She

by Ronald Habana Jr.

Sometimes we take her for granted; oftentimes we forget some of her life's special days and we disregard those littlest things that she does for us, but despite all of it we rarely hear her complain nor get mad and still, at the end of the day it is "She" who will always offer us a cup of coffee matched with a smile on her face just to make us feel a little less sad and a little more at ease.

(One of my mother's favorite songs)

It is her voice that wakes me up in my every mornings. It is she who drives me up through my lamest days. She who always call me for every meals so that I wouldn't miss one. She who always put me first and set all aside.

It is she who always make sure I'm safe beyond 10 PM, who always prepare me dinner even if it's twelve midnight. She who gives me a cake when everyone gives me fancy gifts and expensive things. It is she who drives me nuts at her corniest jokes, she who trusts in me even I do things beyond her words. It is she who scolds at me every time I do wrong and she who comforts me after all is said and done.

She always cracks me up when she acts cool in front of my friends, when she does her little mistakes and when she does her craziest laugh. It will break my heart if I will ever see her cry but I'm sure it is she who will die a little bit at my every hurting.

It is she who supports me at my every steps in life but it is she who'd rather criticize my works than to say it's perfect! Though she never considered me as the best, I always see her being the proudest of all my beloved. It is she who's always fair in treating us, her children; even if it's only me or it is only my brother, for her it is always "us".

I rarely say "I Love You" to her, though I know that she feels it even at the subtlest way. I too don't hear a lot of i love you's from her but inside our hearts are overwhelmed by the selfless love that transcends from her. No one could ever replace her and no amount of love could ever fill in for her's.

I LOVE YOU MOMMY! That's all I have for words.

A gloomy afternoon

A short story by Ronald Habana

An hour and a half past and alas footsteps sounded; closer and closer it walked towards the bench, towards the lady, the lady who waited long enough to see this man again. He was tall and built though his face looked so much younger and light, she was little though a mark of maturity stood out from her face. He knelt facing the lady who's eyes were pinned to the piece of paper she was holding. "You waited" the man said with such light in his eyes. At that moment she remembered, all of it went to her head once again.

I was thirteen then, you were only eleven but we made so much fun as if we were on the same age. Since then we were inseparable, you and I as best friends. You were always there even if time made us part. Then that friendship turned into something deeper. We started seeing each other in a different manner. Yes, it was never official but together we cherished our own bright sunny days. It was then when I realized that I was blinded by all of it. I didn't see the dark cloudy days. I wasn't sure of you. I wasn't sure if you're still that boy whom I met long ago, my best friend or are you the man now that I wanted to share my forever with.

I remember that gloomy afternoon. You sent me a message. You asked me to wait for you, wait for that day and then you'll be the man that I wanted you to be. I was enraged, my pride took a downfall. I got angry. After months of your silence, when I was always there desperately hoping that you would come back, you'll just pop out of the blue just to tell me to wait? How immature? You haven't change a thing.

The lady stood, handed the letter to the man and then she walked away with tears falling from her eyes. The man almost petrified, he did not even took the chance to reach out for his lady. He looked at the letter instead and read. I waited because I wanted to move on. You're the only one who completes me but at the same time you complicate me. Goodbye. He stood there his head down while thoughts swim in his head.

You don't know how much I missed you even to the point of death. I wanted to be a better man not because you told me so. I wanted it myself. I wanted to prove to you that I was and always have been the man that you wanted me to be. He pulled a box from his pocket and opened it. It was the shiniest diamond ring but it was too late as the lady was nowhere to be seen.

The End.


Dedicated to Mariz. Thank you for sharing me your "complicated" love story. I hope someday you'll find that one man whom you will share your forever with. =)

Nature, Love it. Care for it. Save it.

By Ronald S. Habana Jr.

A kind of magic. This may fit my description of the instant levitation that overwhelms my overall feeling as I look into those green pastures; as I feel the rays of the sun touching my skin; as I smell the fresh air that soothes my nostrils and as I appreciate in just plain sight the wonders of our nature.

But to what extend will the nature show its beauty in this time of the generation when natural disasters seem to cause turmoils constantly. Just last year when typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng struck the nation and brought catastrophic events, the magic of nature seemed to turn into a somewhat nightmare to many of us. I will never forget that time when all the rage is done; stepping out from our house has never been that gloomy. I saw the brown replaced the green, I felt not the joyous feeling that I once felt but sadness. Nature destroyed itself.

