to live, to love, to learn, to leave a legacy… and to laugh along the way
As we bade goodbye to Bohol, our hearts carried the stories of triumphs and tribulations, of our pride of the past and our hopes for the future, and of private family jokes that will travel with us across continents. It has been a heartwarming and enlightening week of love and clan unity.
This year, the Oklahoma City Thunder are overwhelming favorites to win another title. The Denver Nuggets, led by the 3-time MVP NIkola Jokic, will be crowding out the Thunder, for the western pennant. In the East, the Cleveland Cavs should finally win it, if they remain healthy for the playoffs. Victor Wenbamyama will continue maturing with the San Antonio Spurs, while rookie Cooper Flagg gets us excited. Move over, Lebron. Watch out, Steph and Kevin. The next generation stars are here!
Mt Apo has proved to me that the world’s most poignant stories are not always about reaching the top, but about returning with something intact, something earned, amidst the challenges one has to hurdle. It is about chasing a dream; something that will echo that craziness in me, yet has clothed me with a sense of pride for having at least tried. And if I ever forget, I will listen to the memory of the wind – the same wind that refused to yield my glorious sunrise in Apo; and instead whispered a different, humbling truth: that to live is to endure, and to endure is sometimes the bravest ascent of all.
The plan was to jump-off at midnight, and chase the sunrise that would appear if the clouds decided to yield. The world, however, was simply uncooperative. The clock ticked as the wind screamed, while light, sporadic rains started to drench our tents. Lucky for us, the rains had stopped when midnight came. We went on our way; but the wind sang hoarsely like a chorus of knives. Still, we trudged on; even as the terrain, the cold, the dark, the strong winds – and my bum stomach – were all clearly aligned against us.
With the Aces taking home the championship trophy, this year’s WNBA season ends. It has been a great season with ticket sales and TV ratings moving up the scales. The arrival of Caitlin Clark last year, as well as others who folowed, have done tremendous wonders for the league, and it is time now for the league to reflect on its growth as the collective bargaining negotiations begins soon.
This series looks to be an exciting one, with both teams preferring the fast tempo. Whoever outspeeds the other, whoever wins the sprint battle to their respective frontcourts, will have the inside track to win this series.
Color My World 