See You In The Next Lifetime Print

At 24 years old, I was at the peak of clinical depression that I self-medicate with parties and out-of-town adventures. One time, me and my colleagues in Atos went to Baler to hike to a secluded waterfalls and camped by the beach at night. We were already starving because it's quite late and desperately tried to cook food on campfire when torrential rain started pouring. We had only one umbrella in the car that we used to save our campfire, otherwise we won't eat. Everything and everyone was cold and wet so we just jugged tequila all night to stay warm until we passed out. I woke up hungover, still with wet clothes on and stepped out of our tent when a guy walked by and asked if I want to learn to surf and I was like, "Sure." The one-on-one lesson cost only 300 Pesos for an hour at that time, surfboard included. The instructor taught me the basics in a few minutes and off to the shore break we go. I was never really into sports since I was young. My knees hurt when I run, my arms hurt if I play volleyball, I sucked at skateboarding or anything with wheels, and I learned to swim pretty late in life so when I was able to get up on the surfboard and ride a tiny wave, I couldn't believe it. It felt like flying. And it was so fun that I was like,"what the hell was I doing getting depressed over these things and these people?!" Since then, when things don't work out, I'm quick to let go and say,"see you in the next lifetime" then I paddle out to a drama-free life.