Saturday, August 26, 2006

something that's entirely too long

I wrote this paper for a class. It was supposed to be about me but everytime I read it, I don't recognize any part of it. I can't identify with anything about it. Maybe it's not about me. Maybe it is. I'm not really sure. I never did get to submit it for my class. And for the sole sake of having it fulfill whatever purpose it was supposed to have, I leave it here where, perhaps, it might hold even the tiniest truth.


As I stare at the half-sheet of paper in front of me which tells me that I must write about my problems, my fears, and my doubts, I find that I need to pause. To be honest, I have been putting off writing this paper for a few days now. And I know it’s because I hate to inspect myself. I hate to look back and say “This is my life. This is me.” Because no matter how I try to leave the grisly details out of my writing, I find that the shadows of the past will always creep back into my consciousness. But I guess now is as good a time as any to write it. I have done it a million times before, I can do it again no matter what emotions it stirs up.

What is it I fear? I fear for myself. I fear for my family. I fear for all the people who will end up like us. My mom and my dad separated last September. And although I understand my mother’s reasons perfectly, I can not help but feel the bitterness encroach upon what was once my sanctuary. I hate that they destroy each other now as if they had never known love for the other. As if they had not formed with that love, four children. As if they had not nourished with that love, a home that lasted for 26 years. As if they had not withstood with that love, the quarrels and the abuse and the pain that they both felt. I hate with the entirety of my heart the fact that they don’t even loath each other, that no spark of emotion is left except guilt and fear. Guilt. Fear. Detached emotions. Undoubtedly very strong emotions, but detached nonetheless. I wish to blame it upon one of them. I wish to blame it upon both of them. And as old as I am, I find that what the movies and what the books said were all true. You end up blaming yourself.

If only I had been stronger. If only I had done something. But I could never have done anything, in much the same way that I can do nothing now.

And all of a sudden, I find myself crying for no reason. I run to him asking him to listen, wondering if anyone else will see that I have been destroyed. I find that I can no longer deal with the stress of school. I can not concentrate. And where I was once unmotivated, I am now completely aloof. I ask for more attention than those around me can give and I cling to every ounce of courage I have just to keep from falling apart. During the few times that I find myself alone, such as when I write this now, I find myself crying from a physical pain that wrenches my chest apart. And when I probe my mind for the reason, I find none. I don’t know. I forget. And I find that all I want is to forget. I can’t forgive my parents. I can’t forgive the circumstances. I can’t forgive myself. And so I forget. I run into the laughter that will drown out the bitterness.

What I am afraid of is that one day the things I keep bolted up inside myself will wage war upon me and that I will not be strong enough to overcome the onslaught. And so I cry. And I pray. And He forgives them for me. And He forgives me. And once again I am brought to a place of refuge. And my soul which has become scarlet turns white as first snow.

But I am weak. And at times when I find myself thinking too much about the things that have happened, I lose my footing and I slip back into the brokenness that is my past. I am not driven by the same things that drive those around me. What I dream of, what I wish for, is not what they dream of and not what they wish for.

I wish to one day wake up and find that my parents are back together. I want my dad to change. I want my mom to love him again. I have nothing I want for myself. I have nothing beyond this moment except for the hope of being happy again. What I want is to be happy. What I want is to be able to have all the people I have in one room.

I want to be able to have all the people I have ever loved and who have ever touched my life in one room. Together. Happy.

But I cannot and so I try lose all the emotions I have hidden in my heart through my writing, through my dance, through my music.

They told me I was blessed to have to suffer at an early age because in the wheel of life it meant better days were coming. They told me that when I was in sixth grade, when my brother left home and my dad still hurt my mom. Better days have not yet come. And although I know that many others go through what I do, that many others have survived through much worse, I fear that I might not.

I want to be happy. I want to be at peace. I want to finally be able to look back and say without qualms or hesitation, “This is me. This is my life.”

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

everything has a purpose in His due time. :)

Anonymous said...

sweetie... *hugs you tight* trust Him with all that's left. And remember, I'm still here. as always. ^^

S.L. Corsua said...

Intense writing there, Car. I wish not to dwell on the particular content, or on what specifically might have spurred their expression; rather, I wish to focus on your introduction.

It was supposed to be about me but everytime I read it, I don't recognize any part of it. I can't identify with anything about it.

I would like to think that this is a sign of moving on, of moving forward. Of having commenced the process of gathering yourself. Of healing...

for the sole sake of having it fulfill whatever purpose it was supposed to have, I leave it here

... of letting go of the weight that bears on your step forward.

Putting something intangible -- a feeling, an ache -- into written words, seeing that thing -- that emotion, that burden -- before you on paper... can do so help in conquering it.

Or, it may serve as a manifestation that you already have. ^_^

*hug*

Russell CJ Duffy said...

the only thing that i can add to the already very wise comments is this...
life is long and during that span you will encounter, as i have done, many curves and bends on the road. many ups and an equall number of downs.
things, at times, will seem very bleak and dark and at other times sun will shine and you will be happy.
your mum and dad may no longer love each other, shit happens BUT, rest assured they love you.
even out of the death of their love for each other their love of you and your siblings remains. love changes. love mutates and evolves.
you are a beautiful person who will learn from this awful period and with that experience you will enrich our world.
take care and DO NOT blame your self.

x

Max Bouillet said...

You put off writing the paper because they wanted you to define yourself –and that is something that cannot be done. You are a living changing definition that can’t be easily restrained by the confines of words. Even as you try to write the words, your soul rebels against the imprisonment. The ever-encroaching words make you want to expand your horizon –makes you want to change. A soul can sing in ink (or binary code); but a soul cannot be imprisoned by it. Sorry I have been gone for so long. I will try to come by more frequently.

Anonymous said...

Just pray to God all the time. As what the famous saying goes, "Change is the only permanent thing in the world". "Only fools don't change their mind". What happen to your Mama & Papa is beyond your control. But I know it hurts. But this is good that they separated than the physical and emotional abuse will continue. It should be stopped because it is very unhealthy to your Mom.
There's always a positive side on everything. Out of this uncontrollable situation your family have right now, this will make you a strong person. There are more worst situations that happened like this, but it come out that the children are able to stand thru the hardships and they are more succesfull than other people.
We always pray for all of you.

Love,
Tita Tetel

Anonymous said...

Crying and wishing I could hug you.
You poured out your emotions here. That is brave.
It is also extremely healthy. (too many bottle up their feelings.)
I hope your faith continues to help you heal, faith in a higher power, and faith in *yourself.*
For each time you begin to blame yourself, please hear and see the words and faces of those who wisely tell you (even your own inner voice of wisdom), that is NOT so. Yes, it's normal to shoulder that blame, but you must move forward from its clutches. You cannot fix it, alas. That is what is so devastasging. That is beyond your power to rewrite history, but you can move forward. WRiting this piece is an excellent step in that direction that will take heaps of time.

Chamki said...

I send love from a little room in a cramped city called Bombay.
I believe we face things fortunate or seemingly unfortunate because they have hidden messages we need to know. You know what you needed to know from every little thing you have seen in your days and there shall be more things ahead whispering in your ear.
I have my set of messages. I don't like to call them happy or sad. They are things I need to know in whatever way I get to.
You share your message with us.
Thank you.