She was this girl who lived in a house facing the sea. She was fond of sitting by the porch to watch the sky and the sunsets, and it's where she welcomes people who came to visit her. She accepts them with arms open wide, yet she never, not even for once, asked them in. She would only let them settle themselves comfortably on the lounge chairs that were set up by the porch, but never inside the comforts of her home. They never minded it though, these people, because even though she never let them in, she would always come out and greet them, and serve them lemonades and cookies while they do their catching up by the porch. They never asked for a reason, and fair enough, she never told them why.
One rainy day, a young man passed by and saw her sitting on her chair by the porch, her face upturned to the gloomy skies. He startled her when he asked if it's possible that he might take shelter for awhile under her roof, and being the polite girl that she was, she welcomed him onto her porch and offered him a warm cup of tea and a towel to dry himself with. Grateful for her graciousness, he told her stories of his adventures in return. She was awed by his stories that they didn't even realize that the rain had already stopped, not until when they heard the birds chirping outside and she pointed it out to him. Noticing his cue, he bid her farewell and asked for permission if he may visit again.
Days, weeks, months passed by and the young man kept on coming back to her house for a visit. And during those times, just like with the others, she never invited him in. He noticed it early on, for during his earlier visits, other people also came to see her and everyone received the same treatment. A warm greeting and a hug and a seat by the porch, but never inside her home. So one day, he courageously asked her the reason why she never did and it caught her by surprise because all of her life, he was the only one who bothered to ask why. It took her awhile to gather her wits yet he patiently waited for her to answer his question.
"It's easier for me that way." was all she said after quite some time.
"Easier for you to what?" he asked, when it seemed like she wouldn't tell him more
"Easier for me to say goodbye."
"Because you see, they never really came in. It only seemed like they did, but in reality, they only passed by."
"So that's what I am too. Just a passerby?"
"What do you think?" she replied, then hastily excused herself, telling him that it's time for her to prepare supper.
The next day, she was surprised to find him standing by her porch because she thought that after their conversation from the night before, he wouldn't bother to come and visit her again. Yet there he was, patiently waiting for her to come out, and that's when she noticed that piles of wood and nails were laid out on the floor. Feeling confused, she asked what he was planning to do because she could not remember asking for help in fixing her porch.
"I'm not here to fix your porch." was all he replied
"Then what are you planning to do with all of these things?" she asked again
"If you wouldn't let me inside your house, then I'll build one right here in this place where you would let me in."
"Are you out of your mind? What do you mean you're building a house in my porch? You cannot build a house here."
"Yes I can. And I would. But it won't be just a house. It'll be a home, because it has me and you in it. I'm doing this to remind you, my dear, that I'm not a passerby just like the others. I'm here to stay and I mean it."
Days, weeks, months passed by and the young man kept on coming back to her house for a visit. And during those times, just like with the others, she never invited him in. He noticed it early on, for during his earlier visits, other people also came to see her and everyone received the same treatment. A warm greeting and a hug and a seat by the porch, but never inside her home. So one day, he courageously asked her the reason why she never did and it caught her by surprise because all of her life, he was the only one who bothered to ask why. It took her awhile to gather her wits yet he patiently waited for her to answer his question.
"It's easier for me that way." was all she said after quite some time.
"Easier for you to what?" he asked, when it seemed like she wouldn't tell him more
"Easier for me to say goodbye."
"Because you see, they never really came in. It only seemed like they did, but in reality, they only passed by."
"So that's what I am too. Just a passerby?"
"What do you think?" she replied, then hastily excused herself, telling him that it's time for her to prepare supper.
The next day, she was surprised to find him standing by her porch because she thought that after their conversation from the night before, he wouldn't bother to come and visit her again. Yet there he was, patiently waiting for her to come out, and that's when she noticed that piles of wood and nails were laid out on the floor. Feeling confused, she asked what he was planning to do because she could not remember asking for help in fixing her porch.
"I'm not here to fix your porch." was all he replied
"Then what are you planning to do with all of these things?" she asked again
"If you wouldn't let me inside your house, then I'll build one right here in this place where you would let me in."
"Are you out of your mind? What do you mean you're building a house in my porch? You cannot build a house here."
"Yes I can. And I would. But it won't be just a house. It'll be a home, because it has me and you in it. I'm doing this to remind you, my dear, that I'm not a passerby just like the others. I'm here to stay and I mean it."
No comments:
Post a Comment