swimming against the current

it was eight in the morning. as i was walking along ayala avenue on a busy monday morning, i realized that nothing much has changed since i left the corporate arena. you know when they say you'll only appreciate the beauty of something when you haven't seen it for a long time-- this rang true that day. nothing much has changed, actually, the only difference is that i'm not part of the scene anymore. and when you become a mere observer, you tend to be more observant.

it was a fascinating display of sounds, shapes, and colors. around me, high heels hurriedly clinked and clanked, stumbling every so often over the cracks of the earth. unflattering office uniforms, most in eye-popping colors, fluttered as jeepneys swerved past honking sedans and colorum FXs. everywhere, watches were glanced at and mobile phones were making rapid strides from pockets to ears. cups of coffee flew out of the takeout counter, while owners looked longingly at that empty couch at the farthest corner. and there in the distance, a ray of sunlight struggled to peep in between the silver towers.

in my jogging pants, gym bag, and sturdy rubber slippers, i felt like a walking anomaly amid a robotic society, a virus plaguing the matrix, a strip of red earth desecrating the concrete jungle. later, i thought, after a heavy workout and a spa session, i'd be having lunch with arj and drinking coffee with airisha and angela. hmm...i smiled a triumphant smile. swimming against the current isn't so bad at all.

god, i sooo love my life.