Moises and Mendez-Palmares: Walk to remember

Michelle: Due to a friend’s urging, I finally watched Serendipity—one of his favorite movies—on DVD. A romantic at heart, he believes in destiny, soul mates and fortune cookies! When asked about my favorite movies, I realized I was a war freak! I like Tears of the Sun, Saving Private Ryan and action movies. Well, I like romantic movies too. I remember crying my eyes out in A Walk to Remember. You did admit a couple of times that you’re a romantic at heart. So, do you believe in destiny?

DJ: Wow, Mic, the movie titles are just so not from this decade. Seriously, there really are people we meet for the first time, but it would feel like we’ve known them for years. It’s not surprising to hear stories like about this dude who shares an umbrella with this girl he meets for the first time while trying to get a taxi ride on a rainy June evening in Ayala. When he looks into her soft, brown eyes seconds before the wet pavement sweeps him off his feet, he realizes there’s no girl with eyes like Timothy Bradley’s who could look as beautiful as she! Everything and everyone is in slow motion. And it’s not because he’s woozy due to the fall. It’s because at that moment, it seems like there are just the two of them starring in a music video of Manny Pacquiao’s cover of the song, Sometimes When We Touch. Stories like this do happen!

M: I believe everything happens for a reason. There are no accidents, just incidents that form part of one big plan. We always have a choice. And we can choose not to make a choice. I don’t think we should leave our lives to chance. We should take a chance. We are given intellect, senses, feelings and free will to decide what to do with our lives. Leaving it up to fate is like allowing the winds to take us where they want to go. We have to anchor ourselves on something, or we’ll just drift away.

DJ: Life isn’t really 100 percent destiny or 100 percent choice. Life often is a mix of both. There’s the Big plan, which is the best. There’s our plan. There’s also the world’s plan. We’re empowered to make our choices. This is true even in our choice of relationships. And like (boxing judges) Duane Ford and CJ Ross, sometimes we go against the world and still pick the wrong one even when the right choice is clear. That’s why it’s important to pay attention and to be more discerning.

M: Right. I found Serendipity entertaining. Jonathan (John Cusack) said something about finding signs along the way to lead you where you’re meant to be. I think if we constantly look for signs, we might miss a turn or worse, not enjoy the journey. We were created because we are destined to fulfill our creator’s plans for us. I’d like to believe a person’s good fortune is not about luck but a blessing from above. Of course, one has to work too!

DJ: It’s funny how unrelenting you are about this movie. Anyway, here are some practical signs to consider: 1) Look within. Love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely. A stable relationship is usually that of two people who are in it largely because of the need to give rather than just to take. 2) Check how you complement each other. A relationship needs work—but not to the point that you’re always trying to jam a square peg into a round hole. It might be hard to let go, but walking away from the wrong person allows you more possibilities to meet the right one. 3) Have realistic expectations. Don’t expect something from someone which you need to do to yourself: making you lovable or secure with who you are, for example. Release this expectation, and do it yourself.

M: Fate, destiny, serendipity… all the cosmic forces in the universe might align themselves to work to one’s favor. But nothing beats having a steadfast faith that God has the best plans for all of us. On that note, I’ll watch A Walk to Remember again!

DJ: Try this concept to remember: Life is a happy mix between destiny and choice. It is imperfect. But if we make the right choices, then we’ll be perfectly cool!

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