Reflections on Write About Love

Dahil kakatapos lang ng exams, nanahimik bahagya ang schedule ko. Calm before the storm I should say. Kaya nanood ako ng trending na Write About Love. It is a story about a newbie writer (Miles Ocampo), partnering with a seasoned scriptwriter (Rocco Nacino), to finish and improve their script before it is given a GO by a certain film outfit.

As they go along their writing revisions, the story was being played by characters Joyce (Yeng Constantino) and Marco (Joem Bascon). It’s a story within a story. Their differing values and experiences are being reflected in the story they are writing.

Madaling makita ang contrasts: mainstream-ish female lead and indie-leaning male lead; ideal vs non-conventional point of view when it comes to storytelling. Tapos medyo kuya-bunso sila tignan lol.

Anyway, I don’t like to spoil the story for you, but still spoiler alert. Here are some of my reflections from the movie.

Love has no “one-size-fits-all” formula

As I have said, Miles and Rocco have differing views about love and relationship. Primarily because Miles has never been in a relationship before and Rocco is in a complicated one, as he mentioned in the film. May kanya kanya tayong pananaw pagdating sa pag-ibig, na kesyo ganito dapat, ganyan dapat. Pero mayroon nga bang isang molde para dito? Your guess is as good as mine.

Pero bakit nga ba marami sa atin ang subtly ipina-pattern ang story natin sa napapanood natin sa TV at movies, at mga nababasa natin sa mga novels at sa (sige na nga) Wattpad?

Though I am a firm believer of setting standards when it comes to love and relationships, I am against entering, staying or pursuing into one just because the society tells you to do so. Instead of listening to the standards of the majority, take note of the standards set by the Word of God.

Hindi palaging totoo ang “love at first sight”, “knight in shining armor” “butterflies in my stomach” at “you had me at hello”. Hindi si Antoinette Jadaone o Dan Villegas ang scriptwriter ng love story natin, si God. Kaya huwag tayong magpalimita sa mga kwentong Star Cinema.

 

Love involves pain and sacrifice

Personally, I love tearjerker films. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. Mas masakit, mas masaya. Unexpectedly, naiyak ako sa movie. Siguro dahil tagos yung scene na dineal ni Miles yung father issues niya. Takot siyang magmahal dahil takot siyang masaktan.

Also, there was this act in the story when Rocco had to convince Miles na “saktan” ang isa sa kanilang fictional character. So the cliché question – “mahal mo o mahal ka” was put on the table. Interesting para sa akin ang eksena kasi it made me realize na kasama talaga sa pag-ibig ang sakit at sakripisyo. Love without pain is make-believe. Love without sacrifice is not love at all.

Question is, will pain make us or break us? Maraming relationships ang nasisira dahil may hindi kayang magsakripisyo. Hirap mag-deal sa mga conflicts. Ang iba naman, sa dami ng conflicts na pinagdadaanan, hindi naman natututo.

A healthy perspective on pain and sacrifice will make us more mature. This is inevitable because “people who love are capable of hurting”, sabi nga sa movie.

“You are my greatest love!” sabi ni Miles sa Daddy niya, pero “You are also my greatest pain”. Tagos. Habang mas nasasaktan ang character, mas lumalabas ang strength. Nuks.

 

Love requires acceptance and understanding

Knowing that fairytale love stories don’t exist, and love goes with pain and sacrifice, we need to be more accepting and understanding. Mas lawakan ang isip at capacity na magmahal. You cannot have it your way always.

In the latter part of their fictional story, Marco was afraid Joyce will leave him once he tells her his condition. Joyce did otherwise. Kahit mahirap. Kahit nakakapagod. It takes full acceptance and understanding kapag nagmahal ka. Package deal, baho and all.

Miles’ mom knew about her Dad’s past yet minahal niya pa rin ito. Chad, the third party sa Marco-Joyce affair, had a bittersweet sacrifice for Joyce. Maraming mukha ang pag-ibig. Maraming dalang emosyon.

May mga bagay rin tayong kailangang tanggapin at unawain para mag-mature. Marahil may mga sitwasyong hindi talaga meant para sa atin. May mga pangarap na kailangang bitiwan. May mga taong kailangang pakawalan.

Pero hindi naman ibig sabihin nun titigil ka na magmahal. Ipinapakita lang sayo na maraming “alternate endings” ang possible.

 

I love how Miles and Rocco, though they are the main protagonists of the film, were not given proper names. They are just referred to as Female and Male Writers respectively. This is because their stories resonate with us. Tayo yun. May iba-ibang pananaw sa pag-ibig, hinubog ng ating mga desisyon at karanasan.