Went off the grid for a few days to reflect.

Last week, was the Holy Week. It's that time of the year when Catholics living in the metropolis either go back to their respective provinces or stay within the metropolis to not get into the traffic rush with the massive exodus involved. In our part, we went out of the metro on Holy Thursday and went back to our home province and went to my mother's hometown of Ibaan, Batangas. We left on a Thursday since it wasn't a holiday from Monday to Wednesday so our parents were working. It's been awhile since we came back in town and we stayed in for the first time in a very long time in the Ol' Blue House which was the home of my grandparents on the mother's side and have not been used for a long time since no one permanently resides in the house, unlike the home of my grandparents on my father's side. It was the time for me to "get off the grid" for awhile and make a Lent sacrifice. Yes, since the house is not inhabited for most of the year. It was like a time capsule with some of the things left untouched with both old and modern features in it from old television sets to a new dining table as well as air conditioners.

On Holy Thursday, as soon as we arrived in Ibaan at the Ol' Blue House late in the morning. The whole family went into clean-up mode as we cleaned the entire house to prepare for the coming of our other relatives the following day. By around 6pm. We were all down for the night and closed the house for we spent the entire resting.

Then came Good Friday, our other relatives arrived in Ibaan for an overnight on town. We continued with a little bit of cleaning-up and spend time together. I eventually ended up resting the whole afternoon cause the effects of cleaning duty we did was being felt during that time. When I woke up, it was almost night time, in time for the procession held around town as we witnessed a couple of figures as well as a glass coffin with Jesus Christ in it signifying that Christ has died. Then along the nightime, we were all outside of home reflecting as the townspeople were singing throughout the night until around 11pm. Afterwards, we all went in for one final night.

On Black Saturday, we packed our things, fixed some of the things inside the house, and we left the Ol' Blue House and the town of Ibaan back to the metropolis and celebrate Easter Sunday back in Manila.

It was indeed a great time to reflect over the past year as well as get close to God during the Holy Week. It was also good to "get off the grid" for a couple of days, where I didn't go online and surf the internet. I hope we'll get back to the Ol' Blue House very soon.

Getting off the grid for once in a while is worth the sacrifice.
K-Smoove