Youngblood
Class reunion
By Athena P. Lavega
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 01:41:00 05/24/2008
Fifteen out of 22 elementary classmates came to the reunion. Eight years after we parted, we met again as a group. A lot of things had happened during those eight years. For example, four of my classmates are now mothers; all together, they have seven babies (with ages of from less than a month to four years).
The “wholesome” party, unlike the ones we had in the past, was now a bit more spiced up. Lots of food, lots of drinking water and soft drinks—and liquor.
To be sure, we still know how to have fun. But I guess we graduated from the one-two-three pass card games and moved on to the more “adult” fun stuff. Which, in our reunion, also included videoke, movie marathons, pool talks, exclusive talks for “couple-ish” people, and “tagay” [bottoms-up] sessions. The pigtails we had back then had become rebonded hair with side bangs; and the simple facial wash had become makeup and facial creams. Also, some views had changed.
I know some of us no longer care about chastity and having the right relationships. For some, it’s just all about fulfilling human lust—and morality be damned. But others have grown to be responsible and better people.
The petty quarrels have been settled. It is as if they didn’t matter at all (which is good), certainly, not as significantly as they seemed to then. What matters now is that we were classmates in elementary and are still friends. Countless things have changed within us, but I think there is still the kindness in our hearts. And that is just so nice. I am a tad curious of what we will be like after another eight years from now.
That reunion prompted me to an assessment of myself. Frankly, I felt insecure a few hours after leaving the party. While most of us were counting the number of relationships they have had by their fingers and toes, I couldn’t count one. (NBSB-BC, that is No Boyfriend Since Birth—By Choice.) While they were drinking liquor, I was just there wondering how they could go through it. I felt insecure because I felt I was not really like them, I did not know how to do some of the stuff they were doing. While most of them were there in the “kubo” [hut], doing tagay sessions, I was in front of the videoke singing my lungs out. I was there because I was afraid to participate in the “inuman” [drinking session].
It’s not that I did not enjoy their company, I missed them. And I’m thankful for that opportunity to be with them once again. It’s just that I wish I didn’t feel insecure so that I would’ve been able to connect with them more than I was able to connect with the videoke machine, which is a very inanimate, though “dynamic,” thing.
I felt empty after leaving the party; it was as if everything was senseless and meaningless. It made me feel less intelligent, and it also made me wish that a certain part of my life did not happen. I thought then many of my life’s issues remained unsettled; I had a hard time relating to boys. I guess I was still suffering from a past hurt and pain.
Thankfully, the Lord is there to guide me. I’m amazed at how easily I began recovering from that issue days after the reunion. The pain is still there, and I’m still in a very slow process of healing, but now I know that whatever issues there may be, it shouldn’t keep me from living a worthy life. I’ve come to realize that a few hours of sulking did not make me less intelligent after all. I think I made the right choices. That’s why I was able to go to the party without any baggage in my mind. No babies, possessive relationships, ruined relationships, bitter feelings, frustrations, etc. Looking back, this made me feel better about myself after the party.
I am still studying, and doing rather well. And there are only my aspirations to concern myself with. I have no huge responsibilities except to myself. There is a whole, wide open world for me to enjoy. But I’d rather go for the long-term kind of fun than for short-term gratification that leaves very unpleasant results. I may not know how to do some of the stuff my classmates in elementary are doing, but I think in the long run, this will be for the better—for me.
Athena P. Lavega, 19, is a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, major in Power Engineering, student at the University of the Philippines, Los Baños.
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