Glimpses of Yesterday (Isla Contejo #2)

Chapter 6

PUMASKIL ang ngiti sa mga labi ko nang mapagmasdan ko ang sumisilip na liwanag sa likod ng madidilim pang mga ulap. The sun was starting to show itself. Another indication of a new day. Another beginning. Another life. Another inspiration to continue living.

And another motivation to paint today!

Yehey! Ang pretty ng sky today. Mabuti na lang nagising ako ng maaga. It was just 4 AM in the morning. Manang Lou was still asleep. It's okay. I wasn't hungry pa naman. I just really woke up early to paint here in the garden.

Inihanda ko na ang mga kakailanganin ko sa pagpipinta. Ipinuwesto ko nang maayos ang easel at canvas pati na ang upuan ko sa harap nito. Sa gilid ko ay ang mga art materials na need kong gamitin. I roamed my eyes once again around the garden. I could paint the colorful flowers. Also the midnight skies at the background. I could finish this naman siguro before 7.

"Let's go," I said to myself as I started stroking on the blank canvas.

The garden was a bit dark because it was still midnight, but that didn't deprive me of seeing. There were lamp posts in the garden that helped me see clearly. Nagsayawan ang mga halaman at bulaklak nang umihip ang simoy ng hangin. Kahit naman gumagalaw sila ay hindi pa rin ako nahirapang ipinta sila.

I continued painting with the midnight sky and flowers around me until I got drowned into bliss and tranquility.

I remembered this particular quote from Thomas Merton that said: "Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time". I couldn't agree more. Art became my confidant every time I felt confused, and frustrated. I was always being able to fix my emotions just by painting -- like I was suddenly being found. Through creating a masterpiece, I was being able to let out everything. Every stroke of my brush felt like I was talking to my own canvass.

I was talking to my soul. Talking to my own demons. The colors I made were a comfort to my being. Then I would just eventually realized that I was already being lost. Lost in the colors of every stroke. Lost in the colors of my different emotions. Lost, but still in the midst of peace. I couldn't deny that every time I felt lost from everything that's happening, just one stroke of my brush, I would finally be at peace.

Until the art itself got me lost -- making me forget all the worries and chaos of the world.

Ganito ako lagi sa States. Bata pa lang ako, nakahiligan ko na ang pagpipinta. I still remembered that every time Mommy would scold me, I would run to my room and draw. It was making me feel at peace. Always making me calm and at peace. Hanggang sa unti-unti na akong titigil sa pag-iyak at mawawala ang sama ng loob.

Hmp! Na-miss ko tuloy bigla ang parents ko. Kahit madalas nila akong pagalitan, love na love ko pa rin sila.

Nagpatuloy ako sa pagpipinta hanggang sa malapit na akong matapos. Tuluyan na ring lumiwanag kaya naglaho na ang mala-orange na sky. I was putting more details to my painting when I heard Manang Lou calling me.

"I'm here sa garden, Manang! I'm painting!"

Huminto siya sa pintuan ng sliding door at tinanaw ako. I smiled and waved at her.

"Kumain ka na ng almusal, Jaeda. Alas sais y treinta na. Kanina ka pa ba r'yan?"

"Uh, medyo po. Malapit na po itong matapos, wait lang."

Tumango naman siya at muli nang bumalik sa loob. When I finally finished my painting, I couldn't help but be proud of myself for another achievement. Even though my art room would be the only one who would see this, this was still a success for me.

Inilagay ko sa art room ko ang bago kong painting kasama ng iilan pang naroon. Bumaba ulit ako upang kumain na ng breakfast.

"Where do you want to go today?" tanong ni Arsen nang magkita kami sa tapat ng bahay nila.