A Palm Reader Told Me a Truth -I Will Not Marry a Girl From Panay & May Not Finished My College Studies

M E M O R I E S:Life and Time of Pastor Rudy Bernal, his Glimpses onHistory & The People’s Struggle for Freedom

Chapter – A Palm Reader Told Me a Truth. - I Will Not Marry a Girl from Panay & May Not Finish my College Studies

When we were young, from Elementary to College, we have always our crushes. The strange feelings, when we were young, We always try to develop sweet relationship with girls. And we often times feel in loved. Love was great. . An itching of the heart that we cannot scratch. These were always sweet and beautiful feelings that young boys and girls experienced. The first love. The second love, And succeeding loves young boy and girls met on the way. These left memories that remained fresh in our minds.

We often felt in love. But those were fleeting moments. It was for several months. Then the feelings fades. But there were times, when we were young, that love came grew. It continued to grow and still grow. And seem never to fade.

I got a girl friend when I quit 1^st Year High School, in Carles.,Iloilo. We were close to each other. I visited her at her sister’s home in the next village. She was lovely. We just talked. And being with each other, just talking and looking at each other, brings joy. I think we loved each other. But during our times, our culture allows us to just touched each others hand. This were our young ways of life. We were allowed to just teach the fingers and hands of our beloved.

I told my young girlfriend, "I will go and continue my studies. When I came back, we will get married". She told me: "She said, she will continue her studies." She did not say, she will wait for me. She also finished First Year high. I went to First Year high school. We did not met for nearly a year. When, I came back, I learned she was already married. That's life when we were young.

When I was 2^nd Year high, I met another girl. She was First Year high. We were very close to each other. We always find time to talk. We share some of our life’s dreams. We talked whenever, we have small time left for us together. In the school library, we find a place, were can stay, with our book and pretend we were studying. But we just set and look at each other. We were still young but we have already dreams. Dreams for the future. She was an orphan. I am a working student. But things change. She was brought to Manila by her brothers and sisters.She will continue her studies in Manila. And we never met again.

When I was 2^nd Year college at Central Philippine University, a woman, still young, about 35 years old, slim and lovely, came to our boarding house. She told us, she's a Palm Reader. She can read the future by reading the palms of our hands. You knew what were Palm readers? They were women, older women, who can read one’s future by reading the prints and linings on the palms of most adolescents girls and boys. We were told they learned this special gifts and skills from the older generations of palm readers. We were boarding in the home of Miss Carmelina Catedral, a Provincial Missionary of the Iloilo Kasapulanan of Baptist Churches. That was about 8:00 PM. Five of us boarders were around, 3 girls and two boys, including myself. It was great and fun to learn something of our future.

We were all setting on the bench. The woman looked at each of our palms. She said she will just read our futures through our palms. There maybe some changes in the future. For palm lines and marks, sometimes changed. But, she said, there were lines of our palms that remained permanent. And so, our future. But, she said, palm readings were only games. A game, that often times turned true.

Yes, we will play a game. For who could ever see the future by just reading the lines on the person’s palm? Despite these, we love to hear something of our future from a woman, who have the wisdom and skills to read our future.

The woman looked at each of our palms, 5 of us. She tried to massage our palms and fingers. I looked at her, and I could sensed an intensity on her eyes. Her eyes seemed focused on something, beyond the palms. After she had looked closely on each of our palms, she softly told us, what she read of each of our future. She told the future of every one, present that time.

The reactions of the girls were excitement. They responded happily when their future reveals some great and wonderful news. But there were times she told some not so good news. And girls feel a bit sad. And bit worried. But we remembered, what the woman said at the start. It was only a game.

Then, it was my turn. I gave her my palm. First my right palm. Then my left palm.She looked at each of my palm. She looked at it several times. She looked closely on my palms, with her minds seem in deep concentrations. It was quite a serious look. She asked me if I have a girl friend here in Panay Island. She looked at me trying to study my reaction. I said, "I am trying to court a lady here". She looked at me. Then she said, “You will not marry this girl, You will never marry a girl from Iloilo. You will not marry a girl from this Island.” Since, I was starting to court one of the ladies attending our Palm Reading Session, we just laughed as I squezzed her hands.

Then, the woman took some numbers in her bag. She will try numerology on me. She asked me to pick 3 folded papers that were pre-numbered. Then, she looked at me. She told me. I am quite bright and studious student. But it seemed, I will not finished the course I am taking in college. I will not get a degree. But she told me, with persistence, I will finish my studies and will be able to get a good job. But I will not make much money in my course and work.

She told me, I will be happy and satisfied with my work. She told me also, " I will have opportunity to go and visit some cities in other parts of the world." Then the woman said. It is only a game. it was just a game. In all these, your works, decisions and actions will still bring your future. I gave her my “sanag”. A kind of small voluntary amount, P0.50 centavos that time. After that game, the woman left. She never returned for palm sessions again. And I never seen nor met her again.

But I remembered her words. " I will not finish my college studies. But with persistence, I may finish my studies and will make a good job. But I will not make much money in my course and work. I will be happy and satisfied with my work." He told me that I may go and visit some other cities of the world. The last phrase, seemed impossible.

That was the first and last time, a palm reader had looked at my palms and read my future.

I thought and reflected on that encounter with a Palm Reader, some 65 years ago. She made a prediction of my life that seemed, true. She said, then, It was only a game. A game that have some power to become true.