The Love in the Eye of the Lens

by Rhedelyn Dimayuga

The sky radiates the looming of the sun. The noise filling my mind and the sweet smell

of the Sampaguita crept into my being. I remember the sound of his voice, the sound of his hands clasping and the look in his eyes. I was afraid, I cannot move, I cannot do anything "Please, help me" my mind would yell but my voice cannot be heard. I hope people would

hear me, my begging voice and my crying heart," Please, someone! Please, help me". 

And then…. the tolling of the bell woke me up from my reverie. It felt like it was just

yesterday, the memory of my past would always hunt me, and hunt me like I'm a criminal

on the loose. I seek the place, where I am. I see family, smiling together, while I am just

sitting in this son of a gun wheelchair, stuck with a big balloon like head, and alone. In this church, The Cathedral, I spent my life in the last 2 years. I was left and put here to be a beggar for someone I truly love. I thought she would still love despite what happened to me but I thought wrong. When she found out I have a sickness that cost millions to be cured she left me here and let me be her piggy bank. After, every mass, that guy would get the money that people gave me for mercy, and spent it all. That guy, that planted the silly idea into her thick skull, for me to be her money maker. She loved me when I was young but everything changed when she met a guy. A guy that will cause my unacceptable disease.

 

As I roam around, I saw a child in a wheelchair staring blankly into the oblivion. As I was

staring at him, I felt his loneliness, his fear and everything in between. I pull my camera and started to capture the moment. In my mind "I think I have a story here!" "I need to capture his emotion" "I can feel it!

“I will be famous for this." Jack a 24-year-old struggling photographer shouted with glee. 

Finally, a story I can share, my lens will capture it. 

" My lens", with excitement and ambition in my head I started to capture him.  

"Ah, the photo came out very nice, just by looking at it I can already tell I will be famous!  "Awards! Fame! Here I come". Jack said with glee.

I went straight to my office, but before I can knock, I remember that I did not get to talk to the boy.

“Oh! Jack why are you so forgetful.” “I need the child’s story, how could I forget uhhh,” Jack told with so much frustration. I can vividly see what my Big Boss would tell me if I came in his office with a half-baked story. I hurriedly went back to the cathedral.  

I came looking for the boy, but what I saw baffled me, a man was hurting the child. I

pick my camera immediately and captured the moment, and then call the attention of the

police nearby. 

"Help!!! a child was being beaten." The police came hurriedly, but the perpetrator was

already gone. 

I went to the child and I saw his tears and a small smile on his face, his face it's perfect. I got my camera and take that one last shot before hugging the boy, who was frail and beautiful. I started talking to him asked him several questions and with all honesty and bravery, Harry told me his story.

" I am a young boy, only 7 years old but my head feels like I have a world above my

shoulder. When I was just a baby up until 5 years old, my mom loves me dearly even though we don't have enough money to buy foods on the table, we were happy. Until one day she brought a guy and told me that he will be my new father. I know my mom was tired of our life and I know that it was hard for her to make ends meet. After all, she was a single mother, no one else would help us that's why even though I don't like the guy I accepted him wholeheartedly, not knowing that he will be the reason for my demise, for our demise."

"Is he the guy hurting you?" I asked. " Yes, he was that guy. He was the reason for this

head."

How?" I curiously asked. 

"He went home one day, smelling like chico, with some Sampaguita garlands in his hands.

He started to sway the Sampaguita garlands in my face and told me that I can sell those in

the church so that I could help the family. But, before I could answer, his eyes changed and he began to hurt me, he pushed me on the wall and he told me that I was just a nuisance in my mother's life, that I was just bringing my Mother to hell. In my head maybe that was true, maybe I am just a thorn in my mother's life. I know that my mother was chasing her dreams when he was accidentally got pregnant. I know my mom was raped, but despite every criticism, every word that people throw at her, she still choose to give me life and loved me, so I cannot fight I just started crying until I felt my head was crushed on the wall and then my world became dark. I woke up and my head just turns like this, I suffered, I have now hydrocephalus. I heard my mom and the doctor talking that I need to be operated immediately but they need 1 million pesos for the operation.  My stepfather came, I was so scared, I thought my Mom would be mad at him but to my surprise, she hugged him and cried to her heart’s content in the arms of the man that did this to me. I heard them, my stepfather told my mom about the beggar children in the church and that she can leave me in the cathedral so that I can be their money maker. Maybe my Mom was really tired of me that's why she left me here and I have no choice so I just accepted my fate. I also would like to help her in any possible way even though I was hurting I know my Mom was hurting more."

The picture and article were published. Many saw the pain and the love that radiates

through the photo. The boy’s mother came and says her sorry to Harry and Harry easily

accepted her mother and they are now living together again. Many pledged to help him in

his operation. The man who caused all his pain is now in a place where he truly belongs. 

Through my lens, I captured a wonderful boy that has stories that people can learn too.

There are a lot of people who is a victim of poverty, of cruelty in the world just like Harry

because of his illness he was used to be a beggar on the street. Because of his love to his

mother he forgot that he was a child, a child that deserves love and every wonderful thing

that the world can offer him. 

Love in the eye of the lens, that is now my purpose, to find stories that will touch

people's heart and not to chase FAME AND FORTUNE.