The Philippine STAR, Section G-1
Sunday, January 22, 2006
I always think of this yellow paperclip I had lost as a kid. I loved this yellow paperclip for some strange reason - maybe it was the shape I loved or the color. One day, I lost it. I remember clearly understanding for the first time loss, that it could happen so easily, no matter how vigilant one was; no matter how much one loved something, or someone.
A few days later, I found it among my clothes. Such joy at the revelation that it was only lost, to me. Because that is one thing I can take hope in: things are never lost completely. They are put away. They are misplaced. Someone else takes them. Sometimes, they are transformed into something else. But nothing ever disintegrates or disappears. That precious paperclip lies somewhere in this world - it must have a new shape, or a new color, or even a new form. Just like the love you have for someone who has gone. That love does not disintegrate either. One day when you least expect it (this I can imagine because I am a romantic), you will find that things are less... achy. You will be amazed at how much the heart can bear. And yes, you and I will be grateful for all that we've lost and all that we've found, in time.
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You can reach me, looking for my lost pen at Rica.Santos@gmail.com
