Never Give Up

Like the universe connived or like the heavens sent some angels.

Sunday I was walking aimlessly at this mall. I originally planned to watch ‘Starting Over Again’ but the long queues made me turn my back. So I just went on walking and walking, without really knowing where to go. Suddenly a guy accidentally bumped me. He was very apologetic; I didn’t notice his pearly whites or his Ateneo twang. What I noticed was what’s written on the shirt he was wearing: NEVER GIVE UP.   

I shrugged him off to gesture that it’s okay and I went on walking. Less than five minutes, I saw another guy wearing a shirt with the same print: NEVER GIVE UP; different color, different style but same message.

I told myself if I would come across another person carrying the same text on his shirt, I would believe Somebody was sending a message. Right on the dot, I came across another guy, this time the shirt has the face of a famous wrestler, but the message printed was the same: NEVER GIVE UP.

In ten minutes, while walking like a zombie, I got a message from Somebody: NEVER GIVE UP.

I just thought of going home. But I remembered the reason why I was walking alone in that mall, I wanted to get away from home, it was where all my pains were coming from. Unsure, undecided, I just stood at the taxi bay. Suddenly, a cab stopped. Ridiculous but true, the name of the cab was, you guessed it right,  NEVER GIVE UP.

Home, when I turned on the TV, the first image I saw was the Milo commercial with Bea Lucero saying to a young gymnast: NEVER GIVE UP.

Ok, Lord, I got your message, loudly and clearly.

I am not giving up.