A Bit of Solitude

I felt cold as the darkness enveloped me as I reached our apartment.

I got home earlier than usual today. The absence of light in our apartment simply means that nobody’s home yet.

I searched for the key just above our main door. Searching, I remembered something from my childhood in the province.

I am a child again – wandering in the dark - discovering the mysteries of the night and the beautiful things that accompany it such as the firefly, the moon, the stars, and the “taguan” game that my siblings and I played.

I was once the searcher. “Pagbilang ko ng tatlo nakatago na kayo, isa, dalawa …”

Life then was simple yet extremely happy.

Search. Search. Search.

I felt something cold in my hands. I’ve got the key. I immediately opened the door and turned on the light.

I’m back to the present.

I am no longer in the province. My siblings and I are all grown ups now. Though the five of us are still together, life is not the same the way when we were just children. Now, we are facing more responsibilities, more stress, more commitments and many mores.

No one among my siblings is home yet.

I turned on the television to defy the silence.

I am just thankful that the modern life offers media, music and gadgets to fill the void.

Somehow, even in solitude, we’ll never feel alone.

Oooops, I still have to cook our dinner. Sooner, everyone will arrive.