Only in my dreams

Uncle Sonny's Advice

Our breakfast was set at the veranda of the dining hall. "Cool!", I said. From my the veranda, the sight of the beach is the first thing to be seen. 

We were served island style breakfast. Baked salmon topped with alfalfa sprouts combined with mushroom, mashed sweet potato and toasted bread topped with sunny side up egg topped with bacon bits sprinkled with hot pepper oil. It was actually my favorite. We'd been visiting Uncle Sonny once in a while whenever our schedule fits so he basically knows how to comfort a kid like me.

"Sam", called uncle Sonny. He used to call me 'Sam' short for 'Summer', though other people thought that it's short for 'Samantha'. My real name was really Summer Marie Garchitorena, if only I could change my name, I love 'Samantha', I hate my name,really. but anyhow, it's how I was known.

"Yes uncle?", I asked. "Did you tell your friends that breakfast is at around 6:30 to 7:00 in the morning?", Uncle said. "Uhhhmm, I actually told them last night but we stay up late", I answered then I smirked. "Okay then, maybe you could tell them to get up. We're going out.", uncle Sonny continued. "Going out?", I asked. "Yes my dear child. We're going to island hop. I remember that you love it so much",uncle Sonny said. Me and Madeleine got excited, "O-M-G..omg..c'mmon,let's go uncle..please please..", me and Madeleine begged. "Not so fast girls.. bring along your friends. So wake them up now..",Uncle Sonny answered teasingly. "Oh goodness! Elise, wake them up! Go!", I said to Elise who is just about to sit down when we saw her.

"Why?", Elise asked. "Well, we're going to island hop", Madeleine answered to Elise while she was leaning on the table. "Omg..please wait for us..I'll wake them up now", Elise got up as fast as she could to our suite. She awaken our friends who remained asleep.

I leaned towards the table,"This is going to be a lot of fun uncle", I said to uncle Sonny then gave him  a wink. "Of course my child", he answered.

A few moments was needed to get all the girls set for breakfast. "Since we're all here, maybe we can start to eat our breakfast and after breakfast, I'll give you time to touch up and we are going to island hop", Uncle Sonny said smiling at us. All of our friends was but happy, "Thank you so much uncle", Elise said in behalf of the girls.

After breakfast, we were given time to fix ourselves. To just be ourselves in that morning prepared by our beloved and dashing uncle Sonny. We rode a motorboat which is owned by the hotel resort. We actually wouldn't just do island hopping, we were also set for snorkeling should we wish and banana boat ride. I would have wanted to parasail, but I am reserving that in some other occasions, when I am ready and not scared of heights.:-)

We travel led like about fifteen minutes or so to get to the nearest island but we stopped at the coral reefs. The water was clear, you can almost think that it's a shallow water. The fish could be seen swimming into the depths of the water. Plus the corals are of varying colors and so as the starfish.

"Oh uncle! We just love this place...I hope we can do this next time...", said Elise who is about to jump onto the clear bluish water. Uncle Sonny smiled, "Just tell me girls the next time you want to visit. I'll prepare things for you", uncle told us.

All the girls jumped into the clear bluish water except me. "So, how are you? Still beautiful", uncle Sonny asked me while trying to look after our companions. "Uncle?", I asked staring at him as if I was shocked.

"Don't deny it hija... I know what you'd been through, I was told", he said in a concerned manner then he smiled. I could not speak at once, as if my throat is blocked and I could hardly say a word. I'm running out of words to say until finally, "I'm okay uncle. I'm fine now", I answered to him.

Been there, done that. That must have been the words resounding to his head. He may not be straight but once in his life, he must have encountered a consuming emotion that is sometimes wrongly reffered to as love. He wouldn't get to that age without encountering any of those specie of consuming emotion.

