THIS IS Part 3 of F. J. Parlan’s “open letter” that serves as the introduction to Peter Solis Nery’s “My Life as a Hermit”, which is being released in the US this month alongside two other Nery memoirs under one volume called “Heart of My Youth”.
Previously in this column, in Part 1, Parlan, quarantined in Metro Manila, wrote about the difficulty of writing an introduction to a Peter Solis Nery book, being a “fan” and a graduate of a PSN online writing workshop. But then, he proceeds by writing an open letter extolling the virtues of “My Life as a Hermit”.
In Part 2, Parlan spills the beans on the great spirituality of Nery’s hermitical experience, and expresses the significance of the re-publication of the book at this time of forced isolation during this pandemic.
Here now is the conclusion of this mini-series.
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An Open Letter To Hermit Peter, Part3
by F. J. Parlan
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There is a lot here for the devout, but even an irreligious me received a body of values, and drank the blood of virtues from the religious you. If allowing the reader to see oneself in another’s story is an author’s goal, then your life as a hermit reached that.
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So, to those who long ago already went through this portal, hopefully they went out the other side more valued and virtuous. If you, Petey, did not decide to reissue this, the golden nuggets scattered in this book may not be unearthed by the next generation of readers. The fact that this is going to be published alongside two of your early works in a three-in-one volume makes this a whopper of a deal. I’m honored to be the one opening for My Life as a Hermit.
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You asked me what I got from the letters, and I gave you a letter of what the readers can get from your letters. Quarantined FJ, in these trying times, is near the age of Hermit Peter two decades ago. This covid-19 quarantine in 2020 is by no means the only lonesome spell of my life (some are self-imposed like yours then), but this for many may be the longest. So in that sense, our stories of being a hermit are still being written.
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As a 90s kid, I still caught the tail end of the pen-to-paper correspondence era, hence I’ve sent and received my share of letters. Like Hermit Peter here, I take letters seriously. My letter writing habit persists today (as I still print countless of them for countless reasons), albeit produced electronically. It is thus apropos that I pay homage to my own hermitage through this letter. This one letter, as your many letters, has been a confessionalby the dashboard.
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As I felt the cool breeze dissipating from the cloud of this enterprise hanging over my head for a while, you told me, in your invaluable mentorship: “See? You just have to have heart to do it.”
Yes, aside from time, heart! “In the heart of Jesus” that’s yours to fill or burst, to break or bury, to wear as jewelry — whichever you prefer.
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This letter, the one of it, wishfully gives justice to your letters, the nineteen of them. And a dream.
This letter which is my contribution, and introduction, to your nineteen letters. And a dream.
A dream, which hopefully came true for you.
A dream from Hermit Peter to a patron saint of local literature, martyr amongst Filipino writers, champion of Hiligaynon, workshop king, and sex poetess.
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And I remain…
Your protégé today, peer tomorrow, and forever a fan,
Quarantined F J
Metro Manila, 2020
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“Heart of My Youth” by Peter Solis Nery compiles three of his early memoirs written in the late 1990s. Published in the US this August 2020, the book contains “The Essential Thoughts of a Purple Cat” (1996), “Moon River, Butterflies, and Me” (1997), and “My Life as a Hermit” (1998).
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From the PSN: You need to understand that in order to have all three books in one convenient volume, I had to wait for my publishing contracts to expire, and make sure that none of the two publishers are interested in reprinting any of the three titles.
I do not know the real value of republishing these memoirs that are more than two decades old, except that the first editions are now out of print.
From my self-indulgent perspective, nostalgia is the biggest part of my decision to republish.
I turned 51 this year, and, occasionally, over morning coffee, I indulge myself thinking about my literary legacy.
No doubt, the social distancing forced on the world by the crazy, scary COVID-19 pandemic has also pressured me to produce a few more books this year, even if one or two, like the “Heart of My Youth”, are simply rehashed material.
So yeah, rehashed maybe, but they’re so sweet and significant.
Also, the brand new intros by Parlan (“My Life as a Hermit”), Radislao (“Moon River, Butterflies, and Me”), and Plotria (“The Essential Thoughts of a Purple Cat”) really rock!
Oh, and that beautiful cover by 2018 Peter’s Prize winner for Visual Arts, Kristoffer George Brasileño./PN
