I want to dance beneath the moonlight...

I remember a distant memory wherein my family went to Yogyakarta to see the famed Borobudur Temple. It was raining and the temple grounds were slippery. Some of the stone slabs would shift and slide as you step on it. Intricate carvings of illustrations of Buddhist/Indian principles were slowly chipping away. As you go higher, what seemed like bell-shaped structures had figures of monks in lotus position inside them. It looked so real and yet, something that is out of this world.

It took us about 15 minutes climbing the whole structure. And when we got to the top, I didn't realize I had let go of my umbrella until I felt the rain soaking me. The view was spectacular. Being the tallest structure within miles, I could feel myself gaping with awe at the four corners of that earth I had created in that single moment.

It had seemed I could not take everything.

My thoughts and voice lay huddled in the corner of my mind. I could only stand still and watch the view unfold before my very eyes. It was breathtaking, yet terribly overwhelming. I had felt like I am on top and at the center of the world. My knees were shaking not only because of the bitter cold but because I felt this sense of 'lula'. My whole being lay powerless and at the mercy of this vast space. What I had been feeling wouldn't even come close to what a Divine and Absolute Being feel.

That feeling I haven't felt eversince... and I'm craving for this tremendous and uncanny euphoria. Right now I feel bound. Bound by society's rules and norms.

I wish to be free.

You Will Be Utterly, Sincerely Missed

Aside from Pagong, I have never felt a connection unlike my bracelet. It had been in my possession for more than 10 years now.

I got it from a silver shop called Ansor's Silver in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. They have the finest silver jewelry in Asia. Craftmanship was superb and the designs were absolutely out of this world. I wasn't fond of jewelry or silver that time (I was in Grade 6) but as I laid my eyes on it, I fell in love. The swirl of silver around 2 mother of pearl ellipses were simple yet stunning.

Since then, I wore it everyday for the next 10 years. It was pliant and flexible. It matches anything from jeans to evening dresses.

Last week, I noticed it was starting to break in the middle. I was hoping that it can be fixed by just melting it and then forming it again, at least just to mold it back together. I went to a renowned jeweler in Makati, confident that the best can fix this. I had it appraised/inspected (?) and was saddened to know that the material itself had weakened, causing it to crack.

They told me that they can solder it back but they can not assure that it will be what it used to be. 2,000 pesos was very steep for me, coupled with the fact that anytime, it can crack and break again... If they can fix it back for 2,000 pesos, I would gladly pay 5,000 pesos for that.

Sadness... T_T