October 24, 2014.  Finally, I arrived safely in Alfonso, just as dusk began to settle in.  It seemed that Mother Nature had thrown her dark mantle over the green expanse signaling that it was time for weary souls to rest.  I felt peace settling in, just as the cicadas began their chirping symphony.

It’s been a crazy, frenzied two weeks.  We’ve just finished organizing two major international conferences last week: the International IT-BPM Summit (IIS) and the SycipLaw-sponsored World Law Group Conference.   Both were highly successful, thanks to the amazing people who make up TeamAsia.  Concurrently, we were setting up meetings for the IIS Egyptian and Bangladesh delegations that were interested to learn more about the business process management industry in the Philippines. In between all of the conference prep activities, I was busy organizing my mom’s 80^th birthday celebration, and working on a book on her life, while juggling Tourism Promotions Board and PACEOS responsibilities.  Clearly, I needed to decompress.   And so did the team.

And so we decided it was time for a much needed break from work.  Thursday morning, our hardworking Experience Team hied off to The Green Olive Garden Private Hotel near St. Scholastica’s Retreat House in Tagaytay for a strategic planning session.  On the way up, we stopped for breakfast at Rowena’s Café and surprised Karen and Joana with birthday cakes.  The poor girls were not able to celebrate their birthdays properly with all the work that had to be done.

We had The Green Olive Garden Hotel all to ourselves, thanks to Karen who had made all the arrangements.  The spanking clean spacious bedrooms were well-appointed, the beds and pillows soft as down, the food not just filling but appetizing as well.  The cool Tagaytay breeze, the smell of pine trees, and the profuse foliage and flowering shrubs provided a soothing backdrop to the place.  I was assigned the executive room which even sported a Jacuzzi for two in the bathroom.  It was, of course, wasted on me.

We buckled down to work right after a hilarious ice breaker where we had each person tell a story about random items they had brought with them, and then swapped with each other.  The afternoon was highly productive.  After dinner, it was time to chill by the pool with wine, while others had their massage. But first, I had to get on a Skype call with colleagues from South Korea and the US for a smart platform being planned in time for the Philippines’ hosting of the APEC Women and the Economy Forum next year.

Turns out the only place where the Internet connection was strong enough was behind the counter of The Green Olive Garden.  While waiting for everyone to sign in, I had a good look around, and noted that the owners must be Vespa fans, as there were several retrospective posters of bikes around.  I also took the opportunity to post the photos of my mom’s birthday on my Facebook, as family and friends have been asking for them.

Our team was already having loads of fun by the pool, doing improvisation theatre, followed by several games that got everyone rolling with laughter, tripping over their Tagalog words, and spilling the beans on well-kept secrets.  Looking around at these young men and women, I marveled at how relaxed and happy they looked, and what a contrast it was to the determined team of professionals who ran the conferences last week.  I felt my chest puff up with pride that this was my work family.  I am so blessed to have them.

The next morning, I woke up bright and early only to discover that everyone else was still asleep, other than Darwin, our training associate who was already in the pool. The clear blue water of the pool glistened in the sun, beckoning me to swim. Thankful I had been spared a hangover from the copious wine I had the night before (each time I lost I had to drink some wine; obviously, I needed more practice with the games), I surprised myself by doing five laps.  Not bad, I thought, considering I sported a back brace and was walking with a cane right about this time last year.

After wrapping up the highly productive strategic planning session and bidding good-bye to the team, I drove to Alfonso. Earlier, I let our driver Jimmy go home as he had to bring his pregnant wife for a medical check-up. Truth to tell though, I just wanted to be alone, to sort out my thoughts.  Driving by myself was a welcome treat.  It’s been awhile since I’ve been behind the wheel.  Humming a tune, I savored the prospect of time alone in the Retreat, while mulling over the events of the past two weeks.

I was a bit worried about a Skype conference call I had to make Friday night.  Internet connection in Alfonso is always spotty, but the recent storm may have wiped it out altogether.  Walking around the farm, the only place that had a reasonable 3G signal was underneath the mango tree beside the cabana.  Oh well, I thought, this is better than having to drive back to Tagaytay.

After asking our caretaker Jeovanie to keep me company in the dark, I spread my festive red sarong on the ground, turned on the computer and tried desperately to connect using my PLDT WeRoam as well as my Globe phone.  The Internet connection was ephemeral and weaker than a butterfly’s gossamer wings. The call kept getting dropped. After half an hour, I gave up, packed my bags and went back to the house to sleep.

For the first time in weeks, I clocked in eight hours of tranquil sleep, rudely disturbed by the cacophony of roosters crowing, chickens cackling and the nun’s geese next door honking. I went out, just as dawn began to break, with darkness giving way graciously to light, the sky awash in baby blue and pink hues.  Pretty soon, the sun showed itself, unveiling the beauty of the farm.

It always takes my breath away when I see sun-dappled leaves, still moist with the night’s dew, bursting in vivid green.  I don’t think there is enough variety of paint in the world to capture all of Nature’s many hues.  Inspired, I walked around the farm, took photos, and decided to settle myself at the cabana to paint.

I ended up trying to paint myself.  I remembered my first self-portrait.  It was done in oil while I was in college, and I had given it to my boyfriend.  When we broke up, he didn’t return it.  I hope he didn’t use it as target practice.

Before driving back to town, I paid a quick visit to an 81-year old friend in Alfonso who I hadn’t seen in a while.  She and her daughter enjoyed pouring over my mom’s book. Taking my leave, I hugged and kissed her, telling her I love her.  Tears sprung to her eyes.  I suddenly remembered Dada, and how much she appreciated the gesture of the book.  I vowed to call, check on her, and tell her how much I loved her.

Someone dear had told me that I needed to be happy being alone, being myself.  And that I was, at the Retreat, basking in the beauty of God’s creation, and the peace within my soul.  I thought of my beautiful children, my mom, my siblings, Mike, my friends, the people I love most in this life, and was grateful for having them in my life.   But most of all, I remembered who I am, how much I am loved by God despite my many frailties, and thanked Him for the many blessings I have received.

On the way back home, Nanay Tinay, the lady from whom I bought flowers in Tagaytay gave me a single red rose before I got back into the car.   I was startled.  With a twinkle in her eye, she wished me love.  And so I drove back with a smile on my face, holding on to that red rose, just happy being me.