Onion salads with a pinch of Disney lesson

OUR CAMARADERIE WAS LIKE the closeness between a Spiritual Warrior and a transformed Media Puppet—it happened like the peeling of an onion.

Last June 6, my spiritual birthday, I found out that Robert already had his Facebook.com account, which I presume he had created this May. (I actually thought he'll never create a Facebook account because he said such an account would aid in the programming of every person's RFid in the future.) So I invited him using my Facebook account, which is linked to my official blog (this blog).

The next day, I read a message in my phone from Robert Rivera. He was asking me to delete my June 1 blog entry about him and Michelin in relation to the Pioneer because he doesn't want to appear as a presumptuous person. I’m not supposed to delete the entry since Mitz was touched with the article; however, I still concurred with Bert.


When I got up from bed and checked my Facebook account, I found out that he also messaged me the same instructions he sent through text. But then, I also noticed that he had not accepted my invitation yet. From that, I thought I should not delete the blog entry he was talking about. I only receive and follow orders or favors from the person I have reckoned as my sibling—the friend I've had before. Now, I guess the person I'm talking to is different; the previous one has “departed.” (Yet I still opted to delete the entry. I'm doing this not for him person but for me. I'll republish the entry after the induction ceremony though.)

Abruptly, my eyes turned watery. Then, Mitch Frazier telephoned me and was also inviting me to attend to a worship service, which she will be attending to on that day. I was stuttering, so she asked me if I’m okay. Then I cried. She asked me why, and then I answered, “Because I'm always pretending that I'm okay each time people ask me, even though I'm not. I think I've even forgotten what is meant by the word 'okay.' Neither can I remember when the last time I ever felt such was…”

Well, I guess it’s like saying adieu to an ally now.

At the other side of the coin, just like what I have always said, I can't blame Bert. The recent argument we had takes the cake! He told me that we can never restore the friendship we used to share before. “Huwag ka nang mag-expect pang babalik ang dati,” he said.

That scenario made me regret whatever happened that ruined our solidarity—I’ve been so stubborn, childish, and overprotective due to my paranoia that my crony might get into a dilemma. I have been so discourteous of his solitude too. Gone is the person who brought me in front of the Christian fellowship church by means of unrelenting invitations. Gone are the days that I have a younger brother whom I used to bring “pasalubongs” (presents/souvenirs) whenever I travel from places to places. Gone are the days when I used to create/edit/improve an article for my “bunso” (youngest brother as what I considered him) that will be submitted to the publication. Gone are the days when we stroll in the market to look for a new pair of shoes or new formal attire that we could both share. Gone are the days when I open his e-mail to send academic and organization-related assignments to his superiors and classmates. Gone are the days when I edit photos and other church-related materials that I do simultaneously with my personal and work-related tasks. Gone are the days when someone talks with me until 5 a.m. over the phone to discuss Bible verses, prayers, and other spiritual, special, and personal experiences. Gone are the days when somebody inherits my things if I no longer use them. Gone are the days when my clothes are missing because they have been stocked in somebody else’s closet. Gone are the days when I get to share even the most little details of my life…

Gone are all those days that went by like a strong hurricane dying down to a small piece of grime!

Bert and I can never be the same way again. And yes, I admit, I tend to cry each day when I recall the memories that I cannot retrieve. I suppose he had felt too much fear, anger and pride because of me. Perhaps, if ever he learns to forgive and forget, it might take decades. Candidly, I confess that this might have become one of the focal reasons why I left my church. I just don’t want to be connected with anything or anyone that will remind me of such memoirs.

Recently, however, while I am contemplating on my faith, I thought of not giving up my spiritual life. My situation with Bert, if I will consider him as a departed beloved, reminds me of lines spoken by a Disney character. If someone close to you—like a brother, a sibling, a mother or a father, a wife or a husband—already died, you must go on. The adventure with them is finished and you should start a new one.


In my case, I wouldn't want to spoil the happiness I have deserved. I have deprived my self of what I wanted in life because of too much sacrifice for others… Then, I suddenly recalled a multivitamin bottle that my friend gave to me. On its specially-designed package, it’s written: AL’$ MULTIVITAMINS… GOD BLESS! POWER UP! – Faith never stops with a defunct friendship; it continues until the race is over and I must run the race with power enclosing my faith. To you who wrote that, this will be my message: Thank you for the more-than-one-year colorful social and spiritual adventures. I enjoyed it despite the ups and downs. Now, it's our individual turns to start anew. Until we meet again…


This situation further reminds me of the lines stated by Altman and Taylor, who are both communication theorists. In their Social Penetration Theory, they say individuals are like onions – if you were to peel away the foremost layer from an onion, you will find beneath it another layer and another until you reach the core of the onion. This analogy can be allegorized with the way people work to get to know each other. “Initially, you meet someone who is a complete stranger to you. Then, layer by layer, you get to know someone starting from superficial conversations to very deep ones. The deeper the layer is, the harder it is to peel.”

Incidentally speaking, ours have been peeled too much!

Some time ago, a Media Puppet had known a Spiritual Warrior. The former used to believe that perfection could be defined by the advertisements around him. The latter, meanwhile, believes that perfection could be defined by a relationship with the Guy up there. Two different beliefs that have been immersed through initial conversations of hobbies, likes and dislikes to important things about goals, aspirations, beliefs, self-images and daily experiences. Then the former gave in when the latter had proven he is right… Topics have been peeled layer by layer, and it had been done radically until the rapport vanished.

It's not good to peel an onion too much, is it?

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IMAGE CREDIT: http://www.scsv.nevada.edu/~susanb/jblog/archives/onion.jpg