Kwento Mo Sa Pagong—Willing to Listen

Echoing laughter bounces from one mouth to another. 

“Kwento mo sa pagong,” someone barked at a person’s long, inconvenient story. As if to say, “Tell it to the turtle; it might have the time to listen to you” or in times when the story sounds too good to be true. 

It’s the little joke we throw around from time to time whenever we find someone’s story unbelievable. 

And I pity the turtle, because out of all the animals that could listen, they became the victim of a story no one believes. 

If a terribly slow, small, green creature has more time to listen to an over-exaggerated, lengthy story—I’m willing to be that turtle for you. 

It may seem absurd that a turtle could hold so much meaning, but maybe the slow-paced creature is the perfect symbol of loving someone. 

In an evolving society, where people switch from one thing to another—the turtle is the ultimate act of slowing down.

The turtle does not listen because it’s an unbelievable story; it listens because it has the time to. 

The turtle isn’t interested in rushing the story. 

In a world where it demands so much from us, from never-ending deadlines to hectic schedules—

I find you amidst the chaos. 

Filled with countless and never-ending stories to tell, the way your eyes light up, your dimples popping out—I forget the deadlines. 

I forget about the world rushing me, because with you I have all the time in the world to listen to how your day went. 

In the midst of conversation, you would jump from one topic to another, revealing details throughout—your messy tellings are enough for me. 

Especially in times when you would say, “Ay, wait nakalimutan ko…,” you have me all ears on you. 

Because just like the turtle, I’ll slow down for you. 

I will always have the time to listen to your crazy stories, random ramblings, and even the times when you don’t have anything else to say. 

Because I don’t want you to rush. 

I want you to take your time, because with me I will never ask you to hurry. 

I realized that loving someone means waiting for them to finish their story, to find the words to their story—even the most mundane ones. 

It’s about listening to the small details that don’t matter, but matter because they happened to them. 

It’s the thoughts that you tell me that make listening all worth it.

It’s about finding tranquility in a world that runs at two times speed. 

The outside world can have my deadlines, cramming, staying up until 3 AM to finish an activity, but with you? 

You will have my patience, my attention, all towards you. You can have the side that is willing to sit down in silence. 

And maybe in the next 10 years, once we are older and more mature. You can still keep telling me about what has happened. 

I won’t be listening because of the story; I’ll be listening because it’s you. 

So please, rant to me. 

Tell me the littlest details that have happened, and I’ll still find a way to make it meaningful. 

Tell me all the stories you have in you; I’ll listen. 

And I’ll still listen to the stories you don’t know how to tell. 

Kaya, hayaan mo na ‘yung pagong. Nandito ako—

Willing to listen.