dual*ities

"Don't they always seem to go, but you don't know what you got 'til it’s gone..." ~ Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi

I got this email from our college batch’s yahoogroups late last week:

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Who would have though that one day soon, we will bid good old Colayco Hall a bittersweet goodbye...

On the 11th of March 2005, Friday, 6:30 in the evening, at the COLAYCO Pavilion, join us as we pay tribute to the good old building that sheltered us all, gave us comfort, and nurtured our young and fragile minds and hearts...

back when we were in the process of knowing ourselves...back when we had nothing but dreams, back when we treasured nothing but real friendships, the only silent witness was her...

Colayco Hall takes her final bow...to give way to The New Ateneo Student Center.

11 March 2005
Friday, 6:30 pm
Colayco Pavilion
Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University

Attire: Cocktails/Corporate

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It’s amazing to see (judging from the response that the abovementioned email got) how a lot of the alumni waxed nostalgic over the news of the demolition of an old school building. But then again, for many of us, it was more than an old structure, but—as cheesy as it may sound—a place where dreams were born and took flight. I mean, Colayco (the ACIL Room in particular) was practically my home for 4 years! Hence, in a very real sense, it’s a storehouse of memories of happy, hectic, and youthful days gone by.

Too bad I wasn’t able to witness the “tribute” last Friday. (It coincided with a play in CSB that my good friend starred in, and which will henceforth not be mentioned here because of the oath that I made to said friend not to publish it online.) Nevertheless, I promised myself to pay my last visit to good ole’ Colayco before it gets torn down sometime this week.

Yesterday, I got my chance to catch a final glimpse of the hall, and to take some pictures of it (such as the one above) for posterity. When I saw it, I realized that nothing but the edifice itself, as well as some mini-posters declaring the demolition, remained of Colayco. I learned from a friend that the signages and what-have-yous were actually auctioned off during last Friday’s ceremonies. Hence, where it was a bustling place full of activity and laughter and new ideas, it really has come down to being an old abandoned building…for now at least.

I realized, however, that I am not at all sad about the prospect of losing Colayco Hall to a new building. After all, what will be torn down is the structure…not the memories, not the dreams, not the spirit of genuine friendship. And really, at the end of the day, it is the essence of the thing (or in this case, the hall), and not the thing itself, that truly matters.

i will miss colayco. its hustle and bustle. the romance that blossomed and crumbled in the enta room. looking for chiqui in the acil room and rowie at clc...

sigh. too bad i wasn't able to witness the tribute either.

but yes, the memories will remain in our hearts. and the dreams... slowly trying to make it come true.

-anj