LITERARY
February 2021 Issue
the misery, the pain, and the love for him surging through me as I grieve in despair. We have never been so close, but during this pandemic, he stayed beside me, making me feel secured and safe. However, my beshies are there to support and comfort me during my devastating days. During as a smile etched in my lips while looking this pandemic, I got to reach people I have at the people who are still willing to share never had time to reconnect with again, what they have even though they are los- get to know other people, and survive with ing something on their ends. them. As I left the Pedro Gil station, I saw one of my colleagues who is a nurse and is about One night before I sleep, I have the time to to go to work. My heart is awed. I sensed appreciate more of what I have, of where his strong sense of bravery and passion for I am. A part of me is thankful for the longhelping those who are in need. I salute him est community lockdown because I got and the other health professionals who the chance to bond with my family. My are selflessly and wholeheartedly treating family has been there to laugh with me, to those patients with Covid-19 infections, encourage me and became my source of despite having limited support and assis- strength and inspiration. tance. I think the value of love during this panUpon my arrival at the university to have demic has changed drastically. It showed my first personal meeting with my col- the materialistic things are not the primary leagues, the scenario gave me a totally dif- reason why people love. All of us have exferent feeling. Uneasiness and somehow perienced a lot during this calamity. Some excitement runs through me—thanking might have lost their loved ones, some God that finally, I get a reason to be out- might have thought of losing hope and side. I am amazed by my colleague’s ded- some find this situation an opportunity to ication and perseverance to provide qual- change their perspectives. Nevertheless, ity education to our students, despite the because of what happened, the pandemic odds of online teaching. gave us the chances to magnify the beauty of love, with love, for love, and to love! It As I got home, a lovely news came. My sis- gives us time to love ourselves and others. ter delivered a healthy baby boy—a new It makes us choose love and still live with member of the family, a new hope, a new love. source of happiness. Everyone is excited and it really is something to look forward to from time to time. However, a few months later, a heart shattering news came to me. My dog died. I felt
What is Love in the Time of COVID-19 Pandemic? written by Ryan De Torres Almost everyone’s life has changed because of the pandemic called COVID-19 that many have experienced loss and despair. There are deaths of loved ones, closures of businesses, retrenchments in work, and separations from people we love which made people cry because of anxieties, depressions, and had fear of the possibilities to happen today and tomorrow. Community quarantine, disrupted transportation, and physical distancing made us long for warm hugs, spontaneous talk, group bonding, and family gatherings. As we walk through with our life today, how did the pandemic change the way we love? What love has become to everyone during this time? Passing through the walkways in the LRT, I see darkness and emptiness. The female vendor I used to talk to was no longer there selling my favorite dumplings. I started to wonder where she is right now, hoping that she is okay and having something to put on her table. Realizing the situation makes me feel sad and down, but I have to move forward. While riding the LRT, looking outside, I see groups of people giving and sharing food in the street. I see the hint of light and happiness painted in the faces of the people as they receive the food. Hope resides in me
LOVE Can be a moment of sublime, Created between snippets, Of wishes in harmony, For me, a smile Of yours O... LOVELESS Should it only be a memory, some say just forget, they pretend, LOVING impossible, Loving you was like, for me, A maze that I would, again... Not mind, getting, Lost in, again...
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written by Asha Gutierrez
