When was the last time you did something for the first time?

October 21, 2009.

I booked a Cebu Pacific flight to Cebu for a day trip.

I didn't tell anyone.

October 30, 2009.

Packed a small nylon backpack with a camera, my toiletries, wallet, and ticket. Got on the cab to the airport. Not knowing what to expect at all. I got in 2 hours early!

Waited in the terminal tempted to sleep.

Got on the plane.

Arrived in Cebu Mactan International Airport 15 minutes late.

Jose picked me up.

We had Sutukil!

Which was fish prepared three ways. The head was made into soup, like broth. The body was grilled. The tail left raw and soaked in vinegar (kilawin). It was extremely delicious and I ate most of it.

Afterwards, we met up with my beloved sorority batchmates, Jori and Tal who were checked in at Shangri-la Mactan.

I spent the day lounging around, having ice cream, walking barefoot in the Lobby, and waging water fights with Jori!

It was a day well spent. Mostly uneventful lounging around and eating!

That was until I rebooked my flight since my friends convinced me to stay over.

That was until my original 11pm flight got cancelled.

That was until I was on the ultimate panic mode since I was so dead if I turned out stranded in Cebu for 2 days.

But but but...

It was all good.

Because my friends kept me sane.

Jose was right when he told me that something bad was bound to happen since I didn't tell the parentals I planned a Cebu getaway.

But it not without good intentions!

I didn't want them to worry.

It was just something I wanted to do. I wanted challenge the boundaries I've set for myself. I wanted to get to know that side of my that wasn't always bent on certainty.

And if I did tell, they'd be worried sick because of the storm Santi that caused my flight to be cancelled. They'd be extremely anxious. I was! I was scared. I risked flying at 9:45 am the next day when signal no. 3 was still supposedly raging in Manila.

It was a lot of firsts for me.

And it made me realize how much I've risked.

And how much I have.

How much I've invested.

If it were not for the trip, there would still be a lot of what-ifs.

I don't really want to disclose particulars.

But for sure, I'm not as invincible as a figured myself to be. However, for at least a nanosecond, I felt free and infinite. And it was priceless.

At Timezone being competitive with Jori and Jose.

October 31, 2009.

Home safe and thankful.

And with Serenity prayer in mind,

I've learned to accept things I cannot change.

Mustered the courage to change what I can.

And gained the least bit wisdom to know the difference.

The empty airport

---

so for once in my life

let me get what i want

lord knows, it would be the first time

the smiths: "please, please, please, let me get what i want" (album "hatful of hollow", 1984)