Just as I write this blog, I am in remembrance of my exhaustion from my yesterday's errand. I visited the house of my brother's wife in a town in Tabogon, Cebu. I wrote about this place in my blog "Come You May In The Steep Of Tabogon", so if you want to know the place, then go and have a read. Going back on track, I spent a night there since it was already dark to go down to the town from their house that is located at the peak of a mountain. I was just forced to visit there because I had to deliver some foods and toys for my niece.
The life there was so simple. A simple house, a simple meal, and simple sources of happiness, like when spotting fruit from an avocado tree or a monkey chasing the dogs in the neighbourhood. But more than that, they also have a simple source of income that always captures my attention. It is rattan basket weaving, where they use strips from rattan or nito as the main materials of the product. In the picture, you can already see two finished baskets, carefully woven and crafted by their bare hands using a knife and pliers and other tools necessary for weaving. Whenever I visit the place, I always watch the elders craft the baskets and containers while having funny conversation. At first, I thought their chitchats were just a way for them to not notice the time and make the weaving faster than it actually was. But I learned that it is just part of their practice to make good conversation while doing the jobs they love. It is a livelihood that encapsulates the traditional practices of Filipinos during the past decades, relying on the gift of nature to feed their own mouths. Now, fortunately, some still continue the practice, subtly preserving the history and heritage of Filipino artistry. For additional information, the Philippines has different products of weaving and some of these are known among others, like Bayong, which is a handwoven bag made from leaves like buri or pandan and is made for the purpose of carrying things, or Banig, a mat woven from rattan or pandan used for sleeping, that is made by the same technique. The elders have already mastered different products and their way of working, and the products of their works are one of the things that make them respectable.
I spent an hour getting carried away by the view of the place, where you only see peaks of mountains, a sea of clouds, and of course, the sea—literally. If I were to live in that place, I know I would not be interested in what is happening outside, for the place is actually a good place to hibernate yourself from the negativity of life.
As much as I want to get carried away by the beauty of the place, I had to go back to my town before noon, because that day was a day for my midyear dental cleaning. So I had to walk down from the mountain, which was a 30-minute walk, and search for tricycles that would lead me to the highway. I had two hours of travel since I wasn't able to find a tricycle early.
I arrived at the town at 2 o'clock in the afternoon and visited a karenderya (a mini-restaurant) to eat late lunch. I only had the option to eat in a karenderya because there was no fast food in the area. But still, I enjoyed eating there because nothing can beat the classic Filipino dishes with their exclusive way of cooking and serving, which makes it more interesting.
I arrived at the clinic at 3 and waited for the dentist to come, which was two hours later after my arrival. On weekdays, Doc Louella is not available in the daytime because she is also a dentist in our public rural health clinic. So I had to wait until 5 P.M. with the other patients. I was 4th in line, and those who were in front of me had stayed longer in the dentist's corner to fix their concerns. While waiting, I scanned the books displayed in the clinic and read a book from Reader's Digest. I enjoyed reading it so much that I didn't notice the time. It was 8 in the evening when I was finally entertained, and with all honesty, I wanted to go home and sleep by the time I entered the area where I got my teeth cleaned. I also had to pasta my teeth, but the doctor said it is still okay to be fixed, so I only paid for the teeth cleaning.
It speaks so much to me when someone advocates for dental checkups twice a month because problems with our teeth can manifest in other parts of our body. I was satisfied with the service of Dr. Louella, and for three years now, she has been a gift to our family, attending to my family's need in dental care until now.
I got home after my dental checkup and was starved by the long wait. Still, it was worth the time. When I am caught between responsibilities and moments of calmness, days like yesterday remind me how exhausting and at the same time fulfilling life can be. Amidst the tiredness I had the whole day of running errands, I found peace and felt a little bit of proudness in how I managed the day like a man.
