I Need a Hug

It was last week of August when I asked my friend about the power of a hug. She then remembered an article with the same title as this written by Rico Yan’s father in the magazine as tribute for his son’s death. At that time, I was already planning to write a piece illuminating the power of a hug.

September 7, 2011. My friend brought the magazine she was talking about. It was on this same day afternoon, I have read the entire article and was greatly touched how the power of a hug moved the life of Rico’s father. He was an ‘un-touchy’ man not until he met an 11-year-old battered Danilo during the out-reach program of Pinoy Yan Foundation. He was talking to the orphan but he could not feel the love within so he hugged the boy and felt something great inside. 

On this same day, before I read the magazine„ I received a text message from my high school friend. The message was: “guys, please pray for the soul of Sir Hornachoz.. he died this morning…tnx…wala na adviser xa batingaw!” Sir Fermin Hornachoz was our ‘Ang Batingaw’ adviser, our school’s official publication. I was a staff of the publication back then. With different student press conferences that we’d been together, I proudly say that he served as my second parent with all the encouragement and words of wisdom. I miss the time when he used to correct my papers because of disorganized presenting of facts. I miss the time when he used to tease my last name. I miss the time when he used to treat his publication staff in the canteen. I miss the time when he used to say: ‘dapat makaabot mu national!. Now that he passed away, I will miss him more.

Like Rico Yan’s father, I, too, am an ‘un-touchy’ man. I am a person who doesn’t show love by action, even in words. It hurts when you realized that it’s already late to make a move. It even hurts when you know that everything happened in your birthday. September 7 is my birthday and the date my favorite teacher/adviser died. Because of this incident, I concluded: 

 “Celebrating birthday is not about how much or how least you spend your money for food to eat; it’s not about how you spend all day with your friends. Celebrating birthday is about being alone, with no one is with you all day.” You will only realize this thing when you experience the same. Like a hug, you will only know the real power of it until someone gives you a hug.

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