With all that, in the end we never blame nature, we blame ourselves for not taking care of it and the many good and wonderful things that it brings.

I'm glad that we made pass through such horrible rage of nature, I'm glad that we made it through such one big obstacle though it is never easy to move on from the many loses. As I now dedicate myself in my own little ways of taking care of my beloved nature, I am hopeful that one day all of us will feel that exact same feeling that I once felt just by looking at the wonders of God's gift: the nature where we all live in.

For now, I want to leave a question embedded in a little presentation that I have made for all of you who are reading. I hope this question even if it's not visually present in the video, will mark on your minds. I hope this one even in the littlest way would move you and let you think again, think about our nature.

Love Our Own!

By: Ronald Habana Jr.

Let me start off with these lines from a classic patriotic song... "Ang bayan ko'y tanging ikaw, Pilipinas kong Mahal..." A great song composed by the great Francisco Santiago who's the Father of Kundiman. A heartfelt song to show love for our native country, but is this century-old song still reflects the perception of the Filipinos to its nation nowadays? As time went by and as our land became such interest of colonialism to such big countries, our minds as Filipinos were influenced by these strong cultures to such point that we forget our own.

Much to our disappointment, many are still being influenced by other cultures specially the Western as we are, now in the 20th century being called as such "westernized people". Its a shame that we Filipinos are finding such hard time to love our own, while many (surprisingly) foreign people are finding our culture interesting that they are being driven to study and live in our own native lands.

Yes, there is a great number of Filipinos who are being influenced by these widely patronized culture but in many ways there are still proud and genuine Pinoys who are not afraid to shout out that they are Filipinos and that they have and will always LOVE our own.

I'm happy that together with the wave of time, the new generation of Filipios are finally starting to realize that the Philippines is one great country, one that a person could be proud of even with the many problems and difficulties it is facing, even as it is a Third World Country and even it has such controlled rulers. I'm happy that even the Filipinos are being supressed and that they are being taught to patronize such aliens and their culture, many are still fighting for the sweetest and most gratifying prize: being a Filipino.

The Kiss, A Happy Ending

A short story by Ronald Habana Jr.

Daisy and I broke up. The relationship only lasted for months but I was okay. Being dumped was never that easy: there were no tears, no locking up on my room, no hatred. Since then I started thinking of the girl that made me this strong. I wonder, How's Rose doing?

It's been two years of nothingness. I was floating in the airs of my dreams. I can't move on, I didn't want to. I thought of seeing him but there were no ways, but I have got to end this. Give me one day God and I swear to you I will end this misery. Only one day.

I got up early, went to my favorite coffee shop at eight, It's a loveless Valentine's Day for me.

Funny, how this morning when I woke up, all the tears that I've cried last night and all the stressful thinking didn't create an effect. My morning was very calm. As I walked outside, I noticed that red filled the streets, heart-shaped decors were hanging everywhere. I almost forgot, It's Valentine's Day. I went in to an old coffee shop where there I saw someone, someone from my past. I was chilling, a bit shocked, my hands were shaking, whimsical thoughts filled my head as I slowly walked towards the man sitting on the third table.

I was slowly sipping my coffee when the door flung open, the bell of the door's ringing made me look and then I saw this face. I can't believe that I'm seeing this face again. It had never changed, that angelic pleasant face that I once phraised. She was slowly walking close towards my table as I put down my cup. Our eyes were still locked at eachother. She sat down and broke the silence.

John? Is it really you John? You look good. You... I stopped at that moment as I was being held by that soft hands of him.

Rose? How are you? I can't resist it, I can't hold it in anymore. I started touching her cheeks. Then I said I missed her and that I was still thinking of her after Daisy and I broke up. I still wanted my Rose. I wanted her back. I just wish it's not too late.

It's not, John. Two years I spent thinking of what I have done to you. I blamed myself, I still love you and it had never faded.

Though I must ask this again, Why? Why Rose? She answered crying.

Because that time you were blinded by the thought of a perfect woman, of a perfect love, of destiny and of happy endings. I got afraid.

There isn't. There is no such thing. Yes, I've learned that from you. I was still holding her cheeks. Rose, I'm sorry it took so long, I'm sorry that I kept you waiting. I..

