Hudunnit Series

Untitled Part 27

MINSAN AY NAHUMALING RIN ANG KANYANG MAMA SA MGA HOLISTIC HEALING mumbo-jumbo na tulad ng nasasaksihan ni Cade sa mga sandaling iyon. Hindi lang sa stretching at proper breathing na-obssess si Cecilia San Luis. Bumili rin ng makina para maging alkaline water ang kanilang tubig. Walang gustong kainin kundi organic foods. Nag-alaga ng manok sa likod ng kanilang bahay dahil hirap daw maghanap ng organic poultry. Nang lumaki ang tatlong manok, hindi naman magawang katayin.

Napamahal na daw sa kanyang mama.

Cade smiled at the memory. And no, organic everything and alkaline water did not correct his mother's hormonal imbalance---the cause of all her woes, because at that time, she was simply at the age when all the imbalance was supposed to happen. His mom was going through menopause.

A natural process. At kung si Cade ang tatanungin, he believed that what really got his mom through that ordeal was his father's PATIENCE.

Noong mga panahong iyon rin siya na-in love kay Christine. Hindi pa naman niya naiintindihan noon ang pinagdadaanan ng ina, lagi silang nag-aaway. Parang nawala ang peace sa kanilang bahay. Ayaw na niyang umuwi. And Christine was always ready to take him in. She was older, he thought she was wiser. Nasilaw rin siya sa pagiging malambing, maasikaso, maaalahanin--hindi niya naisip na iyong pagtext at pagtawag maya't maya at maging sa mga disoras ng gabi ay senyales ng obsessive behavior. What he perceived as loving nature was actually emotional unstability.

Naisip lang ulit niya iyon kahat dahil may nagpaalala sa kanya. Sa lahat nang puwedeng makita niya doon, si Jordan pa. Bestfriend at kaklase ni Christine sa all-girls high school ang babae. Dating beauty queen--hindi niya maalala ang titulo, nag-artista sandali, naging TV host ng short-lived na lifestyle show. Then she produced and starred in her own fitness and health show sa isang cable channel. Now she was a life coach, blogger and a YouTube-r.

Jordan had always been into eastern religious lifestyle and practices. Hindi na nga kataka-takang maka-encuentro niya ito doon. Her three-person crew was filming the activities.

May bente katao ang naroron sa azotea, nakaupo sa kanya-kanyang yoga mat. Karamihan ay babae na nasa forties pataas ang edad. May ilang lalaki na nasa mas mataas na age bracket.

Palakad-lakad si Master Lee sa pagitan ng mga yoga mats, panaka-naka ay hihinto para ayusin ang posture ng 'alagad'. Inuulit-ulit ang instruction sa tamang paghinga.

"Feel it in your spine. Let the spine take it." Master Lee was a long-haired, gaunt-faced dude in his forties. Mukhang pajama ang suot na pantaloon, walang pang-itaas. Mga kasing-taas ni Cade. Very lean. Mukha nang malnourished kagaya ni Miss Vera.

At alam na ni Cade kung bakit.

Hindi nga kumakain, gaya ng sabi ni Angela.

Master Lee was an advocate of fasting. Three times a month lang daw ito kumakain. Cleansing, that was the term.

Totoo daw iyon sabi ni Jordan. Dinocument na daw nito noon pa si Master Lee at obviously, naging follower ang babae. Sa katunayan, Jordan looked entranced. Talagang nakamasid sa 'master'. Katabi ni Cade na nakasandal sa pasimano ang babae.

Natapos ang breathing exercises. Pinatayo ang mga 'alagad'. Ipagdiwang raw ang buhay. Tanggapin ang kaligayahan.

"Claim it! It's yours! You are happy!" Hinarap ni Master Lee ang isang ginang, hinawakan sa magkabilang balikat at sinigawan, "You are happy!"