Sunset signals the end of the day. It is breathtaking scenery when the sun bids goodbye to the naked eye of every human being. The sun seems to never get tired of showing up in the morning and bidding goodbye in the afternoon. Is it contented with what it does every single day? Does it ever get bored with its routine? 

The sun only rises and sets. 

Some people may have wanted to say goodbye permanently, unlike the sun who keeps on showing up to everyone every morning. These people want to permanently stop showing up to people who may have cared for them or not. 

No one, not even a single human being, asks the sun to rise and set. It is just simply doing its purpose that is embedded in the deepest part of its core. It knows its purpose and it does what needs to be done. 

The sun does not care about the complaints of human beings when it is too hot or too bright as long as it does its job. It focuses on its work and emits the light that is delivered to planet earth for the living things. It is doing exactly what it is made to do. 

There might be less drama if humans work their purpose the way the sun does. Rise. Set. But it is fact that a human being is a very complex kind of creature. The human race is a complicated being.  

It cannot be denied that they are made in the perfect image of the Creator, the masterpiece of His powerful and wonderful hands. He spoke life and the first human was created. He saw the sadness in the human so He gave him a partner. The first human, Adam, is in charge of everything that was created on earth before him. The Creator may have also witnessed tiredness on his face that is why He created a co-steward for all His creations. The second human, Eve, is a partner to co-manage all of the things entrusted to them.  

The complexity inflated when the monumental and wretched encounter occurred in the garden of Eden. A great separation complicates the situation, specifically the relationship, connection, and fellowship humans have with the Creator. The purpose got blurry and confusion was engraved in every human heart. Human's will versus God's will has been going on since immemorial time. The birth of sinful human nature brought destruction to the alignment of will between the Creator and creation.

The existence of a relationship in the face of the earth began between the first human and God. Though the relationship is currently severed which is a big problem for everyone, He extended His grace and gave everyone the only solution, the only One: the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Patch up things with God only through Jesus! Find the purpose in Him.

Look! There is a monkey suspended in the air holding on the bridge. Was I looking at myself? Of course, I was not. I am a human being and I am sure of that. More so, I beg to disagree with the theory of Charles Darwin. 

I also questioned the meaning behind the name of one of the activities we did when we hiked Mt. Manalmon and Mt. Gola. I was curious. I thought maybe there were a lot of monkeys in the area before because we did not see a single monkey in the mountains. But not until we arrived at the jump-off of the Monkey Bridge. We saw a monkey on mental chains. I guess it was a pet and displayed there to justify the name of the suspended bridge made out of two paralleled thick metal wire rope. 

For safety, a harness supported each brave soul to cross the Monkey Bridge. As I began crossing the bridge, everything felt shaky. I could not control my strength as I held on to the thick metal wire rope. I kept on making the same mistake of lifting up my feet one at a time and landing them on the wire rope beneath my feet at the beginning of my journey towards the other end of the Monkey Bridge. 

It was shaky, I felt it and also attested by my friend who was next to me. I tended to look at the river below us, but it was not helping me achieve my goal so I decided to focus my eyes on the finish line. I was rushing to get on to the other end, yet our tour guide shouted at me and reminded me that I should not rush and stop what I had been doing wrong with my feet. I was taught to slide on the thick metal wire rope, instead of taking a step. It was easier when I slid, and I got to look at the river from time to time and the hanging bridge opposite of the Monkey Bridge.

I was flooded by a breath of relief after reaching the end of the bridge. Inwardly, I congratulated myself and gave her a pat on the back for braving the bridge. I was happy for all of us for reaching the other end of the Monkey Bridge. We also did not miss the chance to get into the river this time. The water was quite decent and clear. We dipped our bodies and cautiously enjoyed the little time we had with the river.

We all face different struggles and challenges in life. I pray that we all get through them and come out victorious through Christ who strengthens us. Sometimes, we are crippled by fear and that is normal, what is not is that we are forever stuck in that same filthy pit we choose to be in because of fear. We are more than conquerors, we are already victorious because God has already gone before us on the battlefield. Conquer your fear! You are not a monkey, you are a human being created in the image of the Most High God! Live a victorious life all for His glory.

During the orientation, we were warned that the path towards Mt. Gola was steep, they even called it 'assault'. I was quite expectant of how steep it could be. We were given numbers in degrees but it just slipped my mind.