For the past minute, I didn't allow a word from his mouth to enter my ears. I was just staring at his lips.

That feeling! When I first met Rose, it was brought back by that kiss. And now I have to take it back, it's not such a loveless Valentine's Day afterall.

The Things That I Gave You

A short story by Ronald Habana Jr.

I remember that smile, that sweet smile that captivated my eyes. It brought about a hundred sparks of diamonds that almost blinded my sight. I swear to God I saw not a girl but an angel. Her pink cheeks with little freckles, her smoldering big blue eyes, her shiny teeth and button nose; how endearing, how pleasant.

But Rose, my love, I sent you flowers, you did not glance. I wrote you letters, you didn't respond. I befriended your friends, you showed not one care. Those boxes of chocolates that almost starved me to death just so that I could buy for you didn't seem to please your lovely face. I dedicated a song for you, but your ears were closed. I made a fool out of myself just to make you laugh, but the smile that I once saw did not appear in your face I considered angelic. The gifts that I gave you in every occasions didn't even please you. I made poems, stories, songs for you, I juiced my brain just to come up with a creative yet original composition dedicated only for you but you did not spear a time to read all of them.

I thought you were a robot, such lifeless being; no emotions, no fantasies, no love. I gave in. I let go. I gave up on you. Took the time to be miserable. Cried myself to sleep. Locked up in my room. I despised you. I never should have loved you. Such sparks faded away, no chills, not a thing at every glance to your devilish face with your ugly teeth, and your ugly skin. Looking in your eyes made me sick. I hated you Rose.

And now that I finally moved on as I wasted years pleasing you and making myself belief that even for a nick of time you'll get to know me and like me, love me back, I found another. Daisy made me feel that I'm loved, I'm being cared and that I'm special. It's like destiny meeting Daisy as I gave up on a Rose. But then I found out that you never dated anyone, never seen one after my long desperation for you. Someone told me you were waiting for someone else. Someone from the past. Who this might be? The boy must be lucky. Though sometimes I wish I was that one. At times of doubt whenever Daisy really love me, the thought of having Rose in my life simply brings back the chills. I must admit, Rose, my first love will never be a daisy.

Those Things You Gave To Me (The Reply)

A short story by Ronald Habana Jr.

I loved the flowers you gave to me, the smell of the red roses simply soothes my senses that I just savored the time by closing my eyes and fantasize. Those letters you sent me, I read every night before I sleep. My friends loved you, very thoughtful, caring, nice and gentle young man. And I know those chocolates cost a lot that I ate only few and saved the others as day by day I took the pleasure of having only one.

That song you once sang and dedicated to me was my favorite of all the love songs that I have heard, hearing every lyrics and feeling every emotion felt as if you were softly touching my chest and capturing my fast-beating heart. Your jokes, you funny man, made me laugh and jumped right off my seat. And how can I forget those gifts wrapped in expensive wrappers with such lovely bows on it, every occasion was just as special as your presents. Though no one ever noticed, you were the most creative and artistic person I have ever met in my life, those poems, stories and compositions made me feel how deeply your adoration is for me.

I loved you eyes, your expressive brown eyes tell me everyday as I look into it how much love is transcending. When you bite your lips at every foolish moments, when you do your goofy laugh and that funny sob. Your cute little ears and your pointed shiny nose, your messy hair and your handsome squint. I loved almost every bit of you my dear John. But how am I supposed to tell you when you were always blinded by the very flesh that covered the real me.

You were blinded by the thought of having such angel would be very impossible yet you were desperate to have one. Your eyes were filled with diamond sparks that didn't allow you to see what really is the kind of diamond that was lying there beside you. You were patient yet for a small period of time. I'm sorry John that you gave up. When that time came and you asked that question, I didn't answer. You broke down. You started hating me. I only kept waiting. You did not pass the test. I was left with nothing.

And now after it all, you asked once more. I answered. What you wanted me to say to you that day was the thing that I wasn't sure of with you, that time.

Remember your "First Time"

By Ronald Habana Jr.

Young Love! This is what GMA has to offer to its viewers for this season of love!

Remembering the times when you first met your first love, when you talked to your first best friend and when you made your first sweet kiss with your first love simply bring back that smile in your face and that spark in your eyes. Reminisce as you formed your first bond with your fisrt barkada and as you go back to the times when you made some of the biggest mistakes of your life, your bittersweet experiences with your first love, your most embarrassing moments at your first day in the class.

