This year, my wife Aires and I planned to spend our 12th year wedding anniversary in Palawan. We booked our tickets and flew to Puerto Princesa. Of course, the highlight of any Puerto Princesa trip is the Underground River cruise. We took a two-hour ride from the city to Sabang Port and had to wait for another two hours before we could be ferried from the port to the park itself. It was already 4 PM when we finally got inside the pitch-black tunnel.
By that time, we just wanted to get it done and over with. We did try to feel excited but the excitement lasted for a few minutes because the sights looked the same --- stalagmites and stalactites forming shapes of people, fruits, vegetables and animals. Heaven, in fact, fell asleep, oblivious to the funny spiels of our boatman who could give stand-up comedians a run for their money.
As if on cue, the boatman said: "We now go to the highlight of this cruise... Look up and you will see the sky above us. Just don't open your mouths." He was referring of course to that part of the cave that opens to a dome or cathedral where a huge stalagmite juts out from the water. The dome looks like a dark sky with small twinkling stars.
Aires and I could not help but glance at each other in the dimness of the tunnel. We have noticed that references to the word "sky" have become very frequent lately. They come at the most unexpected turns. Just like when we were feeling unenthused by the rock formations in this underground river.
It's as if our daughter is telling us: "Come on. Be excited about life. Be happy with what you have." The journey may be dark and damp like the underground river cruise but there will always be a sky above us, simply waiting at a seemingly lazy turn.
