Some story I am going to relate to you today. Note that I was complaining of fever due to inflamed tonsils yesterday evening, and a few among my FB friends offered their prayers and practical health tips to alleviate the situation. I took a couple of tylenol, prayed the rosary, hoped for a better tomorrow (in spite of the impending cold temp), and slept early. In the middle of the night, I had a dream. I saw myself standing on top of a tall obelisk, much like the Washington Monument on National Mall in Washington, DC--only much taller, even reaching up to the clouds. Apparently I am in a state of utter confusion, for why am I standing there like I do not have acrophobia at all? Besides, the air is extremely cold, made more so by the clouds in transit all around me. Suddenly I hear a choir singing I Believe--that old popular 1953 song, and without hesitation I find myself singing a descant, contrapuntally harmonizing with the song being sung by the choir. Then I woke up. It was 2:35 am on the alarm clock beside my bed. Goodness, I thought to myself, pati ba naman sa pagtulog, kumakanta pa rin ako! [Even in slumber, Im still singing!] Then I realized, Hey, that song I was singing is familiar! It is familiar. It is a song I composed in 1978 for my 2nd operetta The Worst Fool entitled Hell is Suffering. What was even more eerie was that the song is sung by the main character to himself in a dreamy scene in a slum area while he is--believe it or not--standing on top of a stool! Was I just being delirious because of my momentary illness? Was there something that my subconscious was telling me which I could barely connect? I needed answers. I got out of bed and looked for the copy of that almost-forgotten musical handiwork of mine. I could not sleep the rest of the night thinking about the dream. Here is the complete text of my song HELL IS SUFFERING (Counterpoint to I Believe) 1 Hell is suffering, wretched suffering Theres no getting out of it Once youre there, youre there! Hell is suffering, endless suffering! Mend your ways today, O sinner, while youre still alive. 2 If I be given chance, I would live my life again And then Id surely do it not in vanity and sin Over the earth Id roam shouting praise to the Lord. Id open up my eyes to His mercy and love. For life is much to wonderful to be wasted, Life is much too noble to be vainly lived Live life by the wisdom of the ages Not by their shame and guilt. I need a Joseph Interpreter of Dreams among us. Im serious. Things are just too coincidental to pass up. Theres got to be some answer somewhere. I didnt call in sick today. At work, my colleague and FB friend Belinda Rios asked how I was doing, and observed that I looked tired. Her class came to my Music Room, where we practiced Campfire Songs for Rodeo Day on Friday. I sang all day. My throat hurt. Theres got to be some answer somewhere.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 02:17:40 +0000