Mayne Bautista

“Just Close Your Eyes”

At a young age, I learned to close my eyes not just to sleep, but to shield myself from moments too heavy for a child to hold. It became a quiet ritual, a refuge from fear, confusion, and the ache of things I couldn’t yet understand. In the stillness of the province, joy and sorrow coexisted—where the cycle of life unfolded gently before me, asking silent questions about loss and necessity. Time slipped past like wind through leaves, and with every breath, I drifted between innocence and understanding. Even the simplest acts held a strange weight, echoing with lessons I was too young to name. And in learning to endure, I found that even in fleeting beauty, there is strength waiting to grow.