COMING HOME AGAIN

Arriving home after our 3 week vacation was unsettling for me. My room didn’t feel like mine. I felt like I was in someone else’s abode. It didn’t feel like my refuge. Yeah, I grew up in this room, but it doesn’t help that there have been changes to it when I left for Singapore and it inadvertently became a stock room for my mom. Not that I blame her for that. Besides, most of my things that are still in this room are remnants from the person I was, not the one I’ve become. I guess it hit me much worse this time, because coming back from a long trip, you want to go home. And honestly, it really made me homesick for my room in Singapore.

So, what do I do? Aside from drafting a floor plan and thinking of ways on how to reclaim my room, I send a two word message to our WhatsApp group – “Alis tayo?” Looking back, I guess it was my way of subconsciously grasping for a base since a concrete one wasn’t available. It was a long shot, but my friends (being my awesome friends) were like “Oo!!!!” and “Game kami mamayang gabi” and “Sinong game tonight?”, long story short, we all made our way to the Fort (thanks Gio!) and I found myself surrounded by a far better base.  It was a night of good food and good company. Arnold asked me if I still had plans to leave Manila or if I was finally settling down here. I said I still wanted cooler climates, to which he replied, “but this is home“. Looking around the table, I can only nod my head in agreement. Damn you, guysssss!!! Maybe it’s a Capricorn thing but Arnold was also like “sobrang saya, I don’t want this night to end!” hahahahaha Hi Arns! Sabi mo natutuwa ka when you’re in this blog. Anyway.

I was lucky enough that the past couple of months afforded me time with my favorite people who are geographically far (Singapore, USA, Australia). Now, I feel that it’s time to slow down and enjoy chill moments in Manila with the people who I dearly missed the four years I was away. And re-do my room. And generally, just to savor being home. (Side note: I am still hopiiiing for this home! AGHH!!!)