FIRST LOVE

[March 4, 2014]

“There is always a first time.”

I murmured this phrase anew when, for the very first time in my life as far as I can remember, I was assigned to the front-est seat by an airline officer in their plane on my way back here. I tell you, the air upfront was really different; I became uneasy as if my seat was uneven. Imagine, guys like me rubbing elbows with I presumed to be politicians or VIP’s then, bureaucrats and moneyed men?

I didn’t know at first if that choice of seat location was truly cool because in the first few minutes I was very uncomfortable. I asked myself if this was what Psalms 1 had written about, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly… nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful”?

However, quite a little later, like a flexible chameleon or some kind, I quickly adapted myself to my environment where rest did I finally find through that seat the belt did safely bind.

Besides, who would not find comfort when sitting face to face, eye to eye and smile to smile, with a parade of mesmerizing beauties sitting fronting you like those nymphs and fairies working for the airline? The war of the flesh and the spirit erupted since you are tempted to pretend you’re having flight sickness, and take a step further, grab opportunity like this, by asking from anyone of them some hot water every five minutes.

When I left Iloilo a few days ago, I have had also my first time. I was given a go signal at ten A.M. to leave for a flight at ten thirty-five. Of course, ordinarily, I’d like to fume mad, for I’d no chance to bring an undergarment or toothbrush. But knowing it was a normal part of the job, I had to go my way and find a taxicab. Like a good soldier of fortune, though not in my favor were the odds, still, I had to desperately try my ‘luck.’

And my first problem was, how could a taxi in the middle of a weekday and traffic make it to the airport from Atrium in at least twenty minutes? Would you tell the driver you still left with several bullets, thus, if he’d fail your “simple” wish, you’d turn his head into several pieces?

But like I said here in my first line, “There is always a first time.”

Like the first time you had an inexplicable feeling upon hearing your name repeatedly mentioned in a public address system, while you jump-run up the escalator like Jacky Chan or Owen being chased by the mob everyone a killing machine.

But there’s more than just an inexplicable feeling when, since you are the last person to enter the plane, you quickly noticed those piercing stares from the sitting men and women, since you had no idea how long did you keep everyone waiting.

But being an ex-streetboy, you know the rules: never say a word. Savor the moment of you and yourself against the world.

The first time is always a memory that lasts. Just like the first time you felt the love. I always believe that for those who’ve had already truly experienced God’s love for the first time, they would always go their way to find it back once they’d lost it to worldly cares of life.

That’s why the Scriptures would remind us the displeasure of God: “…I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:4). It’s because He would never forget not to leave His, for He committed Himself right away when He first loved us (I John 4:19).

With the kind of first love that bought us with a price (I Cor. 7:23). With the kind of first love that truly never dies.