leafdance: 2011

Lately ako ay nagdududa sa Pag-Ibig. Akala ko Fairy Tale lang yun. Hindi na nya kase ako kinakausap. Hindi na nya pinapaalam sa akin kung ano ano ang mga ginagawa nya. Pag nararamdaman ko na parang di nya ako mahal, hindi na nya ina-assure sa akin na mahal nya ako. Mas lalo tuloy ako nagdududa sa Pag-Ibig. Mahirap talaga pag OK na ang kalagayan mo walang problema, masaya, marami pagkakataon mag-shopping, gumala kung saan saan, kasama ang kahit sino na lang na pwede mo tawagin kaibigan. Mahirap pag ganun, madali ka ng makalimutan, baket ka nga naman iisipin pa? Kung marami naman "Boys" sa paligid, mga gwapo, healthy, may pera (dollars pa), in short madali lang akong palitan.

Akala ko hindi totoo ang Pag-Ibig.

Buti na lang nabasa ko ang nasa baba.
May pag-asa pa, tunay ang Pag-Ibig!
Minsan ang mga tunay na ma-swerte tulad ni Lolo Luis
may darating sa buhay nila na TOTOO, hindi ka iiwan.
Kahit paunti na ng paunti ang mga kaya mo GAWIN sa BUHAY
at kahit isa ka na lang na pasakit, walang kwenta at sakitin tao
mahal ka pa rin nya na tulad ni Lola Aurelia.

Images have the power to provoke thoughts, elicit emotions, and inspire actions, as what happened when undying love evokes the power to search for a missing loved one.

A single image can do all these and more — especially amplified through social media.

A viral black and white photo of an old woman waiting on the sidewalk and wearing a missing person printout pinned to the back of her dress led to a heart-warming reunion between Lola Aurelia Matias and her husband Lolo Luis late Tuesday, after the photo was shared over 53,760 times on the social network Facebook.

Lolo Luis, 78, had been missing for two weeks.

Facebook user Reddie Js, a street photography enthusiast, posted the photo Monday noon.

Caught his eye

In an exchange of personal messages with GMA News Online, Reddie Js says he was on his way to the parking lot from a Mall of Asia event Sunday morning when he chanced upon Lola Aurelia sitting at the corner of Buendia Avenue and Roxas Boulevard. According to him, the flyers pinned on both sides of Lola Aurelia's dress caught his eye.

"Nung makita ko yung pinned flyers sa damit niya naawa ako sa status ni Lola that she will go to that extent na maglagay pa s’ya ng ganun to find lolo, pero sabi ko din ang galing — love n’ya tlga si lolo," he said.

His curiosity piqued, Reddie Js approached Lola Aurelia who then gave him a copy of the flyer pinned to her dress. Upon learning Lola Aurelia's predicament, Reddie Js asked the old woman for permission to take her picture and post it on Facebook. Lola Aurelia agreed.

Reddie Js said he originally intended to post the photo in Facebook group Pinoy street photography but decided against it as he felt that the photo should instead be posted as a real SOS to find Lolo Luis. Reddie Js posted Lola Aurelia's photo on his Facebook page after securing a go signal from Lola Aurelia's kin over the phone.

According to the elderly couple's grandson EJ Avanzeña, Lolo Luis was last seen on Nov. 10 around Pasay Rotonda. Avanzeña notes some people say they have seen Lolo Luis.

Loose talk

Frustrated by loose talk, Lola Aurelia was prodded to search for her husband on her own — every day.

Avanzeña says Lolo Luis may be suffering from dementia as he displays childish behavior.

Reddie Js’ photo has since gone viral, and Facebook users are sympathetic and wishing for the elderly couple to be reunited before Christmas.

"Nakakalungkot pag kawawa ‘yung lola, magpa-Pasko pa naman, malaking gift sa kanya sa Pasko kapag nakita na si lolo," said Jomar Miguela Ebuengin a comment thread.

