Things have changed. They always do. But I never knew the change would affect me this much.
A year and a half ago, give or take, I found solace in a cup of cold, delicious milk tea from my favorite tea shop, Chingkee Tea. Whether I felt overjoyed or depressed, whether I needed to drown my frustrations or celebrate my achievements, or whether I wanted to flush my anger or I simply wanted to chill, I always went to this place.
As June of last year approached, I knew I was gonna miss this place. And I did. There was no milk tea place in Cebu which made me feel as happy and calm as Chingkee Tea did.
Truth be told, though, I wondered why.
Last April 10, I found out why.
Over the span of ten months, or basically one school year, I've only visited this place less than ten times. I've got to admit, so much has definitely changed. And by that, I mean so much has changed physically, and in a way I can't quite describe using only a word or two. Thus, I came up with this blog post, and its really long introduction.
I guess the most obvious change I noticed was how the place looked. It's seems like every time I visit the place, there's always something new about it. Be it a new painting on the wall, the tables, or the chairs, or perhaps the new ceiling decorations, or maybe another re-arrangement. But that's not what made it different from the other milk tea places in Cebu.
It was the milk tea, the ambiance of the place, AND the presence of the best people I call friends.
And I figured it was definitely the presence, or should I say the absence, of my friends that made the difference. The really big difference.
As I sat alone on the chairs of that little round table-for-two, and as I waited for my name to be called, I looked around to see the changes. To feel the changes. Lo and behold! I saw this quote painted on the wall behind me (oh what joy, I guess the universe indeed has its ways of telling you what it thinks).
With these, I guess it made me realize it was about time to embrace the changes. Because I guess, if you're real, if you make mistakes, you say sorry, give second chances, have fun, give hugs, forgive, do so really loud, be patient, and most of all, if you love, you always give all of yourself. And for me, giving all of myself--even if it means giving way to the possibility of getting hurt again--means all letting go; moving on; and doing, being, and giving meaning to everything written above.
Most of all, if we love, we can always make change--no matter how bad it seems--a good thing.
And that's exactly what I plan to do.
Scratch that, let me add something.
Embrace change. Forgive. But never forget.