Slowly but surely

Photo by ze awesome Gelo Concepcion

At the start of this year, I found myself traveling to the Mountain Province with three other marvelous individuals for an incredible project. 

We hopped on a bus and traveled for about eight hours to Tabuk, Kalinga then got on a four-hour van ride to Tinglayan. We got off the van mid-afternoon and the view was incredible! The fresh air and the panoramic view of the mountains made me feel energized. When I was told we had to walk for an hour, it didn't taunt me one bit. I love walking and with a view like that, I could not complain! 

It turned out, we had to hike on narrow pathways carved from the side of mountains, cross a couple of bridges (with NO HANDRAILS) over cliffs, and trekked on walkways along steep rice terraces. You see, I just injured my knee a few months before the trip due to a bicycle accident and it never really fully healed so I was nervous terrified the whole time. I even regretted not having been able to call (wala nang signal when we got to Tinglayan) my loved ones to say, um, goodbye just in case. Hahaha ang morbid!

Look at that pathway! It goes steeply down then curves to the left
as in matisod ka lang derecho ka na sa after life, if there is one.
That's my awesome friend Ice on the photo.

As a result, I took my time in that journey. I wanted to secure my footing, be sure of every step because I dreaded to think of the alternative. I was surrounded by such breathtaking beauty but at the same time I knew that a little miscalculation could lead to perilous results. 

That's Direk Don who got tired of waiting for me lelz.
Konting usog pa niya to his right oblivion na but look at that view behind him!
Sorry my camera doesn't do the mountains justice.

This was when I finally caught up with the others. I demanded a group photo
kasi sabi ko baka last ko na hahaha!
L-R Direk Don, our incredible guide Kuya Ibut, Prod Coordinator Ice, me, and client Gelo

Thinking back, I treaded that road pretty much the same way as I do my life, my career, and even in falling in love. Slowly but surely. I was never a fast-learner when I was in school, never the fastest runner, never the first one to finish. I took my time in pursuing my dreams, in falling in love, in learning, and in making major decisions.

It may be a competition for others but for me it never is. For me, everyone has their own journey. I will get to my destination my own way and with a different story to tell. Perhaps yours is about how fast you finish. For others it may be how they are always the best. Mine is about how much I enjoy the view, how much I sometimes feel I could not go on but nevertheless put one foot before the other. I might take my time and that's okay, we each have our own story to tell and eventually, we all get to where we deserve to be. Surely.

The view right outside our transient home.
Photo by Gelo Concepcion

The view right outside our transient home.
Photo by Gelo Concepcion