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Oslob : The Road Trip towards Healing

The sun is rising fully. It's school holiday in April 2015 sitting here inside the apartment feeling so heavy and enjoying every movement of the baby. Touching my tummy and stroking it to give my daughter an assurance that everything will be fine. 


"He is coming for you my darling. But I don't know if he is excited for me or maybe he is bound to his obligation." My crazy thought told me. 

All I know today he will arrive and he wants us to wait in the house. I am happy that my sister is there helping me around and she will be there when he arrives. 

Someone is knocking at the door. My heart skipping fast as excitement and the fear of how we will react towards each other. The memories are still fresh and the pain is still real. 

Sitting in the bamboo seat my mind recalling those bitter days when he left me alone with this blessing, a baby girl. I know he has a reason. Maybe I hurt him and I am so sorry. But maybe if I gave up from chasing him, just maybe he wouldn't be in that door now knocking. 

I remember that moment when I couldn't think straight. All pricking of pain gushing the whole system in my body, walking like a zombie -- couldn’t  hear anyone talking and even my mind could hardly understand. I was weary and worried about what to do next.

All what ifs and what I should do questions were all in my head resulting to a very painful sensation in my abdomen every time I stepped up unto the next story building. It was really very painful and the doctor told me that I almost lost the baby. She gave me a lot of medications to keep her alive. 

In another memory that flashes back was on that day when I was in my cubicle in the classroom embraced me with all beautiful memories as he was the one who made this small space I got. Looking and staring to nowhere, tears gently fell caused by the pain. The pain I was holding for so long and I closed my eyes asking God to bring him back to me. 

Then on, I remember that said that prayer. God says if you ask, He will give and if you seek you will find. He gave what I ask. I was back to the reality that the man I was praying for is outside there knocking on the door. I was thankful to the Lord because he hears my prayer.

As I gently opens it, I saw his radiant face smiling at me. He just hugged me tight and cried in tears as if there's nothing happen. We just agreed to start again. We left the city to embark on a new journey to the south in a clean slate, a new beginning no longer as a couple but as a family with our baby finally after waiting for 3 long years. 


OSLOB TOWN

Cars, motorbike, and buses past in front of us carrying commuters to the South. We are very keen in looking for the right bus which carry the sign via OSLOB. We catch the bus with full of excitement carrying our luggage for two days enduring this bumpy  and inhaling all this polluted smell of the city. My stomach tightens every jump of the bus and continue massaging and caressing it to help her relax a bit. I tried to relax and sleep on the bus as I can hoping to get through this long journey. 


Finally, we have seen our accommodation along the high way. As we enter in the premises, I notice an indoor pool going to our cottage.  Outside is the view of the turquoise water
and its relaxing sun rises outside our window seal from our room. 

The next morning after we ate our simple breakfast. It was the perfect day to stroll around the town in a blustery days the great golden orb above us and illuminate the place and enhanced the picture of the blue waters and green grass of the park. It's brilliance and heat made us thrilled to discover the town. 



We started to go inside this Spanish Watch Tower called Baluarte that made us feel safe as serve its purpose as the defense system to fight off the attack in the past. As he was holding my left hand and I traced each coral blocks with my right hand and closing my eyes and feeling the peace within me while laying down all my defense but only trusting in my husband's baluarte. 





Connected to the tower is the nearby restored Immaculate Concepcion Parish church. It stood still even after it was burnt twice. Same as the relationship when both or the people involved are willing to restore what was broken, it will be restored and become better. I smiled at him and thought we still have hope. I took my camera and asked him to take a picture of me with the church in the background and at the unfinished building which resembles Spanish-era barracks for Spanish soldiers. 


TUMALOG FALLS


After we finished our swimming in the calm, pristine, turquoise sea water along this famous bay walk and rested on this famous and spotless clean park, we decide its time to face another adventure of unveiling another beauty of Oslob, its waterfalls. 


It strikes me how clean the air up here on the top hill while we were on the bike or habal habal for 50 pesos leading us to the falls. I remind the driver to slow down as the bike jumps my abdomen tightens. 

"I don't want to deliver the baby here." I thought. 

Splendid view of the sea. Refreshing green vast of mountain surrounding the place are very visible on the hilltop, warmly says to him," Thank you for taking me here." He grinned and kissed me on my forehead. 


We enter in the downhill part that we decide to get off and after we pay 25 pesos each  entrance fee. We slowly walk down in this white powdery sands mix with rocks and soil. Very careful with  my steps I know I won't fall because he was there assisting me to get up and bent down every time I step on the big rocks until finally we reached the changing room area and have located a perfect spot under the shed of the tree near the beach area of the pool. 

I felt so at peace that I even forget slowly how the darkness of the pain and the heaviness of the load I am carrying as I was so amazed with the perfectness of the nature. It was like a huge magical curtain as if it covers another dimension on the other side of that water while tumbling down in every different shades of its layers in a series of mini water falls loosens up my tiring nerve and aching body. 


My husband blows up the yellow  tiny floating device and he told me to lie down on it so to soothe me more. Of course, I do as he told me to. While lying on it and closing my eyes feeling every spits of the water on my face, the current drew me nearer and nearer to the heavy falls that causes me to be wet as if I have been under the rain storm. But, I am not worried enough because I know I am safe. He is there watching over me and the plunge pool is in my hips depth. Just the right deep to dampen my sad spirit to slowly recover from the 7 months of brokenness inside



When we had enough of it, we left Tumalog falls with full of joy and healing. I never had felt any pain at all physically and emotionally. I know deep inside I won't deliver this baby soon enough. 


"Why not we walk down the hill and enjoy the scenic sea and mountain view instead? I know it is going to be fun. We can stop and talk to the local people here." I suggested.

I think only this time, we never had to fight about it because he loves the idea to walk rather than to ride back home. It was romantic though when you hold hands while walking.




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