There is something about Simala that makes you go quiet before you even get there. The drive up already feels like a slow letting go of whatever was weighing on you that week. We went last weekend — kasama namin si cousin and her kids — and it felt heavier and more meaningful than any of our previous visits.
This was her first time back since her husband passed away last year. Watching her walk that road again, navigating this new life na solo na siya for her kids — it was the kind of thing you carry quietly without knowing what to say. Some moments you just show up for.
How a Simala pilgrimage from Negros actually goes.
We took Maayo Shipping, Inc. from Sibulan for the 6 AM trip. Early talaga, but the quiet crossing is part of the rhythm. We made a quick stop for coffee sa fronting ng Boljoon Church — napaka-ganda niya in the early morning light — then grabbed some food drive-thru sa Argao before continuing up.
Note: Check the Maayo Shipping, Inc. Facebook page for their current trip schedule before heading out.
We arrived around 10 AM and, as expected, ang haba ng pila. It took more than an hour to reach Mama Mary’s prayer room. Pero honestly, the wait is part of it. Standing there under the heat, surrounded by people who all came carrying something, there is a stillness that settles in if you let it. I spent most of that hour just praying — for safe travels for Xavy and me, and for whatever each person around me had silently come to ask for.
Xavy and I lit five candles. Para sa mga hindi pa familiar, each color has a meaning:
- White — Purity
- Purple — Achievement
- Green — Prosperity and success
- Pink — Thanksgiving
- Blue — Perseverance
What to buy on the way down.
After the devotion, we made our usual stops heading back down. The buko juice from the roadside stalls is something I look forward to every single time — sobrang fresh, labi na kung mainit ang araw. Then we passed by Ma’am Procee’s Torta in Dalaguete to pick up torta and bingka for pasalubong. Dili ko malimtan kana. Every. Single. Time.
We had a late lunch at Barrio Kusina before driving back to Lilo-an for the 6 PM trip home to Negros. Long day, but the kind of long that feels right.
Being a solo parent means you rarely have a day that belongs only to you. But days like this — surrounded by family, doing something that asks you to slow down and be still — those are the ones that refill whatever has been running low. Minsan, that is all you need. Not a solution. Just a quiet afternoon, a lit candle, and fresh buko juice on the way down.
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