I officially celebrated my birthday on the eve of March 13. All thanks to LNP Alabang. It was great, although I expected it. It also was my first celebrated birthday. Got the “should be celebrated” thing from Theo and Rosa…and they were right. Life is such a great gift from God that it is totally idiotic not to celebrate it. In addition, I received many greetings (from new and old friends) and that started my festive mood. Thanks to all! One friend whom I haven’t heard of for many years (he was then a seminarian, he’s now a priest) called up and actually sang a birthday song for me he! he! Not a macho thing to do but the heck, I nearly shed a tear ha! ha!
I slept over at Theo’s house after the fellowship and we woke up at seven in the morning to do my first work of mercy as a birthday boy- cleaning the house of my super fabulous friend, Rosa! She should be thankful I am not really a writer so I do not have a stack of adjectives to describe her garden. Well, I am actually just scared that she might get angry with me ha ha! (Unthinkable!)
Anyway, let me start my musings there. My life started in the same rabble as that of my friend’s garden. My parents were young and problematic but I knew they wanted to build a beautiful garden they can call their family. Besides, every garden is meant to look good right. I can no longer remember how many times my mother ran away from us but I can still remember how my father asked me why I let her go. Then he would search for her again. I had no inkling about relationships then but I was already proud that my father was romantically sweet. How I wish I inherited that he! he!
My parent’s case is a classical example of people who thought that building a family is the best way to escape from life’s problems. And like most cases, my parents’ newly built family is not made to last. Everything took its toll when my father was imprisoned and my mother left us. Young as I was, I understood that I had to take care of myself and of my siblings. On a positive note, that started my adventures in life!
My father’s mother, (my life’s hero) took care of my sister and me. She took us in Ilocos Sur where she was taking care of my cousins because my aunt was working abroad. That place remains the best place for me. A small beach cove on the west and a range of mountain on the east, I won’t exchange it for Palawan or Boracay! I used to have natural blond hair because I frequented the sea for swimming and for fishing. But my favorite chore was going to the mountain to get firewoods. Not that I was industrious as a kid but there used to be a spot there where I could see the whole town, the beach, the rice fields, the road and our little nipa hut. That grandiose view sort of made me feel good about my self. As if it is telling me that something as grandiose as that is waiting to be unfolded in my life… perhaps, those were the first times when I felt God’s embrace through his creation. My next favorite activity was going to the seashore at night and lie on the sand to look directly at the stars. It was during those times when I built dreams, talked to myself, asked questions and wondered if in the future I could go back in the same spot and congratulate myself for fulfilling every dream that I shared with the stars.
After our own version of the agony in the garden (joke lang hehe! Happily cleaning the garden of Rosa) , Theo and I went back to his house because I pledged to cook spaghetti for the Kids in Sigla. My second work of mercy. The night before that, we bought cheap pasta in Muntinlupa market. Imagine the difference; 1 kilo of pasta in the market is 54 pesos while labeled pasta in big groceries costs 85 pesos up. Revealing the Ilokano in me he! he! Nevertheless, my friends said the spaghetti was good despite its cheap price. Well, I made it a point that LOVE is the main ingredient naks! I was so tired that day until I saw the kids enjoy the spaghetti (I should acknowledge the 1-kilo sweet corn hotdog of Jen, so sweet of her). Then I thanked God for giving me the opportunity to celebrate with them. They looked exactly like me when I was a kid, its just that I was darker and my hair was blond he! he! However, my resemblance with them is not so much on the physical look but on their situation in life. Indeed, I was so much like them…
I started working as early as six years old. My usual day is waking up in the morning, fixing my banig and that of my cousins. We eat breakfast together, but washing the dishes was mine alone. My first taste of injustice he! he! Then I would go to a tobacco factory to work. (or sell merienda in our plaza or be in-charge of our sari-sari store.) The job was simple, I only had to separate first grade tobacco leaves from rejects. I felt bad about the rejects because they were thrown away. I didn’t understand why there had to be rejects when all of them went through the same process. Just as I didn’t understand why I had to either work or take care of our sari-sari store when all kids, including my cousins, are out there playing. I didn’t understand why people looked down on me and told me I will have the same fate as my father or mother. At a certain point in my life, I felt like I was a reject. It didn’t help that my mother left me, how could I fathom the fact that even my own mother rejected me.
I guess I was a natural fighter. My self-esteem was naturally high. Early on, I knew I didn’t want to become a rejected tobacco leaf. Early on, I could look straight to the eye of my life’s circumstances and say, “I AM TOO BIG FOR YOU, YOU CANNOT DEFEAT ME!” I understand now that my self-esteem is the first grace of God for me. That grace never failed. Moreover, the weight of responsibility that my lola put on my shoulder has kept my feet on the ground. And I cannot thank her enough for forming me in such way. I am very proud of my childhood days! Actually, I really think I was never a child- I was just a small man. (sorry for bragging hehe!)
When I looked at the SIGLA kids, I saw in them the once me who dreamt and fought. And I wish I will have a chance to support them in their fight. It would be great to think that somehow, in my small ways, I have influenced them in their bright future. Indeed, one of the best gifts that God gives us is for us to be gifts to others.
Everybody went to Festival mall after the SIGLA outreach. We were there to wait. And it was a real long wait. But its okay. Sometimes it doesn’t matter what you are doing as long as you are doing it with friends. Don’t take that negatively hehe! What I mean is it didn’t matter that we were becoming corny that time, the important thing is our fellowship. Knowing that I was there with friends and they were with me. That was another reason to celebrate!
High school is a part of my life that simply passed by because I was impatient. I wanted to grow up faster, go to college and work. It was also when my sister died of leukemia. (had this in my previous blog, don’t wanna repeat it he!he! malungkot eh) I was with an uncle (a cousin to my father) who took me in as his son. The training that my lola gave me helped a lot during my stay with my uncle’s family. At least I knew how to clean their house, wash his cars, take care of his children and do other chores. Before I knew it, I already finished high school! Well, yeah, there were some colors during my high school years. You know, much of the “first times” happened in high school. But I rather not mention them here ha! ha!
College years were the longest years of the young me. I finished my first undergrad course from my 4th college school with my 4th course… I don’t wanna strain your eyes, I’ll share it next time…
Ah, it was a good 25 years of living. This year for sure will be better hehe! I CAN ONLY GLORIFY GOD FOR IT!
TO END, A HEARTFELT GRATITUDE TO ALL OF YOU WHO BECAME PART OF MY LIFE! EVERYTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN SO IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT YOU!
SALAMAT SA LAHAT NG BUMATI!
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