A Beginning
First, let me apologize. I could not write a column last Saturday. My mind was scrambled almost like an omelet but at the point where the cook doesn’t know what to do next. Does she add milk? Does she put cheese or vegetables? You see, I had to bring my mother to the hospital on the day of my deadline. That raised my level of anxiety to the skies. I could not write. One day when the anxiety settles down, I’ll tell you about it.
What do I write about today, when I would like to write about something but I can’t quite get a firm hold on my soul? Yes, “Glimpses of the Soul,” that’s the title of the exhibit that the Carl Jung Circle Center, an organization of professionals who practice Jungian psychology (and run workshops) will present. Ten artists from their community of faculty and participants will put their work on display and for sale, too. I am one of the artists. In case you don’t know, I don’t only write. I also paint and make jewelry. When it comes to writing, I am an experienced writer. But when it comes to painting and jewelry, I am just a beginner.
Among the 10 artists who will exhibit is Dido Gustilo Villasor, an outstanding psychologist/counselor, who also paints; Alain Austria, Marivic Rufino, Mia Herbosa, all excellent painters, will exhibit their paintings. I will exhibit a few watercolors and many of my anting-anting jewelry. Kim Nygaard will exhibit her paintings and pottery. Len Fernandez will show her lovely ceramic plates, which she did herself. Denise Weldon and Manny Minana will exhibit photographs. Alex Tee will exhibit his sculpture.
One of the reasons why I love Carl Jung is he frees up your creative spirit and you begin to experiment and love what you do. I am sure that’s how we all feel about our creative work. Jungian psychology sees soul or psyche as a mysterious, vast realm within a person, bigger than what we think it is. Our exhibit will show how the soul expresses itself through art. Our art is how we live in Jung’s therapeutic world of mystery, play and enchantment.
Confusing? Come see for yourself. The show, “Glimpses of the Soul,” will run from Oct. 1 to 4 at The Pavilion of LRI Design Plaza, N. Garcia St. (formerly Reposo), Bel-Air, Makati City.
An Ending
I was on the road after bringing my mother back from the hospital when my cell phone beeped. It was a text from Emily Abrera telling me that one of my old dear friends, Odette Alcantara, had passed away at 1:50 p.m. What was I doing then? I was in the hospital waiting for the ambulance. How could Odette have died? An aneurism, Emily said. Then she can’t have had much pain. I hope she didn’t have much pain. I stare into space and see Odette wearing white pants and a loose white blouse, laughing. That’s what we did a lot of together. We laughed a lot when we were together.
I met Odette first when I was in my late twenties or early thirties. I see an image of her sitting in the garden of the old Heritage House in San Juan, playing chess under the trees with Nestor Mata. We were all younger, more energetic, more beautiful then.
I brim with memories of her — sometimes in brown, sometimes in white — laughing always. I guess she wants me to know she is fine. I smile too and tell her to have a good trip, to enjoy her journey, to please wait for me. I will join her when my time comes, only I don’t know when that is.
I remember when I worked for Coca-Cola calling her up and asking if I could use her house as the setting for one of my creative training sessions with my people. She had the loveliest home, big and rambling, full of books and paintings and lovely furniture, full of good food, good music and wonderful times. We were two trainers then — Pempe Vitalis taught photography, I taught writing. Pempe, who was 10 years younger than I, passed away in 2002.
Odette became one of the judges of Guhit Bulilit, an art contest that the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines organized each year then. We went to Cebu, Davao, Pangasinan, and Baguio to judge — Odette Alcantara, Onib Olmedo, Billy Abueva and I. When we met for breakfast, our laughter started and it continued endlessly throughout the trip. Then, sadly Onib slipped away. He died while I was at my daughter’s wedding in the US. Now, after many years, Odette has followed.
This is so sad for me. I will miss one of my dearest friends, her laughter, her joy, her chess, her love of life. Well, ciao, Odette, I’ll see you when I do. Then we can laugh once more, laugh out loud and laugh together.
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