Maybe the reason why I’m so fascinated with the mountains is that I spent most of my life on the coasts of Cebu. Going to the highlands is but a novel idea for someone whose weekends were once filled with quick trips to the nearby public beaches of Talisay, learning how to swim, and getting several shades darker. My memory usually fails me but I know by heart how fun it was while it lasted – the early morning commotions, the kamote, kinilaw, nilagang saging, and grilled pork and fish prepared by the adults, the engine roar of the tricycle that would bring us to the beach, and the endless games we played on the waters.
Today, with the growing number of instragrammable resorts, pools, and tourist attractions publicized on social media, many of those beaches that were once frequented to have become a distant memory, a forgotten past.
I don’t know what sparked the idea, but I suddenly became interested in visiting once again the beaches that we used to go to on weekends. However, such procrastinator as I am, the plan has always been postponed until I shared the plan with my parents. Supportive as ever, my mother woke me up early on a Sunday morning while my father drove me to one of the beaches in Talisay City, Cebu.
The sunrise was so beautiful on that clear day. Or maybe because it was just so nostalgic to see things as they are – fishermen coming back after a good catch, wives waiting on the shore, and families bonding on that weekend. Returning to that old public beach resort relived timeless moments with the sea. It was as if time stood still.
What has become of us? Why did we allow society to consume us?
In a city whose heartbeat is so quick, it’s difficult to withstand the current. Sometimes, we get caught with so many things that are bugging us; the so many wants that we so badly want to address. We have complicated so many simple things in life. That’s why we are anxious. That’s why we feel depressed like we haven’t done enough. If not resolved well, these sentimental feelings may lead us astray.
This is the reason why it’s important to look back. Like this visit to this old public beach in Talisay, may you also find time to pause and see how far you have been – or how far you have wandered away from. To quote an old adage: Do not get so busy making a living that you forget to live a life.
How have you been these days? Has life been a little troublesome? Let’s motivate each other! See more thoughts on Facebook and Instagram now!
Let’s keep rocking! See you on trails!
Dakilanglaagan 