From Mt. Manalmon, we went down and began our journey to our next stop. I was sweating and breathing hard from the length of our trek. Every step we made was calculated and we tried our best to be mindful of our surroundings the best we could despite the tiredness that was falling upon us. 

There were two little stores we stopped by before we continued on our walk. We rested for a while and had bathroom breaks. We did not miss the chance to try the all-natural buko juice from the heart of the mountain. It felt like our strength was renewed after a short rest and a sip of buko juice.

The best part for me was not the peak of Mt. Gols, it was the river we passed through that captivated me. The tiver was so clear and felt cold on our feet, which was exactly what we needed at those moments because of the sun's relenting strikes on our body. It was shallow and the current was not really that strong. I desired to bath on that part of the river, but it appeared to me that it was not part of the itinerary we signed up for. We moved on our trek and I decided to move on as well with that desire, but I still could not forget that portion of the river.    

After we had been to so many slopes going up to the peak of Mt. Gola, my feet and knees were aching a bit, and I had this urge to get on the top of Mt. Gola as soon as possible to relieve my agony and exhaustion. I wanted it done, finished. Yet, I was well aware that reaching the peak was not that easy, so I had no choice but to continue my journey and never let my frustration get the best of me. I switched from fast to slow pacing and from slow to fast pacing. I was trying my best to enjoy and be thankful for what I have in those moments: my life, nature, my friends who were with me during that hike, my family who were safe at home, all of God's provisions and promises, and of course the greatest gift of all, God, Himself.

 

Life is not an easy hike. We get to face more assaults than we expect to. We may get tired and think we had enough of life. And sometimes we have these selfish thoughts: God does not care about me anymore. He wants to make me suffer. He does not want me to be happy. And I tell you that is very wrong, sometimes we make our own problem and assault the life God has given us to enjoy. I had my fair share of wrong decisions I made in my life, some were influenced by the people who hurt me. I want to break the cycle and make the most out of the life that God has given me. Be freed from the judgment of the so-called human race. I don't want to be assaulted by anyone or even by myself. I will not run away, instead, I will fly and never let others assault my spirit again, all by God's grace. Others may try to break me because I don't conform to their standards, but I pray that God will always let me fly high. Up, up in the sky.

We went to Mt. Manalamon last February 25, the same day as EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary. 

It was still dark when we arrived at the jump-off. We also had our breakfast there. At four and a half in the morning when everything was still dark, we crossed a hanging bridge. It was a bit scary, but a lot more exciting. The hanging bridge shook a little as we passed by. Under it was a river. The wind was cold. 

Upon reaching the other side of the bridge, I saw some signs which read as Biak Na Bato National Park, and I thought the place was part of it. I reminisced about some of the history lessons I had when I was in high school, I imagined the revolution.

After meeting the tour guides and a short orientation, we started trekking even before the sun rose. It was dark and we badly needed headlights, our bad, again, we did not have any. The built-in flashlight in our cellphones helped us a little in getting a clear sight on our track. It was still cold as we went our way. We passed through a short passage of a cave, it seemed beautiful in the dark and again I was in awe as I gazed at the rock formation.

Coming out from the cave, we crossed a little portion of the river. It was cold and felt so, so good. It looked clear to me though it was still dark. The water gently rushed up to my mid-leg. There were stones so we had to be careful and mindful to avoid any potential injury. We were all giddy and excited at the beginning of the hike. 

The slopes were getting steep as our hike progressed. I was anticipating the sunrise and hoping we would reach the peak of Mt. Manalmon very soon.

All I could remember upon reaching the peak of Mt. Manalmon was the breathtaking sight from above: the crowd of trees, the trail of the river, and other land formations covered with greeneries. It was a magnificent view for me and I was sure for others as well.  

We did not miss the chance for a photo op with the rest of the joiners. Honestly, it was a nice group to be with. I am not comfortable meeting strangers, but that group just gave me the good vibes I need to enjoy the hike up to the very end. 

Our last stop of the tour ended at the Malangaan spring. It was not clear as I expected it to be. My friend mentioned its greenish color, and that stopped us from enjoying the water from the spring. I was looking forward to clear water, yet I found none. I did not pursue my wants to try the water, we were already tired and hungry, and salivating for our prepared lunch with halo-halo on the side.

Mt. Secret adventure led us to the places we did expect, yet it brought us to realization and experiences beyond our expectations. We never forget the past, we cave into the past when the need arises and learn from our past.