The Baby in the Manger

By

I see all those vibrant colors

Of the many beautiful decors

I taste all those sumptuous flavors

As I ate our dinner's main course


They were glad when they opened

The expensive gifts I gave them

I was ecstatic when I opened

The things they gave me as presents


But something deep within

Was peculiarly missing

I wonder what might be that thing

If I have everything


All the extravagance, the excesses

All the exuberance, the decadence

But it seems as though

All these are nonsense


For a void is still felt

Like a dark hollow thing

That needs to be dealt

For its echoes are deafening


I asked myself

What do I need to know?

Or to do or to imbibe?

For happiness to overflow


What do I need to uncover?

What answer am I looking for?

And then I remember

The baby in the manger




Out of humility and love

He came here on earth

From the heavens above

Through a simple rebirth


No extravagance, no excess

No exuberance, no decadence

But it all so certainly

Made a lot of sense


It was plain, simple

But it all began

The most awaited day of the year

And now, I understand











Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Romantic Beige Sand Beaches Near Mayon Volcano

By
Image
  We were entranced... We sailed the eastern seas off the coast of Albay Province for our weekend getaway. Every time we see a beige sand beach common in the area, the enigmatic Mayon Volcano peers over the scenery. There were many of these beaches, appearing every once in a while, with the dazzling volcano in each and every view. I will never forget this past weekend for each turn had a magnificent scene looming in the horizon --- from isle to isle, from coast to coast, from beach to beach! Tambilagao Port Tambilagao Port We drove from our hometown Daraga, Albay setting off to our main destination, Namanday Island Resort . After making our way to Cagraray Island via Sula Bridge, I felt as though we already left the country. I've never been outside Luzon Island since before the pandemic so leaving Luzon already feels like traveling abroad. On Cagraray Island, we saw magnificent views of the many islands dotting the eastern seas of Albay, but it was the Tambilagao Port where the get
Read more

The Farthest Ends of the Philippines

By
Image
         The Philippines, a large archipelago of 7,641 islands, is endowed with many natural wonders and surprises. These multitudes of gifts from Mother Nature, however, seem to be found on the islands’ farthest ends.          Would you like to know what can be seen in these far-and-beyond places? Well, you will satisfy your curiosity as you come with me in this virtual tour  that unravels the very beautiful and exotic places located on the remotest points of the Philippines... Batanes Photo Credit: Eva Marie Gutierrez Cantero. Batanes is the northernmost province in the country, and also the smallest, both in population and land area. Very distant, the island group is located approximately 162 kilometres (101 mi) north of the Luzon mainland. The entire province is listed in the UNESCO tentative list for inscription in the World Heritage List. This headdress is known as the "vakul." Photo credit: Ferdz Decena; grabbed from dashphilippines.com
Read more

La Dolce Vita 🇮🇹🇻🇦🇲🇨 🍸

By
Image
September 2023.  My birthmonth, my birthyear. I was born in the year of the hare, so 2023 - being another year of the hare - had to be special.  Everybody knows of my Euro Tour with my aunt and my sister, but, contrary to what most people think, the tour was not at all premeditated. It was a split-second decision. So many countries were considered. Spain and Portugal came to mind. Thailand seemed plausible. Nearby Indonesia was considered, and because Singapore was close enough, it was also suggested. Malaysia came into the radar too. But, not until visas have been approved or airline tickets were bought, nothing was final. And then, out of the blue, I heard my aunt and my sister talk about a possible Euro Tour on no other month but September, which is my birthmonth, I immediately asked if I could go with them. "Sure," said my aunt! Our Euro Tour crossed different parts of Italy together with Vatican City, and as we sojourned to affluent Monaco, we also witnessed the beauty o
Read more

The Vatican: A Divine Enclave 🇻🇦

By
Image
St Peter's Square, 12 September 2023. The Vatican. The smallest nation on earth is also the holiest. Roman Catholic Church, the largest religion in the world, has its capital in the micro-state of Vatican City.  We visited its hallowed grounds during our Rome explorations. It is officially my fourth country after the Philippines, U.A.E., and Italy. We were there by a couple of hours on two separate days while still staying in Rome. Despite its small size, the Vatican is grand in many respects. No less than the pope is its sovereign head. Its main basilica is massive. And of course, several ancient artifacts and paintings are kept within its hallowed halls. Arrival One of the alleys we passed by on our way to Vatican. Completely surrounded by the larger city of Rome in Italy, the Vatican can be accessed by mere walking. You just need to present your passport before entry. No need for plane or bus tickets. Even on our way, we saw instagrammable sights We haven't taken our breakfa
Read more

