Flowers for Leyna

Waling-waling up close, a virtual birthday present for Leyna

Waling-waling captured in its majestic beauty, photo by orange tulip

The photo i just uploaded is called Waling-Waling. Here are few information from my internet sources. "Waling-waling," an ethnic term that means graceful movement of a butterfly in flight. Also known with the scientific name Vanda sanderiana, it is endemic in the Philippines. Accordingly, it was discovered in Davao around 1880 by Carl Roebellin, a German Plant explorer for the orchid house of Sanders. It was named Vanda sanderiana in 1882 by German Orchid taxonomist, Heinrich Gustav Reichenbach in honor of its patron Mr. Frederick Sander. Threatened with extinction after almost a century of neglect, Waling Waling became rare and expensive even in Davao(http://malagos.com/resort-attractions/waling-waling-forest/).

The Philippines is home to more than a thousand species of orchids. These species are known for their exotic beauty. But the rarest and most beautiful of them all is Waling-Waling. It is described as the "Queen of Philippine Orchids". The discovery of Waling-Waling has influenced another thousand colorful and attractive vandaceous hybrids that are now part of the world's multibillion-dollar orchid and cutflower industry. Waling-Waling is famous for its large and colorful hybrids. It grows on tree trunks in the rainforests of Davao, Sultan Kudarat and other parts of Mindanao. It blooms only once a year, between July and October. However, the continuous plunder of this prized specimen has brought it to near extinction. The massive deforestation in Mindanao threatens the region's wildlife, including Waling-Waling which used to abound in the tropical forest of Mount Apo and its surrounding areas. Today, it is believed that Waling-Waling has more species abroad, particularly in Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong and Hawaii. (http://www.txtmania.com/articles/waling.php)

A couple of Indonesian friends that i met in uni told me that they have the most beautiful orchid in their country called " black orchid" yet i still need to see one to be convinced as i have always believed that "waling-waling" is the most beautiful of all the orchids or probably all the tropical flowers. Interestingly, i took this Waling-waling photo on top of a tree using my zoom lens in February 2006 during a visit with friends to Malagos Garden Resort in Davao City and i was saving this for my first photo exhibit. Yet knowing fully well how special she is, i am uploading a photo to greet Leyna on her birthday albeit belatedly. She was born on the month of September.

Primo, my very close friend as well as brother has fondly called me " Waling-waling" Down Under and i was thrilled to no end to hear such because i am aware of its beauty and rarity. Arguably the most sought after flower in Mindanao, a major island in the Philippines, it has become very expensive. I did not know that it meant " graceful movement of a butterfly in flight" then( i only saw this meaning few minutes earlier) as i wanted to see myself more of a bird although a butterfly is lovely and i am not in any way graceful (although arguably i am very charming).He had other simile and hyperbole underscoring why he enjoyed calling me " Waling-waling" way back but i cannot divulge them- well, not yet. Besides, this blog is for Leyna.

Me, on the other hand, happy for now being orange tulip has always looked up and believed that Leyna, my dear friend and " soul sister" is beautiful, rare, intelligent and a class of her own. This is why i find it most fitting to send her flowers albeit virtually, my prized photography waling-waling for she is an epitome of a rare breed of women and individual who has undergone and achieved a lot in life yet just like the waling-waling remained elusive and content staying in her own world just like the waling-waling in the top part of the tree where it thrives happily and could be viewed in its majestic beauty.

This is a belated birthday greeting for my dear friend Leyna. I was waiting for that dinner with her supposedly last Sunday, her supposed to be natal day as far as i can remember (we were geographically apart for five long years prior to being " reunited again in february 9 of this year, then making a trip to vigan for the holy week break as part of our " reunion") but maybe she was caught up in a very tight schedule considering that it was the last day for the scheduled four-Sunday Philippine bar exams. We barely see each other yet we remained great friends, did not stop caring for each other and kept on wishing each other well.

I was doing my first year in MA Speech Communication while she was on her final year at the Law School when we first met in the university. I was full- time working and part-time student while her hands were full with her law subjects but we usually see each other before midnight at the shared bathroom with few cubicles to take shower before going to bed in the ladies dormitory inside the campus where we both stay although that's for a few week nights after classes for me and go to my own place other days and during weekends. Since we met, i enjoyed staying in the campus more and we bonded well by walking in the oval every Saturday or Sunday morning whenever possible, talk about anything outside our own " intellectual pursuits" , giggle and swoon when we meet few handsome bikers. Being country girls from conservative families - we never had the guts to introduce ourselves or know at least the name of the few handsome guys that we meet in the oval( some making us swoon) although we got charming smiles in return. Some Friday nights when we have time we chill-out in the place within the campus where we would drink " bottomless iced tea" and sing along to the songs familiar to us as the pianist plays. that's the place where i first heard Leyna sing " Someone to Watch Over Me" which pretty much reminded me of her and i learned by heart when i was already Down Under. I probably know the reason why she liked the song but she is as private as me or probably more private than i am about her " personal life" so i would not write anything about her nor me in this blog. What is very memourable for me about her is the note written at the back of her graduation picture that i asked from her few days before i left to do Political Science Down Under(thus making me unable to finish my Speech Communication pursuit shelving my plans to put up a speech school in a small island) but i was able to celebrate with her when she passed her own bar exams missing few points to have a place in the top ten of her batch. I was extremely proud of her!

On the picture she wrote " To the laughs, and to our quest for the great love of our lives. " I brought that picture along with me (it was included in the collage family picture that i prepared and brought wherever i went) and from time to time i smile back at her picture remembering the verbatim note that goes with it. During my absence in the country, i was unaware that she became the dean of the law school in the university close to her parents' home, probably the youngest among the law school deans in the country but knowing her potentials, i am happier when she decided to come to the big city to do Master in Business Administration(MBA) and at the same time, work in a law firm and become a legal officer in arguably the biggest television network in the country. I was never happier for her and prouder of her since!

I had fun on our " reunion trip" to Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur and my first visit to the famed Pagudpud Beach. But what is most memourable to me was when we drove all the way to Cavite City where i had brewed coffee and a blueberry cheesecake for dinner and coming back to Manila on the same day with the company of an old friend that we both met seven years back. We had an early breakfast at Chowking, a twenty-four fastfood close to the Baclaran church in Paranaque and she patiently drove me to the gate of the apartment which i opted to stay while in Manila no matter how tired she was.That was late March i guess and i did not see her again because i was up to ther things among which is going out there discovering places yet unknown to me or simply stayed away from the big city for my personal priorities. The reunion dinner after five months of not seeing each other was very much awaited then and i was hopeful that we would enjoy " catching-up" about so many things, most importantly about our favourite topics.

Well, Leyna my dear soul-sister, "my own quest for that one great love remains a quest" but i am not in any hurry- not at all. And i am not yet giving up- not yet, but trying to live my life to its fullest one day at a time. Meantime, i hope you would love this Waling-waling that i uploaded for your birthday. I may not see you as often as i wish and want to but i never cared nor loved you less.

Arguably dear Leyna, you are a personification of the Greek goddess Aphrodite in this modern age. Happy birthday no matter how belated it could be and here's to a lot of happier years ahead!