By the River Piedra I Sat Down & Wept by Paulo Coelho

Thursday, December 24, 2020

1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept

when we remembered Zion.

2 There on the poplars

we hung our harps,

3 for there our captors asked us for songs,

our tormentors demanded songs of joy;

they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord

while in a foreign land?

5 If I forget you, Jerusalem,

may my right hand forget its skill.

6 May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth

if I do not remember you,

if I do not consider Jerusalem

my highest joy.

7 Remember, Lord, what the Edomites did

on the day Jerusalem fell.

“Tear it down,” they cried,

“tear it down to its foundations!”

8 Daughter Babylon, doomed to destruction,

happy is the one who repays you

according to what you have done to us.

9 Happy is the one who seizes your infants

and dashes them against the rocks.

~Psalm 137

By the River Piedra, I sat down and wept. It is a fascinating fact that this same phrase is based on a chapter from the book of Psalm. I still find it interesting that Paulo Coelho entangled his books with the writings in the Bible. All the books I read from him offer a lot of possibilities and wonders in the physical and spiritual world. Though his books are fiction philosophical in nature, it is a delight to devour and be devoured in his fascination with spiritual forces in the physical world. I am both entertained and educated every time I read and finished his books.

By the River Piedra, I sat down and wept. Pilar is me: a girl who had her first love in her childhood days or must I say crushes in my elementary days and a woman who is in denial of the love she still has for the same guy she fell in love with when she was just a child. Well as for me I am a woman who waits for her God's best as of now, after all my conscious effort of doing my way to find the one, I let Him take over and do His way. It was not easy surrendering this desire, I still struggle with letting Him take over this aspect of my life. Yet, I believe He knows better than me, and what's best for me.

By the River Piedra, I sat down and wept. The road to acceptance is never easy same as surrendering. To accept that you cannot do it on your own strength is a sign of weakness in this world and that surrendering is a result of that weakness. Yet, I beg to disagree. Surrendering takes a lot of strength and bravery, again I say, it is never ever easy. But with love everything is possible. That kind of love that surpasses all understanding. That kind of love that brings you peace amidst trouble. The love that can only be found in Him. Pilar accepted and surrendered and fought for her love.

By the River Piedra, I sat down and wept.

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

I don't like this. I feel so naked reading this book. It's like a reflection of a life I have never ever lived if He was never been there for me, because of Him, someone so much greater than me who guides and directs me to where I should go. If He was not there I would have been like Maria, a girl with dreams, so eager to embark to any adventure life in store for her and marry the prince charming she always yearned for, be married with the man she was destined to be with for the rest of her life.

I was Maria, I think, some part of me is Maria. She represents us, women, some tiny bit parts of her life in this story, Eleven Minutes, is without a doubt a representation of what we aspire and experience in our lives. When she met Ralf Hart, it made all the difference. The tragedy that was about to fall to Maria vanished upon his existence in her life. He saved her. Just like how she saved him. They compliment each other. In his weakness, she was his strength. In her darkness, he was her light.

This book has mature contents, not to be recommended to young minds who aren't yet ready to face one of the many realities in life, specifically the harsh ones. There is something redemptive in this story, and that is for you to discover once you read and finish this book. This is a love story, the kind of love you can discover in all facets of life.

The Beginning

Thursday, December 17, 2020

Cleo

This is the end. Finally, I can die, eternally.

Those are the exact thoughts of Eve when she took over my body. Fully taking over my body signals the beginning of the end. She can finally possess the death that has been elusive in her entire existence here on earth. She has been reincarnated over and over again. Repetitively, feeling the pain and suffering caused by the betrayal of Adam.

With Israel and Jesrael's power, they can finally put her to final rest. If all go well, she will sleep for a while and wait for the rapture and second coming of the King.

"We can finally put her to rest." Israel looks at Eve with pity and regret. "This is the last time they will die."

"If there is no one to intervene," Jesrael warns him.

"Then, we have to stop him, whoever tries to intervene what is planned to him. That is why we are here for." He tries to convince not only her but also himself.

Someone will definitely try to intervene. He always does. He wants them to suffer, all four of them. Adam and Eve, the mortals who were banished from the Garden of Eden, and the two angels who were supposed to be guarding us, Israel and Jesrael. They are in this repetitive cycle of living and dying inside the bodies of the chosen vessels every generation, every time they try to end their misery, that despicable entity always prevails in keeping them from dying, physically. She never understood his purpose of keeping them alive, the endless repetition of reincarnation. Their spirits never sleep, never cease to exist in this cruel world. The pain and suffering continue to haunt their souls.

"We have to stop him or else, our spirit will never rest." Israel's eyes burn with determination as he stands beside the restful body of Eve lying on a comforter.

"You have to stop him, Jesrael, no more playing lukewarm if you don't want to stay here on earth for another millennium."

"Alright! I know that already, don't nag me. I won't fall for his trap this time. And I know that this is our last chance." A bit irritated, she cannot blame Israel for specifically reminding her what might happen if she plays lukewarm. She will not let her feelings for Adam to get in the way of a chance to return to the Creator.

"It's game time."

Eve's eyes open once she heard his voice. It is Ikeda or more like Adam. He is here. His presence suddenly appears without a single hint.

"Why you're late again," Jesrael complains

"I ain't. I've been since you arrived with Eve." He responds casually putting his arm on her shoulders.

Her heart beats as if it is going to burst. Her mind is in chaos, and she cannot even think straight. Her husband is here, the one she loves and cherishes, the flesh of my flesh. She feels power coming out from her body.

Hearing Adam and Jesrael casually talk brings familiar pain inside her, and she hates that. Millenia had passed and she thought she is over with the feeling the night she learned her husband's infidelity. She moved on, that's what she thought so.

"She's awake."

When Will You Choose Me? by Neil Jed Castro

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

When Will You Choose Me? is my third book by Neil Jed Castro. His style of poetry does not have rhyming per se, and his works are poetic in their own way. I also posted a little about his two other books that I already read here.

I was thinking how should I say it, but this recent work of his is somewhat not that appealing to me compared to the first two books I read from him. The contents are quite shorter than the other two: Maybe You'll Love Me When I'm Gone and What If It's Too Late. I feel bitin after reading When Will You Choose Me? I was expecting more since the first two set a standard of my expectations.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me of the mistakes and good things I made and still doing in the present. I got to reminisce the time when I did not choose myself. Sometimes there is beauty in choosing and not choosing yourself, and we have to be reminded that everything is a double-edged sword just like that in choosing ourselves, there will always be consequences. I hope you make the right choice of choosing yourself, and that it makes you happy.

arlena manosot

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