Lost in Guimaras

Sometimes we do get lost, but do we?

One clear day, being tourists in Guimaras (Iloilo), we decided to head to a not so well known beach. Unfortunately we do not know the way, so passing through a school yard we asked direction from some seemingly shy kids; but not before playing a little ‘prank’ on them. Richard Escoto, OCD and I introduced ourselves as Sam Milby and Piolo Pascual respectively. We thought we had the kids so good until we realized that instead of pointing us to a shortcut, those conniving misfits (ha ha ha) directed us to an abandoned sea port. Getting there alone entailed survival from a muddy ‘camino’ in the middle of nowhere.

The prank was on us.

The good thing though is that being lost gives us more ‘bonding’ moments. It gives us the opportunity to seek options, explore new areas, wonder in wander, be excited at the unexpected…. but best of all is that being lost gives us the opportunity to see beautiful things that we would never have seen had we not gotten lost. On this occasion for example, we accidentally came across a verdant group of mosses and sea weeds while wading on shallow waters. It was beautiful.

In life, I have been lost before. Lost in a place I would always remember but never want to go back. But on hindsight I realized that focusing on ‘being lost’ made me blind to the opportunities presenting themselves to me. Fortunately, I began to realize that in the state of ‘being lost’ I was actually discovering me. I was getting to know who I am. In the end, yet still ongoing, I see now that there are more things to be thankful for.

Are you lost or are you?