To Helena

The first time I saw her, I knew we were meant to be together. She was the most beautiful thing I ever saw and heard. And the moment I held her in my arms, I knew, I just got to have her.

The perfection of her symmetry, the impeccable melody that we shared, I was simply spellbound…

Sa bawat madilim na yugto ng aking buhay, sa bawat ngiti sa aking mga labi, naroon siya, nakikinig, umaawit, nakayakap…

And now, time has been a cruel friend. As of 1:00pm today, December 26, 2005, My dear friend Helena left me. She broke her bridge (that thing holding the string near the guitar’s body). It was beyond repair. I tried my best to put her back together, but not much can be done. The music she produced was broken.

We shared a couple of songs this morning, the first time after a very very long time. And just as we were about to finish our favorite song, the bridge snapped. Had I used her more often, I would have noticed the significant crack near the bridge. I could have prevented the extensive damage…

The least I can do is to make her look good on her last day. After repairing her bridge, I bought her new strings, the high quality ones. I polished her, even her hard-to-clean machine heads. I neatly placed her near my bed, hoisted in my wall. She is as beautiful as the day I first saw her… and I know I shall never love another guitar again, the way I loved her.

Thank you Helena, for being there, for sharing your music, for being a friend up to your very last day. I’m sorry it ended this way. I know you deserve so much more.



Indeed, a thing of beauty...