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«My Odyssey» by Maritess B. Javelona

Life, from the spectacles of my childhood, was simple, so easy,

T’was, then, when my world started revolving around my family,

Watching the naughty baby and doing errands for my mommy,

Banana cue from a street vendor, a reward that made me happy.

Playing, eating and sleeping were three things  which did matter.

My life revolved around my siblings, my father and my mother.

My parents never got tired of telling us to “love one another.”

“Be hungry for learning and study hard” was their forever reminder.

Then God took my parents, so my priority turned to earning a dime,

Remembering my parents, I mumbled to myself, “t’is indeed high time!”

I saved every penny I earned sacrificing even my thirst-quenching lime,

All sorts of rivers I crossed and high mountains I did not refuse to climb.

I got myself busy finding myself running around a demarcation line

In the midst of challenges all I could mumble was “everything’s fine!”

I got my everyday strength from my prayer “thy will” not mine.

From then on I realized that all that was happening was just God’s design.   

People around me kept on asking, “when shall a prince climb?”

The answer to such query was not found in my collections of rhyme,

“Desperate move, huh?” all my mouth could afford to mime

I had been waiting for someone who may be considered  prime.

No sooner I met someone- my soulmate and lifetime partner,

Imagine at 34, I gave him two girls, making me a real catcher

He was happy and proud, indeed to be a first-time father

So, he had tried his best to be a responsible provider.

In a private tertiary school, I am presently a dedicated teacher,

To him, I am a supportive wife and to the two, a caring mother,

A minute delayed to my daily routine is already a real bother

But still I carry with me my parents’ motto, “Love one another.”

Author Bio

Maritess Borja-Javelona, 57 years old, hailed from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental Philippines. She is a native Filipino. Her mother tongue is Hiligaynon, native language of the people in Negros Occidental.  Her national language is Filipino. English is a second language to her as it is her medium of instruction at Colegio San Agustin-Bacolod where she teaches English subjects to college for more than 30 years now. Teaching is her passion for she finds joy and fulfillment in teaching.