love expressed

I do 30+ minute run at least twice a week.

My route is usually from the Luneta Grandstand to Cultural Center of the Philippines then back again at Luneta. If I feel the urge to "climb", I usually climb the stairs at the back of Department of Tourism building. Then after that I take a jeep ride home.

But on this particular Tuesday night, my ride was different to say the least.

About a fifth into my jeep ride a group of passenger came on board. They are a family of five. They probably spent the whole day begging based from the filth and dirt on their shirts and feet. A mother carrying the youngest, a boy, and three other children with age probably between eight and ten. One of them, I supposed, had a case of hairlip or cleft lip. The scar is slightly visible but it is definitely and infinitely an improvement from her default. God bless the person who subsidized her operation.

I notice them because the three older kids, well, they were being kids. They were arm wrestling :)

About three quarters to the ride, a little boy came on board. He was cleaning the dust away from all our feet. The passenger's feet. And by doing so, he is hoping that he will get some few change for his efforts.

And then I heard, "Uy! Maawa ka sa bata. Bigyan mo ng pera. Dali! Baba na yan!". To that, the uncleft-lip girl said, "Teka! Sandali lang.". And to the boy she said, "Bata, sorry ha! Piso na lang kasi ang pera ko dito. Oh, eto na. Sa'yo to."

And I was speechless as the boy hurriedly alighted to do the same routine to the next jeep. And the kids went back to their arm wrestling.

I felt a pull in my heart. Now, I realized that I was given the honor and privilege to ride with the wealthiest girl in town :)

I only wished I did not only bring exact money for she woke me up from my assumptions. And expanded my awareness of things.

God bless her...

"... why think like mere men!"