A letter from a friend!

Last July, while I was fixing one of my drawers in San Pablo City I saw my old wallet.  It contained several letters from my very close friend, Ate Rina.  We call each other starting with “Ba” and thus I call her “Barins” and she calls me “Ba-K”. 

She became my officemate when I worked as an HR assistant in Lipa City Batangas (it was my first work after graduation).  Barins was with Procurement and Logistics but despite the difference in department, it never took us a long time to get along well.  She was very accommodating and very smart.  She taught me the things that I should do, how I should respond to my boss and so on and so forth.

We shared stories together, love, family and anything under the sun.  We had our snack, lunch and snack together.  It was one cool experience really since it was my first job and Barins was very supportive!

While I was reading the letters, I remembered the things that we went through.  It was something different, something a normal employee will never dare imagine happening to them.  But both of us became strong and we stood by each other to give our support with one other.

We will talk silently; we will cry together, that’s how it was.  I remember when we talked at the warehouse so that no one will see us. I also remembered when we shouted “Ha!” at the open field to release our anger (it felt good; one angry person should try it).  It was a good feeling to have someone you can lean on, someone who believed in you and someone who loved you as you are.

Even if it was hard for both of us, we decided to resign from the company. 

Even if it meant that we will no longer be together.  We needed to move on to leave the hell past behind, we needed to find greener pasture and we needed to grow.  

Both of us were able to find a work outside Lipa, she was in Ortigas and I was in Makati.  We never imagined that we can go that far.  For all the hardships and troubles, not only a window was opened for us but a whole new house  and it was very gratifying.

We said we should always get in touch! I attended her wedding and to see how happiness filled her eyes was just priceless.  She was very happy and I was happy for her.

Then, fortunately, her husband found a job in Norway. It was sad for me because it was such a far place, but was happy to know that a better opportunity is waiting for them there.  I was able to visit her one last time in their place at Marikina and that was the last time I saw her.

With the help of “Facebook” even if they are in Paris for a vacation, or any part of Europe and the world, we still get in touch and from time to time we talk and chat.  

I am really happy about facebook because it feels like Norway is just a step behind.  I get to be updated with my friend and her family and I am very happy for her.  

She is one close friend that I will never forget for the rest of my life!

XoXo to Barins!