I woke up at 9am this morning (that hasn't happened to me in decades! I'm usually up before 7am) feeling very tired but good. We had a fantastic PAGASA workshop last Saturday and Sunday at the Regalia Tower Suites. We ended at about 10:30pm, got into the car and drove up to Baguio. We began the Baguio workshop the following day at 10am. It was another incredible workshop! After the workshop ended last night, we packed up, had a goodbye cup of coffee with the participants at the Atenara House, got back into the car and drove home. I am dazed, confused, puyat, and starving but also strangely enthusiastic. When you are doing work that resonates on so many levels--self, community, country--you know that your efforts are going towards something greater that will benefit every Filipino for generations to come, so you can put the fatigue in context and shore up energy for more work ahead. I've neglected this blog so the entries aren't exactly fresh, but I got a lot out of the workshop which I hope to be able to share in the next few days. I need only one night more of good sleep! zzzzzzzzzzzzz......
3 comments:
Hi Panj,
I can't thank you enough for your generosity with your time, wisdom and friendship.
We left Atenara at 2am. And some stayed on. Some were drinking, others eating some more, and lots of talking (Lisa, our most gracious hostest, was engaging everybody in her lively animated stories). We sang atop our voices with piano accompaniment by Tony (surprising talent), Jojo and Abet read their poems (with no less than Kidlat Tahimik in the audience) and Eric danced ala-John Travolta to the tune of Saturday Night Fever. That's the kind of energy and enthusiasm PAGASA gave us. And yesterday, some people met up again at Atenera to start some initiatives (paralegal info headed by Voltaire scheduled on Saturday). Oh Panj, I feel so hopeful.
I really wish you could have stayed on. Ang saya!
Hanggang dito muna at maraming salamat.... Till the next 3Rs...
Grace! I am also so hopeful to the point that my ordinary self is freaking out. He he. Hope is now my current state despite my daily trials. Imagine that! We're planning our personal sojourn back to Baguio (R & R at 3Rs. Cool! 5Rs!!!) so will email you soon. Pero di ko na kaya ang mga drinking and puyat ha! That's for the younger generation :). Great seeing you all and basking in the glow of your unwavering commitment.
We had a meeting yesterday, organizing ourselves and defining our objectives, Baguio PAGASA 1, 2 & 3 were well represented and uber enthusiastic. Nationwide we are known as PAGASA Batches 11, 14 & 17.
There has been very little rest and sleep since last Sunday, I counted about 25 hours' total sleep in one week, with folks welcome to meet up and 'work' in Atenara. The fuel for & days of intensive work with workshop participants coming and going daily/nightly is Hope (plus a lot of food).
I came to a wonderful realization -- while it is not easy to convince already good folk to come to a workshop for inner change -- I found that it is very easy to ask Baguio residents for small favors that will contribute to the larger picture in our minds. Baby steps then.
Thus the work will not be that hard. It reaffirms by belief in the innate goodness of my Baguio friends.
We just have to believe.
And when you come up, we promise more rest than the other 4Rs.
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