Sunflowers

Gifts of radiant warmth, sunflowers are the happiest of flowers, and their meanings include loyalty and longevity. They are unique in their ability to provide energy in the form of nourishment and vibrance, an attribute which mirrors the sun and the energy provided
by its heat and light.

She was advised to go out and take a walk.

earlier that day that she had resigned to her fate by telling herself that she was meant to suffer a lifetime of servitude, a consequence of choices made out of uncontrolled conditions. imagine a week spent crying and desolating about helplessness just because she believed she deserved them. nobody deserved anything bad, we just have to live with it and claw our way back up.

she stopped to admire the moon. the brightness was generous, almost motherly but the air was too cold for comfort. she braced herself as the breeze tickled her bones.

"wag kang gagalaw, hold up to"
(don't move, this is a hold up)

it was a surreal moment, so deus ex machina. of all possible moments, why now when she was questioning her self-worth?

she didn't feel afraid nor nervous. in fact, nothing mattered, nothing came to mind. not her son's tuition and theraphy, not her financial rut, not her scheduled court hearings, not her deadlines and all other unforgiving problems.

it was just herself, the petty thief, and the gun.

when faced with a life threatening moment, suicide sounded like a joke. if she had 100 reasons to die before this, they no longer exist. the only thing that mattered now was to prevent petty thief from pulling the trigger to end her misery.

petty thief asked for her phone, money and other valuable items and much to his disappointment, she was unable to produce anything and no amount of cursing could make him happy. what an evening, miserable meets miserable!

before anything else could happen, the roving barangay watchmen were able to apprehend the petty thief and our heroine went home without a scratch. she texted her friend about her ordeal and with full confidence, said she is ready to face the world and make the best out of her life.

i should have told her to take a walk in the afternoon, hehehe.