Melodies of the Heart
Eight Notes — Eight Encounters
I’ll tell you a secret. My shadow is an old man that whispers words I cannot understand.
1st Encounter
It was summer. Swimming class with Coach Betty. She grouped us into three. My teammates — all of the same age, 7:
- Nad — A boy who can swim
- Lilia — Me. A girl who can’t swim
- San — A blind girl who can’t swim
On our first day, Coach Betty blindfolded me. She said it is to be fair to San. Nad and I agreed, that San’s at a disadvantage.
Coach Betty lined us on the side of the pool with our blindfolds on. She warned us not to move until she gave the first task or else we needed to swim our way out of an 8 ft. pool without any assistance from her.
I don’t have the words to describe how afraid I was as I waited for her instruction.
“Ready! Jump on three.” Coach instructed.
My body froze with a quick flash of all the things that could happen.
“One…”
How can I? I don’t even know how to swim.
“Two…”
What if I — ?
“Three!”
I can’t.
I heard a splash of water, someone jumped. I breathe in and shaked my head as hard as I can.
I can do this.
So I jumped afraid. It was five seconds of grasping for air. Coach Betty held and assisted me to the sides. I heard another splash of water, it was our last jumper — Nad.
That night the old man said, “It is not enough to have eyes. You have to see beyond what is being shown.”
San gave me my first note — DO.
“Though I am lacking, I can do.”
2nd Encounter
I have a childhood friend named Lyka. She writes a three-page non-sense every day. Her father won’t allow us to play until she finishes.
Lyka became a writer. In one of her articles, she mentioned her three-page everyday ritual.
“It took me my whole life to be who I am today. It took years of writing three pages of nonsense to build patience, learn to prioritize, and set my mind on doing what I had to before anything else. I’ve invested hours of my childhood, supposed to be years of fun and play to my future.”
The old man said, “Say yes as much as you can and accept the struggle that comes with it.”
Lyka gave my second note — RE
“The flow of life is in RE — petition.”
3rd Encounter
I wonder how mom takes a break. I wake up she’s working inside the house non-stop. She cleans, cooks, does the laundry, takes care of us (Dad included), fetches us to and from school, teaches us, and so many other daily things about taking care of us. She used to stay out of the house but now she’s always in the house. I heard her telling Dad she needs more hours in a day to do what she has to.
It is rare to see mom asleep. Woke up at 2:45 am to drink. I saw Mom reading a book. Maybe now is a good time to ask,
“Mom? What are you doing? You should sleep.”
“Sleep Lyl. I have things to do.
“But are you not tired Mom?”
“I love you Lyl. Go to sleep now okay?”
The old man asked as I went back to my room, “The question is, what are you willing to do for someone who is giving their everything for you?”
Mom is my third note — MI.
“Life is a MI-xture of all the things we need and want to do. Find a way to do both. And find something to hold onto, a strong reason. Be so willing.”
4th Encounter
Uncle Jess loves to run. Running makes him hyped up and fueled for the day. He said energy makes him do things intensely.
“Is it good to be intense Uncle?”
“The best way to make people remember what you say is to make them feel ‘it’. But there are things that you can’t explain with words, that is where intensity comes in.”
“Teach me how to be intense Uncle.”
“I cannot teach intensity Lyl. It is different for everyone. I found the way by running. Patiently find yours.”
As I was preparing to run with Uncle the next day, “Wait for the rain then dance under it.” the old man said.
Uncle Jess helped me find my fifth note — FA.
“When you found it, pour everything you got — and be as FA-st.”
5th Encounter
Mae is a loner. She’s at the top of the class, has a good family background, is pretty, and her being mysterious makes her even more interesting.
I bet she’s kind too. Purposely dropped a book to see how she’ll react. She stopped writing to reach for the book and hand it to me.
“Do you prefer being alone?”
“Hmm. I’m used to it, not that I prefer. But I have to admit, it is more peaceful in solitude than in groups.”
The old man did not speak but I felt him laughing at me.
Mae is the giver of my fifth note — SO
“You don’t have to be alone but you have to be okay with being alone. Be at peace with yourself.”
6th Encounter
Chino is not the boy-next-door type but girls are drawn to him. Don’t ask me why, I don’t know. But if there is one thing different about him with others, he’s always smiling trying his best to use his wit and cleverness to make people laugh.
I heard his speech at a seminar for leaders, “I don’t care if people laugh at me, I want them happy.”
The old man said, “People long for what they are trying to give. Be aware my child.”
Chino gave me the sixth note — LA
“A happy person is someone who can laugh with the world as it laughs at him.”
7th Encounter
Aunt Nina owns a bake shop. She attends yoga classes twice a week. She formed a non-profit organization for persons with disabilities mostly women and single parents. She is also taking courses for her to have a license to teach children. Aunt Nina and Uncle Ted set up their studio at home, Aunt Nina encouraged Uncle Ted to pursue his beloved photography.
I had a chance to join Aunt Nina for the children’s Christmas photoshoot last year. Had a chance to ask her;
“Why are you doing too many things, Auntie?”
“Why not do everything we can do Lyl? Reach, support, and help as many as we can.”
“Everything is in giving.” the old man said.
Aunt Nina gave me the 7th note — TI
“Give people a TI-nge of you in all that you do.”
8th Encounter
Dad told me to be strong
Mom wants me to be kind
I don’t know how to be both at once so I loved
The world will laugh at me for the rest of my life
All I did was smile back,
Over and over again —
To be kind and strong
It was the first time the old man asked, “What could you get from a stubborn heart?”
My parents made me realize my 8th and last note — DO
“Be DO-ubtless.”
My heart favors no song but it plays a certain melody,
A mixture of all the notes gathered from encounters
In a structure created by whoever acts with it
Not everyone can hear the melody,
But I recognize them when they move with it.
Dearest human,
What kind of melody does your heart play?
Are you moving with it?
