EDSA WALKS

What would you do if you found out that you forgot to bring your wallet and you just realize this while you’re on your way to work? Sounds funny, but this incident actually happened to me last night.

Kagabi, habang naghahanda ako sa paggayak sa pagpasok, hindi ko naalalang dalhin ang aking pitaka. Sumakay ako ng jeep mula Antipolo at nang nasa kalagitnaan na ako nang biyahe naisip kong magbayad. Kapa ako nang kapa sa bulsa ng aking pantalon pero wala akong mahugot na wallet. Dun ko naisip na naiwan ko yung wallet ko sa kwarto. Malapit nang tumigil ang aking sinasakyan sa may Cubao at dahil sa wala naman ako kahit ni pisong barya, nakaka-guilty at nakakahiya pero bumaba ako ng sasakyan nang hindi nagbabayad.

Balak ko pa naman sanang sumakay ng FX kagabi pero buti na lang at wala nang bumiyaheng FX mula sa amin noong mga oras na iyon dahil hindi ko maisip kung anong pwedeng mangyari sa amin nung driver pag hindi ako nangbayad ng pamasahe.

Nang makababa ako ng sasakyan, inisip ko kung papaano ako makakarating sa opisina. Nasalat ko sa bulsa ko yung Stored Value Ticket ng MRT kaso naabutan na ako ng last trip at sarado na ang himpilan ng ganoong oras. Pwede rin naman akong sumakay ng taxi tapos mangungutang na lang ako ng pambayad sa mga ka-opisina pagdating ko. Pero hindi ko tinuloy, ayoko kasing madagdagan ang mga bayarin ko sa linggong ito kaya tiis-tiis muna.

Last resort, dahil biniyayaan naman ako ng mga paa, maglakad mula Cubao hanggang opisina. Napabuntong hininga ako sa haba ng lalakarin pero I just thought that it’s just my perception. Mag-aalas dose na at kailangan ko nang bilisan ang aking paglalakad dahil isang oras na lang ay simula na ng aking tabaho.

I also thought that it’s a great opportunity for me to break some sweat. Naisip ko ulit yung resulta ng medical exam nung kinaumagahan. Sabi ng doktor na obese 1 na ako kaya kailangan ko nang magbawas ng carb intake at mag-exercise. Mabuti at hindi naman maalinsangan kaya ayos lang sa akin ang maglakad. Besides, this was not the only time that I’ve traversed the iconic Epifanio Delo Santos Avenue on foot.

The opportunity presented itself when I was in college. It was during the time of EDSA Dos, I recall my schoolmates and my professors encouraging everyone to march and chant their rants against the president during that time. I didn’t participate in the rallies because I have a neutral position regarding the country’s political status. In short, I missed that special event of being included in the pages of Philippine history.

The first time that I had my alay-lakad moment along EDSA was in 2007. Back then, I was working in Buendia and my residence was in Sikatuna Village in Q.C. I remember that time when I was so broke and my poverty level was so extreme that it drove me into this unfortunate situation. I remember leaving the house 3 hours before my scheduled time at work so that I would arrive on time. I only ate a couple of cheese breads that day and I was so famished. When I reached Orense, I felt like fainting and could collapse at any moment.

Thank God, He was there with me through my physical journey. He lifted my spirit and renewed my strength as I uttered my prayers during the excruciating walkathon. I gathered all the strength and every ounce of energy that I had and kept on pushing. And when I arrived at my destination, I felt a sense of relief. It was over. I felt glad that He delivered me safely to where I’m going and that He was with me in every step of the way leading me into stillness.

After that experience, I thought that I would never have to do it again. But history does repeat itself. The series of power walks on EDSA happened again in 2009. I was a trainee in Tektite then. Same old poverty story but this time I have to walk not only to work but also to go home. I have endured two weeks of walking this avenue both in the heat of the sun and in the dimness of the moon. There was even an instance when it was raining heavily and I don’t have any choice but to bravely go through with the ordeal.

Sa paglalakad ko sa EDSA kagabi, bumalik ang mga gunitang ito sa akin. Napangiti na lang ako nung naalala ko ang mga panahong iyon. May konting takot at pangamba akong naramdaman, syempre ayaw ko naman na maging laman ng balita kinabukasan. Mabuti na lang at maliwanag yung bahagi ng EDSA sa may Camp Aguinaldo at may mga nakahimpil na pulis sa may MRT Santolan. Ngunit hindi ko pa rin maiwasan ang lumingon sa aking likuran maya’t maya lalo na sa mga madidilim na bahagi ng lansangan, iba na yung alisto ika nga.

Thank God, He was there again with me through that crazy moment. He sustained me. He protected me. He delivered me. He was my constant companion through all of this madness. He was that voice that told me that I’ll be alright.

Matapos ang 45 minutes na paglalakad ay narating ko rin ang opisina ng ligtas. Sa mga bakas na iniwan ng aking mga paa sa daang ito, may mahalagang bagay na tumatak sa isip ko: Malayo at mahaba man ang iyong kailangang lakarin, kung may baon kang taimtim na panalangin, paroroonan mo’y tiyak na mararating din.