Beneath the beauty

By Glaiza Bernadeth Pinto

I had traveled to a good number of places here in the Philippines. I had gone to Baguio, Manila, Tarlac, Iloilo, Aklan, Capiz, Cotabato and Zamboanga. And now, I am in Pangasinan.

Pangasinan is a beautiful province. Well, aside from its unique cuisine, which as I narrated in a previous article has been an important element in helping our family adapts here, it also has beautiful bodies of water.

 There was a time when I thought that I will have an unceasing admiration and fascination towards these bodies of water.  Until that accident happened.

It has been four years since I started feeling this towards any body of water. No matter how beautiful, the sight still makes me shiver and reminds me of that accident.

It has been four years since I had gone to that place to see and admire its beauty. It has been four years since I saw my friend smiling and laughing while admiring its beauty… the beauty of Agno River. It has been four years since she died.

I remember vividly, it was early in the morning when we went there to just roam around with her family and our friends. Then everything happened so fast. I just saw her in the water frantically yelling for help drowning, and then she was gone.

Several people tried to help, yet they claimed something was pulling my friend’s body such that four or five people could not get her out of the water. They said that she had become too heavy. Yes, the water swallowed her. My friend, Edlyn Manaois, died two weeks before our high school graduation.

But before that, every time I went to the Hundred Islands, its scenic view never failed to mesmerize me. It made me think that I was a “nymph”— a nymph who could blend with nature’s beauty and swim like she is one with the bodies of water.

However, that accident has since warned me that bodies of water are dangerous.

Now, I am afraid to even stretch my hand to feel it or to be near it for I have haunting thoughts that some unknown force might pull me down.

I also love the Lingayen Gulf. Facing the west, it is especially beautiful as the sun is sets. But in watching the sunset, I now stay a good distance from the sea for I am afraid. In fact, too afraid to go near any body of water. Afraid that I, too, might get lost in the water. Just like her…  just like my friend.

There is this belief among locals that the Hundred Islands, Agno River and the Lingayen Gulf never fails to claim a life or lives every year, as some kind of offering to nature.  I am not sure whether to believe this or not, all I know is how important it is to stay alert when in the water.

I was prompted to write about this after seeing on television how the MV Star ship met an accident in the water. It struck me deeply.

I do not blame bodies of water and do not really want to think that there are many mysteries that are happening beneath.

But I do hope to find the strength to get over the trauma.

(Readers may reach columnist at marifijara@gmail.com. For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/roots/
For reactions to this column, click “Send MESSAGES, OPINIONS, COMMENTS” on default page.)

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