Taimis: Rizal’s Unrequited Love

Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero. Of course I know him, I bet just like any Filipino does. But it was in my second year of high school when I was really introduced deeply to Jose Rizal. I took then Rizaliana for a city wide competition and that’s where I got to know more about his legacy, and why is he our national hero.

Jose Rizal’s life, in general, appeals to me. I was amazed on what kind of man he was. His works, his studies, his principles and his achievements were remarkable. That’s why I wasn’t really surprised to know that there had been a number of girls who got involved in Jose Rizal’s life.

His romances with these ladies were one of the things that interest me when it comes to studying his life. But out of all of the girls that were ever attached to Jose Rizal’s name, it was Leonor Rivera whom I was interested the most. Well, actually, their unrequited love really is the one that caught my attention. And that’s why knowing a project about their love story and finding a garden solely dedicated for their tragic love was just simply a-m-a-z-i-n-g!

Okay, this project that I’ve been pertaining to is called the Taimis Project, and the garden, located inside Pinto Art Museum in San Roque, Antipolo, Rizal, is called The Garden of Unrequited Love. Oh who would’ve guessed that, right? Naah I’m just kidding, but only on the later part, I’m serious about the garden-name-thing, if you know what I mean.

Now back to the project and the garden.

According to Sir Andy Orencio, one of the artists in the said museum, Taimis project was done to give a proper closure to Jose and Leonor’s love story, which was never done by the two themselves. The project was executed in a garden where you can hear an audio presentation that reads the letters of Leonor for Jose which was never received by him himself. All of these said letters were signed by Leonor as Taimis, the endearment used by Jose to address her, hence, naming the project as such.

I had goose bumps the moment I stepped into the garden. Hearing Leonor’s letters for Jose really gave me the creeps, not in a horrifying way of course. I really felt her regret and grief in every word of her letters.

For me, their love story is just like the one in The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, where the mother or the girl stopped the communication of the two lovers by blocking the letters sent to each other. With this, their romance was cut short and all that’s left were tons of regrets.

Several art works were also showed in the garden.

Lastly, there’s also a small table at a corner attached with glass closet full of letters - letters which were from the visitors itself. Here, using a specialized stationary, visitors can also write letters about their unrequited love, just like what Leonor did, and then deposit it either inside the closet or in one of the table’s drawers. Awesome right? It is said that this is to help heal broken hearts and to encourage them to move one. Yes, you’ve read it right - to move on. Awwwwwe.