I close my eyes and turn it around over and over, straining my ears, training them to imagine.

I search my memories for the sound of rain. It frightens me, this that nourishes and also destroys, and I am comforted by the thought that this is something I can control. In my hands, I could command a soothing trickle, a torrential downpour. When the sound begins, my hands fetch fleeting instants.
That fateful night, with you by my side, while I pretended to be asleep. I wasn't sure, if that was rain or my thundering heart and I asked you if my ears were correct. Back then home was a pseudo-Venice, only with less grandeur and more underwater. Rain was the constant bearer of bad news. It would only mean that Flood will be visiting us again, despite us paying our dues.

I who worshipped the sun seemed to be followed by the Flood everywhere. Even in our new home, I wasn't safe. The Big Baddie was a stalker, and now it knew where we lived.

Then home became you, and rain or shine you are there and I'm never afraid.



Except a bit, right now. You're nursing a fever and I call on my ancestors for help. When my lolo (grandfather) was still alive, he led a group of lovely, luminous people called spiritists. His father did that before him, inspired by Alan Kardec from France. I fancy myself one of them, but now I'm not too sure. The beliefs and the theories are there, but what I need right now is the skill to make you better. We have what we call "pases", which could be likened to faith healing. My lolo would lead the healing sessions in the center in Obando and I watched them when I was a kid. After praying, the healers would stand in front of the patients and do hand movements that remind me of the unfurling of a flower. Never touching the patient, eyes closed in concentration, they did the same graceful dance with their hands. Banishing the hurt and the bad through the power of faith in the maker and the belief that things will be better soon. At home, when I have asthma or a fever or if I'm not feeling well, He would heal me. I believe in his healing powers, and I would get healed. That's how faith healing works. It would work as well as when you do it to yourself (scientific findings indicate that positivity in sick patients help them recover faster), but having another person or more pray for your recovery would probably work more wonders (as per the Noetic theory. Before you slept, as I rubbed your back with menthol salve I stopped every now and then and did what I could remember about "pases". I couldn't remember the steps and I haven't memorized the prayer before and after, but I did it in good faith, while I told you over and over how you'd be better tomorrow, how it would be just a fever, nothing more.


I'm saying this for you; for you, dear reader, and also for me. Sometimes when we get bogged down by too many worries and imagined baddies it helps to have someone there implying, "I'm here." So here it is, a virtual hug:

Have faith, things will get better soon.



*Got this rainmaker from the ever-generous Shar! (Thanks Shar!). I was just admiring it and telling her how much I've always wanted one, how it's just the right size and then she gave it to me! :)

There's the complete Love and Rockets waiting for me in the future, along with Asterios Polyp. If you like comics, or if you want to start getting into reading comics, you might want to check out this very interesting and well-written list about the best comics of the decade . Likewise is mentioned, and so is Y the Last Man and What It Is by Lynda Barry. I'm pretty excited to study and discover more comics from this list, but are there comics that you adore?

I'm pretty much in love with Strangers in Paradise, the early Runaways and the Buffy season 8 comics. How about you? Any recommendations?