"Sana po lola makita na si lolo, malapit na po Pasko para buo family masaya, at sana po safe si lolo kung san man sya," said Lilibeth Carreon Buyson.

In awe of Lola’s love

Other comments reveal netizens in awe of Lola Aurelia's love for her missing husband.

"Parang nakita ko tong lola na to habang pauwi galing Run for the Pasig River kahapon... I hope makita na niya siya nang maibsan na yung kalungkutan nya. I see TRUE LOVE on her lovestory," said JaPat Ventura in the same comment thread.

"Maraming asawa na mga bata pa pero ayaw na nila sa kabiyak nila pero si lola hinahanap pa nya ang asawa nya... how sweet naman.....don't worry lola true love never lost hinahanap ka na rin ni lolo for sure magkakasalubong na lang kayo 1 day......" muses Elisa Urbano Lipata.

Others relate having seen Lola Aurelia roaming the streets of Buendia and Pasay, handing out flyers to passersby:

"Nakita ko si Lola last Friday night sa PCGH (Pasay City General Hospital) at may mga flyers pa siyang dala.. :'(Sayang, di ko natanong kasi dumating na mama ko and we are also in an emergency situation at that time.. But I already shared this photo.." Kaiser Shi said.

"Nakita ko din sya sa Buendia last week. Sweet but sad," said Dominic Torralba Paguio.

UPDATE: Nakita na si Lolo Luis, salamat sa Diyos at sa lahat ng mga taong nagtulung tulung para makita si Lolo Luis. Ang swerte ni Lolo Luis: Between him and Lola Aurelia, Lolo Luis already has a sickness and is a disadvantage for them as a couple. Pero mahal ni Lola si Lolo at kahit isa malaking pasanin na lang si Lolo (May sakit, Unstable, Unreliable) hindi ito iniwan ni Lola.

Yan ang PAG-IBIG.

Balang araw, mararanasan ko ang tunay na PAG-IBIG. Kahit sakitin na ako, kahit tuluyan na akong maging Ulyanin. Kahit mababa ang sweldo ko, kahit mahina ang kokote ko at mahina ang katawan ko, mararanasan ko ang TUNAY na PAG-IBIG, hindi nya ko iiwan, walang sawa nyang i-aassure sa akin na mahal nya ko kahit gaano ako kakulit.

package testing;

import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import junit.framework.TestCase;

public class SimpleTest extends TestCase {

public void testEmptyAgain() {
List list = new ArrayList();
assertEquals(0, list.size());
}

public void testEmpty() {
List list = new ArrayList();
assertEquals(1, list.size());
}

}

* * * * *

package testing;

import java.io.*;
import java.util.Date;
import junit.framework.*;
import junit.framework.Test;
import org.junit.runner.Result;
import junit.framework.TestResult;
import org.junit.runner.JUnitCore;
import org.apache.tools.ant.BuildException;
import org.junit.runner.notification.Failure;
import org.junit.runner.notification.RunListener;
import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.optional.junit.JUnitTest;
import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.optional.junit.XMLJUnitResultFormatter;

public class SimpleSuite {

public static void main(String[] args) {
TestResult r = new TestResult();
TestSuite ts = new TestSuite("SimplengTestSuite");
JUnitTest jut = new JUnitTest("SimplengJUnitTest");
XMLJUnitResultFormatter xjrf = new XMLJUnitResultFormatter();
try {
xjrf.startTestSuite(jut);
OutputStream w = new FileOutputStream(new File("report.xml"));
xjrf.setOutput(w);
r.addListener(xjrf);
TestCase tc1 = (TestCase) Class.forName("testing.SimpleTest").newInstance();
tc1.setName("testEmpty");
ts.addTest(tc1);
long start = new Date().getTime();
ts.run(r);
long end = new Date().getTime();
jut.setCounts(r.runCount(), r.failureCount(), r.errorCount());
jut.setRunTime(end - start);
xjrf.endTestSuite(jut);
w.close();
} catch (Exception e){
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

}