"Okay as in what, hija? You know that I exactly know when you're lying? I bet you know how old I am now..", he said as if he is trying to squeeze words from my mouth in a gentle way. "Okay uncle... I wouldn't lie to you. I am at times upset, depressed and devastated of the whole thing. I thought that it was already him. I defied my parents because of him. I have given him everything, anything that I can offer. I tried to be ready for him. I have accepted him. The fact that I didn't like him at first, all blown away. I even learned to lie just to be with him. I was a total black sheep since then. But for what?!", with teary eye I continue talking while uncle Sonny remained quiet and calmly listening. "Only to be betrayed by him. Only to be left as if it was all my fault. If only I could turn back the time, I will make things right. I won't go for him. Not ever again", I continued and I am already furious. Uncle Sonny tried to calm me down, he smiled and tap my back. " You know hija", he started ,"things happen for a reason. None of those things will exist without a reason", he continued. I stared at him. In my eyes thousands of questions could be seen. "What I am trying to say is he is not for you my dear child. And because of what you just said, then you should be glad that at the end of the day, you didn't end up with him. I am actually happy that finally it's not him you ended with. Look, it's not just your beauty that makes you who you are. Look at the things that you have achieved, your parents, your family. Your parents had been providing more than enough for you. I even saw you once being picky with your clothes and shoes, but in exchange for what? For you to settle in that kind of man?" Uncle Sonny said in a concerned but somewhat berating tone, I just looked down in sadness. " For sure most of your friends already said something against him, am I right?", uncle Sonny asked. "Yes uncle. I'd been hearing too much but I refused to listen to them all because they doesn't even know him", I answered like a child being scolded upon by her mom.

"So that's it hija. You'd been picky in all your stuff. From the clothes that you will wear, to your shoes and all your other stuff, perhaps it's time that you should also be picky in choosing your lifetime partner", uncle Sonny continued. "He did no good to you. You even committed sins when you were with him. I actually like the aura of your face right now. Your true beauty just radiate", uncle Sonny said as if he was admiring me.

"We were never given a chance to choose who our parents will be and so does our siblings, so the only chance God had given to us is our chance of choosing the rightful life partner, if not a soulmate", uncle Sonny said smiling. "You are just so beautiful, hija. I am not saying this just because I wanted to. It is true and for you to realize how much you really deserve. Your beauty and your character will be worth for nothing if you landed with the wrong man. That man that you should end up with must be the man of God. He should be the one who will enhance everything about you, and not drag you down and make you feel that your imperfections are as ugly as he is. You deserve the best, just the best because of who you are not just because of your beauty",uncle Sonny said while holding my hand. "He should not make you feel insecure nor dirty. Not at all. He should bring out the best in you," uncle Sonny continued. "Do you get me my dear?", he asked, I just nodded my head. "But as of now, just let things pass. You have to be complete in yourself first. Mend what you should mend and have peace with yourself", uncle Sonny continued. "Maybe I can let you go and have fun with your friends. Go now my dear child", uncle Sonny said while letting go of my hand. "And you uncle?", I asked. "I'm okay here Sam, just enjoy the day", he answered. And so I went on. With a smile on my face, I fixed first my swimsuit and my snorkeling gear before I jumped onto the water.

It feels good, the feel of the sea water covering my body as if washing away every inch of my soul, clearing my head and decluttering my mind, preparing me to be whole again. And yes, I said it right. Whole again, we get broke for us to learn to pick up our broken pieces, to learn the art of life and love. We get broke in order to be whole again and once more, to be complete in our own way so that when the time comes, you'll love as if you have never loved at all except for that rightful person. As I say these words, I could feel all the heaven and earth conspiring. The night was clear and all the stars are dear. I could hear the gentle waves of the sea while it hath the shore. 'Everything on earth perhaps, has their destined partner while they exist', I said aloud while staring at the seashore. I leaned on the couch, closed my eyes and then I smiled, I thought of the man of my dreams. As I opened my eyes and looked at the dark clear sky his memory has becoming clear to me. Somewhere in my heart I could feel him. 'I'll wait for you as you promised to come back and find me', I said aloud as if talking to him while I stare at the night sky.