freelensing in coron i

part i // part ii


I was about to cross the bridge to a wonderful, delightful unknown when I watched my hand touch the ginormous off-white rock wall that hides a secret place. My hand, seemingly white and fancy-fake with my fingers painted apple green seem to sense it, understand it, and hear it say welcome to me, that I belong.

Beyond the wall, I saw Coron, and possibly its heart. It was the second lagoon in the tourist destination Twin Lagoons. Thankfully, we were alone -- just me, my two friends, and our ever-helpful tour guide. Then, we began to make our stories.

With a friend and me not knowing how to swim without vests, we were dared by this foreigner-poser friend of ours to do jumps in a lake we never knew how deep. It took me a lot of time, a lot of hesitations, a lot of last requests, for them to take care of my family and Juliana my baby sister, but even in the beginning I know I'll do it. Because I want to. Because I am thrilled. And because the day will be over and it will not happen again. Because I am young and this is my life. Because I know I'll regret it when I didn't. Because it is meant to be. Because it is my breakthrough.

I finally jumped in, and I was surprised. Because I practically threw myself without thinking about it too much. When I surfaced, I screamed and we were all laughing. And then it was my friend's turn which took longer than me but she did it as well. And we were so happy with ourselves, we practically grinned underwater.

We were dared the second time diving while curled, with the nape first to the water without the vest. It was so scary with all of them looking at me. But I did it anyway -- a perfect splash of pain, the belly flop -- PLAKDA in our native word. There, I learned my lesson. :D

Without an underwater camera, I swam twirling doing a 360 view of the lagoon with my snorkeling goggle on and my hands over them. I wanted to etch the beauty and the wonder of it, a thing no camera can do. You just absorb it and hope that when you get to heaven, you can replay it perfectly. Right now, it's still in my mind, all of it. But it's something that can't be shared, for it will always be only mine, and mine only. That moment when it's just you and the Creator communing in delight. That.

I felt infinite. All of me, enchanted.


Lover of my soul
summer girl
jellyfish
jet plane

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