Summer is a time for outings. You find all the beaches swarming with people during this time especially on weekends. And during the summer of 2005, our office staff joined the “tradition” and went on a 3 day outing at Puerto Galera. It was a first for all of us to visit this place. The 3 hour trip to the Batangas pier and the 45 minute boat ride was not as tiring as I expected. Well most of us slept all the way anyway.

The next day, we travelled for an hour and spent the day swimming in a stream. The water was clear and cool. What a big contrast from the heat of the sun and the salty water of the beach. As we dipped in the cold refreshing stream, I noticed that I was trying to keep my balance and how my footing was becoming unstable ‘coz of the uneven stones of the waterbed.

When I was younger, I used to collect stones. When I find a stone with a distinguished cut, I keep it. Or if the shape just intrigues or interests me I bring it home. When I became older I outgrew collecting them. I just simply lost interest.

Anyway, it caught my attention that the stones in this stream where the waters are gushing more strongly were smoother compared to the rougher stones of the stiller and calmer waters of the stream.

This reminded me of life, of people. We are different from one another. Each one of us is unique. We have our own distinguished cuts, shapes and sizes. Even twins are different from each other though they have the same parents. No one is exactly the same.

And just like stones, the more we are thrown around, bruised, battered and sharpened by circumstances, experiences, by our surroundings, and by life itself, the more we become stronger, sure and confident of who we are. For these experiences are the ones that polish us. And the more we are polished, the more we shine. For “polish” is the result of difficulties.

Though I believe the rougher stones also have beautiful qualities but are just harder to see. (But this is a totally different article in itself. ü ) It’s a pity though that there are people who cannot and will not accept this process of polishing. They indulge with pleasure in wallowing in the stiller waters of life and end up miserable and eventually blaming others for their situation.

I don’t know what difficulty you are facing now but this might be a good time to just stop and reflect on your situation – though it might help to let out a big cry first ü – Let’s face it. No creature alive on this planet wants to be in a difficult situation. Not even I. But there will always be situations and circumstances that will test our mettle. Accepting the state you are in, I believe is the first in the process of polish. Analyzing and understanding the problem is next. Having a good perspective of things will help you decide better on your next steps.

Most of all it will definitely help to pray and ask Someone greater than us for guidance to take control of the situation. Then if you feel you have already done everything….ask a good friend or friends to accompany you and watch a comedy film! A good laugh will give you a totally different lift!

Scarlet, Just like yin-yang, the author has two sides. A feisty woman as fondly described by her husband and a self-proclaimed ‘warrior princess’ but with the gracefulness of a swan that glides in the calm water of a pond. She is also an animated-film freak

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