The teleserye takes it setting in high school as it was considered the turning points of our lives. It features a group of teenage friends as they move along through the many aspects of their life, difficulties, struggles, differences, happiness, friendship and the one thing that binds them, love.

It also highlights a love triangle brought about by two best friends that shared the same interest with one girl. What's unique with this triangle is that they are all teenagers and that this love is being developed in the four corners of the classroom.

Remember all of your "firsts" as the newest teleserye hits the hearts of the many on February 8, 2010 starring the network's promising young actors Barbie Forteza, Joshua Dionisio and Jake Vargas.

Getting over a break-up is never this easy!

by: Ronald S. Habana

Breaking up is hard to do, but getting over with it is even harder. Most people would advice a person who's suffering a break-up to just let it pass by and have fun; shake it all off and treat her/himself with a day off but it is most likely these things that make the situation even harder to forget. Our hearts were never built for instant recovery, it is best to let the healing part to take some time.

1. Let yourself be drowned by the gallons of tears that you poured even for a day. This may be a cliche but "IT IS OKAY TO CRY". Some people who's suffering from a breakup tend to lock themselves up in their room just to spend the rest of the day weeping and others would feel bad and angry towards themselves but its is all good. These are all part of the process; crying and letting all the hard feelings out of your system helps you recover by accepting what you have done and that it is painful. Just always remember that whether it is your fault or not, any regrets would have you end up in confusion and in an even harder state.

2. After giving yourself time to cry (which by the way has no limits whether a day, a month or even a year for only you could decide whether you have already let it all out) and after spending this times alone with your own space, it is now the time to talk to your loved ones; friends and family. You should know that you're not alone and that you are being loved by the people that surrounds you. Your friends and family are there to give the right amount of comfort and empathy.

3. LOVE yourself! Be fit! Exercise! Let go and be happy! After being miserable and after depriving yourself with happiness, it is now time to regain it all back. Choose a sport, be creative, find time to go to the gym or salon. Make yourself busy with your body being fit, your mind being cleansed and your heart being healed.

Yes it is never easy getting over with break-ups but if you'll find time to do these things the right way and if you have the right attitude of coping with it then you'll find it as easy as one, two and three. Anyways, there are a lot of fish in the sea to cry over one.

I LOVE my friends!

by: Ronald S. Habana Jr.

For nineteen years now, I've been surrounded by people that love me; people that have always been and will always be beside me whenever I feel bad and when time seems to play its complicated games with me. My parents as always, giving me with the right amount of advice, support and love as ingredients for me to becoming a better person. But it is impossible for my parents to be right beside me in every bit of my seconds, as I explore the beauty and the ugly within life.

The guidance and the support can only get as far, but I don't blame them. I wouldn't be the person that I am now without them. How I love my family, I wouldn't exchange them for anything else in the world. Though there may be misunderstandings and arguments at some points, still I would end up being with them, beside them.

As I am still building little by little the foundation of my being as a person, my parents, my family is not only the ones that helped me through out the thickest and thinnest of times. It's not all the time that my parents will be there to comfort me at my saddest or maddest times. This is when my dearest friends come "to the rescue!"

I found my best friends way back in high school, I LOVE them. They're always there for me; always there to catch me when I fall, just one text away and "boom" a crying shoulder, a person to talk to, a person to laugh with, a person who's willing to join me in my exploration of life.

When fights transcend in our family, my friends are the ones to calm me down and advice me to get back and apologize to my family even if for any kind of reason that it's not my fault. They are the ones to say that it's rather me and not them but always make me realize that I am being loved and not being hated. It is them who always help me figure out ways to solve my complicated problems. It's them who see the bright sides amidst my darkests. It's them whom I tell my problems, my achievements, my crushes, my interests, my grudges, my suicidal attempts, my fears, my favorites almost everything. '

Though many times, I'm guilty; guilty of sharing these things first hand to my friends rather than to my family, I never had regrets of having them as my friends. Like my family, I wouldn't have them replaced by anyone or anything. They're like my treasures, my personal collection of gems though not as many as those shared in the museums, my little collection is worth a million.

