Pasig sanctuary

The last quarter of 2011 started new beginnings for me, and these new beginnings needed a place to stay. From the wilds of Cavite, I moved to a small place somewhere near my Ortigas office. It is a small place housed within a compound, wallpapered with tiny flowers, window blinds that cannot be removed and replaced by curtains, a small bed, a stand fan, an air-conditioning unit, and a wooden work table which all go with the rent. It isn’t much, to tell you honestly, but I’ve managed to turn it into a personal sanctuary. It is, after all, the first time I’ve lived alone. I may have lived away from home a couple of times in the past, but never alone. Thus, I try to make this place less lonely as possible.

The top shelf of a five-feet-tall DIY rack I bought from Ace Hardware, for instance, is filled with photos of loved ones, both friends and family, plus knickknacks given to me by those who I hold dearest.

The un-removable window blinds, on the other hand, became a growing repository of more photos of loved ones as well. I’ve likewise attached colored print-outs of things I find beautiful, from artists who I admire, who inspire me.

I also managed to turn my bed into some sort of a canopy, with two whole yards of red cloth draping over the pillows. And I also brought, from home, my favorite stuffed toy.

On the floor are books, stacked together neatly. Beside them are scented candles, an aromatherapy oil burner, and a framed zombie-themed “Keep Calm” poster. It reads “Keep Calm and Destroy the Brain.”

I do get homesick, every once in a while, and I make up for it every time I go home to Cavite. I snuggle next to my pregnant sister during sleep time (with her husband on the other side of the bed), I cuddle up with the parents, especially Mama, every time they’re back from Leyte. But in Cavite, I do miss this small place in Pasig. I miss being able to soak in the quiet, the solitude. A place for introspection and conversations with the self.

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