The Lady on the Roadside

I love cooking. It's the only household chore I wanna do. 

This is the stage of my life wherein I'm having an early major crisis. Considering I'm an anxious person, it's bound to happen soon anyway. Trying to make a living out of an apartment you do not own, in a city of over-priced goods, and an environment filled with almost all types of pollution...is difficult. Cooking with the utensils you have and their alternatives is an effective stress-reliever.

But this really isn't about cooking or me even if I've already written a paragraph about it. This is about the kindness of an old lady.

Her vegetables are arranged on a mat lying on the roadside. They are better in quality and with a much more reasonable price. If you see old ladies or gents like her, buy from them simply because THEY NEED YOUR HELP. Let's not go to other topics but focus instead on empathy. How our acts can help those in dire need. 

I bought the quantity of veggies I needed from her, and I was on my way back when I heard her call my attention, twice. She then rushed to me when I approached and gave one more bunch of pechay, saying,

"Baka masayang lang 'to."

This might just be wasted..

That bunch of leaves was not in a bad condition. There were yellowing portions but I can still consider them as marketable.

I thanked her with sincere gratitude and kinda felt bad that the amount I bought from her was just small. But I promised, in the future while I'm still here and I plan to cook again, I'll look for her. Almost at the same time, at the same place, just to be sure I will be able to buy from this kind lady again.

She reminds me of survival and kindness. That the world might try to take away the goodness in our hearts, but just like what My Chemical Romance had written on their song Welcome to the Black Parade,

"Because the world will never take my heart.."

I'm certain, it will never win. Something good will still remain even if you felt you're terribly empty and fucked up.

And that my friend is usually the most important. For the old lady, it's kindness that remains and will remain forever.