few shots.
A couple of minutes later, I got to my destination–the windy, dark, and remote Mount Santo Tomas. I have been here many times in the past but this night was extra special. I decided to park on one of the darkest spots to get shots of this year’s first stars. With courage and endurance, I braved the dark and the cold. Unfortunately, the New Year’s Moon was too bright I only managed to get a mediocre shot.
After getting few good shots of my city and the stars, I decided to camp out in my car to wait for the first break of light. Because this was an impulse, I wasn’t fully prepared. I had to endure the cold. When 5 in the morning came, I got up and looked for a spot facing the East. The mountains greeted me with grandeur. The sea of clouds waved at me until waiting was over. The sunrise was majestic. It shone for me hope. It reflected new beginnings. It was a moment worth waiting for; worth enduring the cold for. It was worth being alone for.
For those who had a bad 2017, cheers to the New Year! A toast for the First Light!
