BFF's Days Out

Lily and I have long planned to go on a getaway trip immediately after she passed the medical board exam, however due to our obvious incongruent schedule, it never pushed through. She's Marawi-based now practicing her craft as a general physician while I am here in the metro to reach the point where she's already at. Another plan came about last December---we plotted our itinerary--either at Anawangin, Zambales or Baguio City but her work inhibited her to come. Nevertheless, she promised to visit me here before she gets married!!! Hah!!

Yes, my bestfriend's getting married!! People are getting married while I'm the only person stuck in the state of lovelessness. Ouch. Lovelessness. The word strikes like a knife. Hahaha! Not that I'm in a hurry for it. No, no, no. Back to the topic,  it actually came as a surprise---that she agreed to tie the knot because the moment her groom expressed his desire to her family to marry her, she unhesitatingly opposed the idea for many reasons. But in our culture, once the bride's family saw the sincerity in the groom and his family while reaching the minimum requirement set by the former, then the wedding bells will begin to ring. Moreover, a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship is NOT a prerequisite for marriage. She tried talking to her parents out of it but most often than not, the family's wish always prevails. Besides, I think she saw no point in arguing. Among us, one shows respect to parents by following their will (I say whims) even if it is against one's own. Now I ponder, sometimes it's not a bad idea to become a bad girl. LOL! 

Two weeks before her wedding date, she arrived here and stayed with me for almost 5 days. We lost two days of bonding due to my duty schedule but I fully gave all my time to her on the remaining three days. Just like the old times, we talked about our current lives and the following phases to come. Since childhood,  Lily and I were at odds at some things but as we grow older, we managed to cut the opposite points and agreed to meet halfway. I guess that's friendship is all about, a two-way relationship between people who both want to be understood (specially during our teenage years when we fight at least once a week but we still go to school together and go home together even if we didn't speak to each other!!). That's how we become best of friends, because we have tolerated each other's slip-ups!!

Since we didn't have time for a well-planned out of town trip, we instead basked in each other's company hopping from one mall to another in search of perfect tops and shoes. I even accompanied her to the place where we buy scrub suits (seen in the rightmost, lowermost photo above). The usual girly stuff---clothes, food..and boys. Her boys, at that. Haha! There are a lot of things that happened while she's here, I don't think I'm authorized to divulge some as they will remain as bestfriend's secret but suffice it to say that her trip was a memorable one! A life-changing one we will never forget for the rest of our lives. I am extra thankful that I was there for her when she needed me most. She scared me to death, I've never seen her in that state before and never worried for her  like that in our entire two decades of friendship, but I believe I played my role as a friend. :'(

Bez, as you embark on another phase of your life, I wish you open your eyes and see the goodness that it will bring. When you were here, I feel bad that I can't relate to what you were going through because I never had that thing, you know (haha! loser!) and I can't seem to form the words that would at least appease you. I thought I lost the spontaneity of speaking. But I felt you. I know you very well, therefore I know you will be the happiest. I wish you all the love, joys and blessings in this lifetime. I may not be there on your momentous day but I am sending all my love to you! You will always be in my prayers. :) I will end this entry with a verse from The Holy Qur'an and I hope you will ponder on it as you find in your heart the beauty of  acceptance, letting-go and an ability to give love a second chance. 

“And it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” (AI-Baqarah, 2:216)