caterpillar talk

04.16.08. taking this photo jolted me back to reality

i set my alarm for 5:30 a.m. but when i woke up, i had to rush because i was already running an hour late. what was i thinking relying on that alarm!? duh.

i managed to squeeze in my usual hour’s worth of morning rituals into 20 minutes and by 6:50 a.m., i was out of my place and making my way to work.

i hailed a tricycle to take me to where the company shuttle usually picks me up for my 7 o’clock ride.

time check: 6:50 a.m.
reality check: a tricycle ride from my place of stay to pick-up point takes at least 15 minutes.

boy, was i running late! worse, the driver of the tricycle decided to take a detour to the gasoline station. i wanted to blurt out, “manong, ma-le-late na po ako!” but i held back and bit the tip of my tongue as an attempt at temper management. inside, i was seething. argh. of all days! of all times! how can a potentially good day start bad?

“Lord, help me.”

my patience was thinning out so early in the morning. i mustered for control over the temper that was about to blow over. i tried to divert my attention to what’s around me and, in the distance, i saw the rising sun. i told myself i should take a picture of it, so i did.

it may not be the best sunrise photo but it’s something worth sharing. when i took it, i experienced a turning point.

as i was fumbling with my phone, getting ready to take my shot, i noticed the time. the display said, 5:57 a.m.

wham!

all along, i was moving disoriented, warped. when i woke up and read 5:30 a.m., i mistook it for 6:30 a.m. ding di ding!!!

bwahahahahahaha…

just when i thought i was running an hour late, i was, in fact, being one hour early. (kay naunsa ka, val?)

one thing i did not fail to recognize, He was quick in answering my simple prayer. His timing’s impeccable.

i needed that experience, that morning, that day to remind me that, yes, He’s still watching over me and paying attention even to the smallest of my utterances.