Message in a (Mineral Water) Bottle

Five years ago today, I threw a message in a bottle in the sea of Zamboanga on my way to Gen San.

As a kid who grew up beside the sea I had this fascination of casting bottles to the sea. The possibility of my message reaching places far beyond my sight thrilled me so much. I guess five years ago it thrilled me still hence the rather mawkish act. ( I got the idea of sending a note to one’s self from Richard Bach)

Fortunately I had a draft of the message meant for me in my journal. It’s kinda funny reading it now, exactly five years from when it was written. It’s like going back in time and talking to my younger self. I hope I am not betraying my younger self if I posted it here. After all the message is probably meant for me now.

Jan 03, 2001

Dear Jodl,

Hello! In case you have forgotten you sent this letter to yourself in the year 2001. I am writing this letter on board MS Ezekiel Moreno of Negros Navigation. You are taking this trip to Gensan where you will drop off on your way to Dole Philippines School. This is your second year of teaching in that school.

I will put this letter in a plastic bottle ( would have wanted to put this in a wine bottle but none is available). I could think of 3 possible fates of this message. One this message in a bottle would never be found. Two, this message might be found but it would never reach you. Three, this message will be found by someone who will then send this to you. It must be the will of God then that this letter reaches you. ( Hmmm I guess I forgot to include the 4^th scenario, saving a draft of the message and reading it again a few years after hehe)

I don’t know why I’m sending this letter. Maybe it’s my way of assuring that I have hope for the future. I just wish that wherever you are right now you have achieved whatever your heart desired. Right now I might be at the crossroads of my life. I still have that dream of building a house beside the sea. I still dream of that magical moment when I’ll get to meet my soul mate. Have you found her already? How I wish things could be the other way around, that you are the one sending this message to me assuring me that things are going to be fine.

I hope you are happy where you are. I feel like succumbing now to the banalities of life. But I guess if you are happy, then I have made the right decisions. I am longing for that moment when I would finally become you.

Wherever you are don’t forget that you were once me. I’m at a loss right now. I hope that when you receive this letter you would already have found yourself.

Bon voyage. Enjoy this journey called life.

All the best,

Jodl of year 2001