The Younger Sister that I Never Had

i'm not known to be very sociable and interactive despite my infamy for being frank, loud and opinionated.  i'm bad in networking, worse in small talks and worst in making friends.  i don't go random selection of people to invite for Facebook.  i have many friends though, yes, those that i have accumulated for years from school to jobs and those pre-occupations i had in between.  but what is true and distinct (and rightfully so!) is that i have a handful that i can fiercely (and lovingly!) consider as "the sisters i never had."

one of those few is Diane.

i've met her in an exchange program in 2000, where we were both Philippine delegates traveling ASEAN and Japan for free, in that perfect guise of "young ambassadorship."

i do not remember which part of the process we ticked and became close (yes, i'm that bad in history!) but i remember how sincere and deep our care was for each other after the knowing, the talking and listening we shared.  (although she always tells me, "hindi ka kasi nakikinig, tita pie.") there. i did mostly the talking i guess. how mature, wasn't it?


funny how loved ones mirror us, and how crazy and accurate the resemblance of our friends' character is to our family. we've been mistaken for sisters so many times, and we do not mind because we know how pretty we both are! (kabogeras.)  she's witty, fiercely protective, honest.  she loves books, enjoys movies, wakes up late, eats with gusto, capable to talk for hours, cries over the littlest thing that tugs her heart, very family-oriented and an achiever.

(and as i do all that grocery list of her happy attributes, i realized how all those were "typical" to the friends i keep very close to my heart.  in fact, those i've been friends with from college to grad school to work and phases in between i've introduced to each other and became friends as well.  i guess, i'm that lazy to socialize that i made sure they'd know each other and could talk (as friends!) even when i'm no longer around (like, them seeing one another in my wake. buyag.)

and as i do an inventory of what is common among us is writing.  however and whatever form, all of us express ourselves best in writing.  bilang sa daldal kong ito eh hindi naman talaga ako maboka sa harap ng mga tao, not part of my skills set as a choice, despite people's perception that i'm an extrovert because i'm not shy or timid.

diane writes extremely well.  she writes beautifully that even her emails are a joy to read.

if good manners dictate that dressing up appropriately in occasions is a sign of respect, i think, one's writing, that is well-crafted (sincere, well-thought, clean from all grammar and philosophy violations, e.g., hasty generalization) reflects his/her respect to his/her intended reader.

diane is a known achiever (all my dear friends are actually!) but her recent accomplishments are indeed worth blogging about!  she's into full-blast writing, joining this Workshop and shining like a true star there! (all these extraordinary (writing) Workshops are, what i consider, a very exclusive and selective meeting (of creative geniuses!), where writing luminaries and rising stars (like her!) share their writings, critique, get inspired to write even more passionately and earn each other's respect, while more doors of opportunities to write and be read publicly (a.k.a. publicly) are being opened far and wide.

it's actually very humbling for Diane to let me read her work but it's also my time to be reaffirmed of how an excellent writer she is and that i keep "precious" friends (read: i choose well.).

after reading it, i told her how vivid the imagery was, how honest and how tugging it was to my heart.  it did leave me sad (and guilty!) because i felt that if it were a glimpse how how she was sometime ago and i wasn't there, that writing made me feel how useless i was.

and as i'm writing this, it hits me! her writing reminds me of Arundhati Roy --- rich, poignant, heartwarming and yes, it targets all your senses and leaves you raw, beaten, introspective and cleanse.

diane's choice of words is very meticulously done (and it leaves me in awe! nakakabilib how the words she used automatically puts your mind to work, to imagine, and yes, also putting your heart to work fulltime, evoking all these emotions of longing, of warmth, of confusion, of joy, of emptiness.)

in the end, like any outstanding readings of modern times, it leaves you hanging but feeling triumphant because of a closed chapter yet an opened (new) one.

oh dear, i cannot be a book reviewer or a critic. i ramble, and i feel that my pick of words is the same over and over. tsk.

bottomline --- i am prouder than before and happier for Diane because she is doing another "love" aside from teaching.

and i am humbled that despite her many accolades, she loves me and my family to bits, and we love her back!