Mesmerizing Monaco 🇲🇨

By
Image
  La Condamine, Monaco We were almost done with our Euro Tour, but our last stop - unbeknownst to us - would make our escapade even grander exponentially. Monaco is indeed the wealthiest, most affluent nation in the world... and the dollars are speaking from amongst everything you see in every corner of this miniscule country. It is beautiful, it is organized, it is spotless! If we saw tiny bits of candy wrappers and cigarette butts in very few places in Italy, we didn't see any gram of litter in all of Monaco! Beautiful Nightscape of Monaco with Late 19th Century Buildings Perfect. Flawless.  I have said several times that perfection is unattainable, but our stay in the microstate of Monaco proved me wrong. In the billions of square miles all over the world, there is one tiny country where perfection is, surprisingly, a reality. Arrival Our Bus from Nice, France 🇫🇷 to Beausoleil, France 🇫🇷 It was September 14th, my sister's birthday, when we flew from Rome, Italy 🇮🇹 to N
Read more

A Usual December Morning

By
Image
FotoSearch/Getty Images Image Source Chapter II,  Timeless Casanova . Gertrude could not believe she slept with the same man her very own grandmother slept with sixty-four years earlier. “How come?” She wonders. They could not sleep well that night, staring blankly at the ceiling. They slept in the same room as the situation made them feel uneasy to be alone.   She wanted to ask, “how was it?” She was very curious, but the mere thought of it made her puke.   “Oma, are you sure?” She finally inquired, breaking the long, awkward silence. “Are you really, really sure?”    “You ought to stop, Gertrude,” Oma was still awake, who, like her, couldn’t sleep well too.    “I tell you, I cannot be mistaken. I remember him vividly. He was the most handsome man I have ever talked to! How can I forget that?”   “But how come? How has he remained the same all these years? Young all throughout? How is that possible?”   “That is what I also want you to know. If you ever happen to see him again, ask him.
Read more

An Everlasting Pulchritude

By
Image
The beauty that still mesmerises us Of the mountain who used to be a lass Every time we set our eyes on her Something makes us wonder For how can Mother Nature be so gracious To give us something which, though, we need not choose Is, nevertheless, spectacular That no other mountain is at par? She’s beyond magnificent Though she explodes every now and then Her many eruptions Conjured rousing captions What would scare us to leave? The magma? The raining of ash? The broken debris? The boulders? Or the lava-fountaining and showers? But these are the same matters That add to the volcano’s wonders Because from a safe distance You would see some other-worldly trance... For tourists and visitors, Even to locals and natives, Its explosion and eruption Are tourist attractions Why are we not afraid then, Do you ever wonder? Because we always see her… As a beautiful lady with the usual temper. But at most times, she’s calm and collected,
Read more

At the End of the Labyrinthine Tunnel

By
  This is the third chapter of the historical fantasy entitled " Rhapsody of Nature ." Synopsis:   The magnificent cave exhibited more than just resplendence, and the end of it dazzled the spectator... White, blue and gold were all he could see. They're everywhere, from where he stood... to the farthest his sight could reach. As he moved along, the rose petals slowly vanished, until it was very light but with a much sweeter tinge. "Seems like a big cave," he uttered in disbelief. He wanted to see more, ever-curious he has always been. The hunger, that the old man was missing, and the discomfort didn't seem to bother him at all. As he continued, the yellow frogs began making noises. One by one, they called. High pitched, each sound was like a xylophone beat. High pitches they started but the sounds slowly mellowed down. Brief moments later, the undulating notes transitioned with more texture, until both high and low notes chorused like chords. He later heard
Read more

Is Love a Constant –

By
Regardless of mood or circumstance, it remains? And when it fades because of a tweak here or there, it is but a mirage? I guess I’ve felt what it’s supposed to be – for ladies I cannot be with. It’s the emotion I feel when I see someone to be perfect or perfectly beautiful despite the flaws because for no reason but love, her allegorical scars – the mistakes of God – are forgiven. The feeling doesn’t change. It's a constancy of company and connection, a perspective that endures day by day, moment by moment, even after years or decades passing by. Because I see her in exactly the same way as the day we met, and the more we get to know each other, I unravel more things I like about her, all justifying the imperfections, and giving me memories that add spice to mundane moments. I may have sought the wrong women, looked love in the wrong places, defined it by wrong standards. Age does not matter, everybody says. But my youth is done; my potentials to develop young, sweet
Read more

A Surprising Turn in the Yuletide Season

By
Image
          The 2018-19 Holiday Season was particularly amusing for our family.  On Christmas Eve, my sister prepared a cheesecake with fruit medley overlay.  I should mention that she has this special ability in preparing foods.  Christmas 2018. Our family unwrapping the gifts. My sister was holding our pet cat Chloe Ands.           Since childhood, she always had this distinct talent in concocting delicious meals for the family; every dish she completes seems to have an artist’s touch. I still remember the taste of the dishes and foods she prepared as a child – from those simple hotdog-cheese-catsup toasts to angel-hair spaghetti.            She doesn’t disappoint so I was certain that this cheesecake with fruit medley overlay was going to be splendid.  On the midnight of Christmas, the cheesecake was still too soft for consumption so my sister placed it back inside the fridge. Just in time for dinner the following day, the cheesecake had already toughened up i
Read more