The Island God

Scuba diving was the purpose for going to Bohol. My brother Reel, his girlfriend Anne, and their friend Kan had found a dive resort they wanted to visit, and I had tagged along. Reel had suggested that I take a Discover Scuba course.

It took several modes of transportation to reach our destination: boat, sikad, van, motorcycle, pumpboat, and finally another motorcycle ride. We arrived in a charming, sleepy little barrio where everybody called each other "'Gaw".

Soon, the last motorcycle ride brought us to the secluded Beach and Dive resort, and we were all awed by its beauty. We were enthralled by the white sands, the ocean, and the feeling of serenity of the place. It was a hidden paradise.

It was already past 5 p.m. that first day when we were welcomed by the owners, a German married to a Filipina, and we were standing at the beach, talking to them, making plans for the dive the next day.

Suddenly, another man came by. Anne quickly nudged me, but I had already seen him. He was bare-chested and just wearing shorts. He said "hello" to us, but I couldn't say anything. There's a precise word for my reaction: dumbfounded.

The man was a foreigner, perhaps 6 feet tall, with a great physique. He had curly blond hair that went down to his shoulders, and a slight beard. I was never partial to foreigners before, but this man was gorgeous.

The next day, I was in a hammock, waiting for Reel to take my picture. Reel was still fiddling with the camera while I was holding up an empty bottle of Red Horse which I'd found below the hammock. Reel was not amused with my prop.

Just then, the man from yesterday passed by and asked me something. To my own mortification, I had to ask him three times to repeat his question, because I couldn't make sense of his English. Finally, I gathered that he was asking whether the bottle I was holding was mine. I thought it was his, but he said it wasn't.

That day, I coined the term "Island God" for him. Anne and Reel were amused and quickly picked up on it. I had started to develop a silly crush on him and I told Anne I wouldn't leave the island without taking his picture.

On the third day, Island God immediately joined us at the reception area. Anne caught my eye and gestured at the camera. I smiled nervously. Kan was standing next to Island God and he saw our exchange. Kan instantly understood what was going on. Unfortunately, he wasn't very discreet. He was dropping hints, teasing me, and of course Island God noticed.

I saw Island God's facial expression, and I knew that he was aware. I was chagrined, but then I rationalized that he was probably used to people gawking at him for his good looks.

Later that afternoon, I was reading my book in the hammock when a voice behind me said, "Relaxing again, huh?" It was Island God. My first thought was to take his picture. In a split second I weighed embarrassment versus disappointment. I followed my heart and opted for embarrassment. I thought that he won't see me again, anyway. Feeling like a complete moron, I clumsily made my request. I was stunned when he was so agreeable. I told him, "Just be comfortable." "Oh, I'm always comfortable," he replied with a smile. I captured the essence of Island God among coconut trees and a cottage.

I was scheduled to do the Discover Scuba the next day and he was going to be my instructor. I waited for him for some time, because he had just returned from a dive with other people. Plus, he was strutting around dressed only in his skimpy black bathing suit, bringing justice to his words, "Oh, I'm always comfortable." When he finally donned a pair of shorts, I approached him about the dive, and he gave me some homework to read.

The next day, I sat down with another woman for Island God's lecture before our actual dive. Island God's lecture took over an hour. He was very thorough and incredibly patient with us, often prompting us for questions. He sat two feet across the table from me, and I was mesmerized by his exquisite hazel eyes. Still, I managed to concentrate, enough to avoid drowning during the dive.

It was a marvelous experience. After I got past the initial terror of breathing underwater, I began enjoying myself and became more aware of everything. We were only 5 meters underwater, but it was so different from swimming on the surface. It was exhilarating to see the underwater world from a diver's view. There was the matter of breathing compressed air through my mouth, the proper use of the BCD, and flailing around ungracefully while swimming, but one thing stood out in my mind: Spongebob Squarepants.

After our dive, I invited Island God for lunch again, since he was gracious enough to join us the previous day. Anne, Reel and Kan had vanished, leaving me alone with him. I will bet my first child that they did it on purpose. Island God and I talked about chocolates, Karate, diving, Philosophy and a host of other topics. We talked for some time. He was a very engaging person.

Although he was undeniably handsome, I found his character to be more fascinating. More than once, he spoke about loving his job and living in the Philippines, and choosing it over his friends and family, luxuries, and everything else in Germany. He considered Bohol his home, such that when he goes home to Germany once a year, he grows impatient to return to Bohol.

That really touched me, because he has utilized and applied his knowledge in Philosophy. How many people can relinquish their spot on this material world and retreat to a small island, and live contentedly there? Island God is a remarkable example of someone choosing his own destiny and not merely waiting for it.

He is so gratified with his circumstances that he has manifested it physically! He always smiles and is relaxed. His manner always pleasant and accommodating. He is distinctly happy.

When I returned home to Cebu, I walked into my room that was filled with useless material things, and I felt empty. I have always held my possessions at arm's length. I have often felt distressed because of them.

Materialism operates on a positive feedback mechanism: the more you possess, the more you will want. Desire is insatiable, and acquiring is always unsatisfying. It is the cancer of the soul. So, Island God was not just a pretty object to be admired. Though he could not know it, he and I met on a wavelength. We have agreed that material things are trivial. Finding one's true identity is the key to happiness.