I read a quote from a website; "A good friend is my nearest relation" at first I got puzzled by this simple yet very deep quotation. Why should a friend be considered a person's nearest relation when there's our family, our parents and even our partners in life? I thought of this for about the time that lapsed as I was writing this article's 4th paragraph. Then I heard a sudden snap that seem to have waggled my head. The words were there! My friends are my family, they're as near as my family. I value them just as much as I value my family and I will treasure them just like a collector treats his precious gems.

All of these are just plain happy just saying but sometimes I think of the possibilities that may happen. Sometimes I get scared of the thought that one day I might lose them. I know there would come a time that we would part ways, live our own lives and build our own careers but my visions are clear that our friendship would last for a life time. How I love them.

Be inspired of all the friendship quotes, just as I was in the quote that I read. Visit http://www.friendship.com.au/ or click this link:

http://www.friendship.com.au/quotes/quopro.html

I Love the Theatre!

by: Ronald S. Habana

I don't know the thing about it that makes me really happy and makes me jump right off my feet. Call it corny or what but I definitely LOVE the theatre specially musicals; I don't know maybe it's the music, the singing, the dancing, or the actors but you just can't take it out of my favorites list!

From Mamma Mia! to Sweeney Todd, from Grease to The Sound of Music. I just love the numbers, and the way the actors transition from acting to singing, the scenarios, the grandeure and the loudness. From Noli Me Tangere to Ibong Adarna, from Drama to Comedy. The emotions and the hard-hitting scenes that give me goose bumps.

I think it's the joy, excitement and happiness that it cast from its stage to my heart.

Since elementary, I've been fascinated of all the dancing and the shows that happen on the stage. Fortunately for me, I kind of have (in my own little things) what it gets to somehow live this fascination and turn this into veracity. Thanks to my parents' gene. I was blessed with versatility; a little bit of dancing here, acting there and singing here.

It started off as a school activity that led into more exciting things. Next thing I know, I was a regular performer in our school, say it's a play, a musical or just plain singing and dancing. I was struck by the stage life that I've almost craved for it. I wanted to perform in almost every chance and hear all the applause and cheering of the crowd. I was very young, wild.

It was then when I realized that this "stage life" of mine was getting on my academics and that it's demanding nature is slowly taking my focus away from my studies. I quitted.

High school came, and popularity versus infamy entered my mindset. If other schools have cheerleaders and varsity players on the top of their popularity list, we had the Theatre Club. Just when I thought that my "stage life" is over, the opportunity strike and the flame within me reignited. I was very anxious but at the same time I was kind of hesitant and doubtful; high school is different, it's not like elementary anymore where life is as easy as counting and reading. I was facing fear pressure and all that to live up with my family's expectation. I must focus on my studies. I must graduate with flying colors.

And so I turned it down but I was somehow hoping that the theatre would open its curtains once again for me.

Third year came, I was having a good time, probably the best time of my high school life; I had a lot of friends, my grades were good, and the chance I've been waiting for came, but this time it wasn't me who bit the oppuotunity for it was the theatre who did. Talk about luck! I finally got a part on our major school play which earned a lot of applause from the biggest audience of that time. Our play lasted for three days. We were doing two runs a day. I was having one of the best times of my high school life. By the end of the play/musical, I went home with a "Best Actor in a Cameo Role Award" not bad! I would love to do it again.

College came, and my mindset changed, this stage life of mine seemed to be fading away but it's all good with me. I made a promise to my parents that I would do great in my academics and that maybe somehow I would graduate with honors. Time in time, I was able to convert this fascination of mine into just plain interest. Thanks to movie musicals, I was able to feed my aspiration but it would also be very enormous for me to once again step on to the stage. But then, this production/ event of our college came that required each section to come up with a rendition of all time classic musicals. I got excited. Once again I wanted to bite the opportunity but this time without hesitation because I knew that reluctance would only get me as far as nowhere and that regrets would soon fill my mind. Unfortunately, I didn't make the cut in the first chance but what are the chances? Anything could happen in such time, and so at a very good timing, once again the stage's curtains reopened. I'm into it again.

And now that I got the part, I would do the best that I can. I would love to see the crowd smile at me again and hear their roaring applause. Even at the smallest part, I'm going to make it sure that I would have the time of my life for in the end it would only make me happy.

Image from: Wikimedia Brasil.com