Like a comet

Time flies fleetingly. One day, you were born and the next thing you know you are a grown-up adult with a job. Then, the next thing you know, you’re celebrating your 100th birthday with your grandchildren. I can feel all the things that happened to me and they all passed with the blink of an eye. It feels so surreal.

I can vividly remember my dad saying, “I got promoted and we are all moving to Iloilo! Aren’t you happy, girls?” Oh, if you just saw my jaw dropped, at least touching my toes. My eyes were not even blinking, to see if what was happening at that time was real or not. Eventually, I found out that it was real and it was final.

As the days passed, I cannot sleep, think, or even eat. My usual energy was not within me. My dad’s words were stuck in my head and I can’t get them off. It was killing me. Of course, I was happy for my dad, for getting promoted, but I can’t stand the idea of moving somewhere else. I just can’t leave all my friends here. It would be really sad, if I cannot see them for years. Plus, my school is my alma matter. Why won’t they let us stay here?

When summer time came, my family and I fixed everything in order to move to Iloilo. Saying goodbye was hard, but, yes, I need to accept it. I need to understand it. My dad says that being away from our ‘comfort zone’ would be a big help to us. Nevertheless, at that moment, I would not believe him. Every day and every night was a torture for me. This is really the first time that I will experience moving to a different zone.

As I stepped on Iloilo soil, a big knot was forming inside me. My mind was inhaling all the negative things around me. I was so paranoid. As the first day of school came, it was like dreaming a nightmare. I want to wake up and promise myself never to dream this again. As I entered our classroom, the noisy 'buzzing' of my classmates turned off and every head turned to look at me. Every step I took, they looked intently at me. I wondered, “What could they be thinking of me?” In addition, I was the only new student there in our sixth year of elementary. It was like entering a world of aliens. I could feel myself go red in the face. Oh, this was hard. They speak a different language. Perhaps, the thing I could only do is to complain and complain. Time passed, days vanished and slowly I was adjusting and adjusting.

Now, as I reflect on that first day, I was surprised that two years has already gone by. Eventually, I became open to the changes that I encountered, and they help me to grow. My dad was right. It is not that bad to make a change or to feel a change. However, it was hard to be away from the people or the things that I have cared and loved most. At this time, I am glad to be experiencing such changes and I have to cherish these. Time is really fast, and I have to make the best of it, because maybe, tomorrow is my 100th birthday.