"GANITO ba lagi rito?" tanong niya kay Atlas habang nasa cabby pabalik sa villa. "Parang walang iniisip na trabaho ang mga tao dahil may oras pa sila para magliwaliw?"
"It's what you called taking a break, Luna" Ngumiti si Atlas habang ang mga mata ay nasa daan, "Hindi naman sa wala silang iniisip na trabaho bukas pero paraan na lang rin nila iyon para makapagrelax mula sa napakahabang oras sa hanapbuhay" he said.
Napatango na lamang si Luna. S-sandali, bakit panay tango na lamang niya sa sinasabi nito? Napansin niya na wala siyang nasasabi kapag ito na ang nagsasalita!
Not so like you, Luna Celestine!
"Is that what you're doing here?" aniya, "Taking a break from your boring life in the city?"
Napakunot ang noo nito, "Boring life? Sino naman ang nagsabi sa'yo na boring ang buhay ko?"
"I dunno, what are you doing here then?"
He smirked and brushed his hand on his hair pagkuwa'y napakagat sa labi. "I'm a doctor here"
"You're a doctor here? It means dito ka na talaga nakatira?"
Umiling ito, "Every six months na-aassign ako rito" he said, "It's my fourth month, so, two months na lang at babalik na rin ako sa boring kong buhay" he chuckled.
"Who assigned you here?" she curiously asked, "Does it mean, alam mo kung bakit exclusive itong island at hindi basta-basta nakakapunta dito lalo na kapag walang invitation?"
Tumango naman ito, "Yes, my parents were preserving this island. Kapag hinayaan na basta na lamang mapuntahan ay maaring abusuhin ang lugar. They can't risk, this island was precious to them."
Napanganga si Luna, "Y-Your parents? Your parents own this island?" Oh shit. Hindi nga?
"Hindi mo ba alam?" At ito pa ang nagtanong! "How did you get here by the way?"
"Someone put some badge slash invitation in me! Hindi ko kilala pero may nakasakay ako sa bus at sinabi niyang maganda daw itong Sierra Flor and when I arrived at the pier..."
Tinigil nito ang cabby at tumingin sa kanya, "Are you sure?"
Of course! "Yes!"
Pinaandar muli ni Atlas ang cabby hanggang sa nakarating sila sa villa. Hindi na nagsalita muli si Atlas hanggang sa nakarating sila dito.
"T-Thank you, pala" he said. "For coming with me, you really don't have to but you still came"
"I should be the one who's thanking you" she replied, "I really had fun"
Lumakad siya papunta sa my duyan at umupo doon. Atlas followed her, tila alam nito ang kailangan niya bago niya pa sabihin.
She needs someone to talk with. Yung may makikinig. Yung hindi siya kilala bilang Celestine kundi Luna?
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"Hindi lang ako makapaniwala na ang dami ng nangyari sa akin sa loob ng halos dalawang araw ko rito" she said and bit her lip. "Ang dami ko ng nagawa."
Namulsa ito at sumandal sa may dingding, "Yes, you got drunk, got into an accident, fell into a pool, dance and partied with normal people" anito, "Yes, you did. Congratulations, Luna"
She smiled with the sarcasm. Oh, Bastard.
"Marunong ka naman pa lang ngumiti" he said and looked into her eyes.
Iniwas na lamang ni Luna iyon ng mapansin na napapatitig na rin siya.
"So, your parents own this island?" tanong niya at napatango lang ito, "Bakit ka nagdoctor at hindi business management?"
"Not my passion" tipid nitong sagot. "My parents never pushed me to do something I don't love, hindi daw ako sasaya kapag ganun"
"So, this is your passion?"
"Yes" he said, "Gusto kong makatulong sa iba"
Woah, what a noble man. Bakit naman siya, hindi naman dahil sa hindi niya gusto makatulong sa iba pero hindi talaga business ang gusto niya.
She's not into business. But she had to dahil iyon ang makakatulong sa companya. Sa pamilya nila at ng iba.
"How about you? What's your passion?"
She shrugged her shoulders, "I run my father's business--"
"No, I mean your passion, Luna" Pagtatama nito. "Magkaiba ang profession sa passion"
She stilled and looked at him for a second. Maging siya ay napaisip. Ano nga ba ang passion niya?
"I-I don't know..." dahil hindi naman iyon naging importante. No one dared to ask what's her passion.
"You don't know?" tumayo ng tuwid si Atlas at umupo sa rattan chair sa tabi ng duyan, "I don't believe you, lahat ng tao may kanya kanyang passion"
"I dunno, bata pa lang kasi ako hinasa na ako ng Daddy sa business"
"Iba naman yung passion. Passion can be anything that challenges you, intrigues you, but at the same time, motivates you. It is not doing what you love makes work effortless, instead, a passion puts you to work. It's what you're willing to sacrifice little pleasures for a greater outcome." he said.
"Parang ako, medicine wasn't easy. I had to stay up late sometimes and most of the times, stay all night just to review. Hindi siya madali, dahil kapag nagkamali kami, maaring buhay ang kapalit" lumapit ito sa kanya, "But at the end of the day, kahit pagod na pagod at puyat na puyat ako. When I saw one patient smile because I've helped him or her. Lahat ng pagod at puyat ko ay worth it. And that's my passion"
Damn, that made her think.
"So, what's your passion?" he asked again. "Ano ba ang passion ng isang Luna Celestine?" This time she looked back at her life and asked herself.
Ano nga ba?
BINABASA MO ANG
Conditions of Worth
General Fiction"The essence of my existence is excellence" Those were the words that she carried for almost 25 years. Kung wala ang tatlong iyon, she couldn't be where she at now. She is a strong woman. She's the miss perfect. She has a perfect fiancé, career and...
