5 years ago to this day, I was in a coffee shop in the heart of Makati. I was listening to my youngest sister and mom crying on the other end of the line. Still a vivid memory.
Just a short note to remember my Dad.
My mom said our youngest is really a daddy's girl. As if to prove it, she got news that she passed the nursing board on our dad's supposed 65th birthday. And she took her oath five years since the day he returned home.
Yes Patang, you are daddy's little girl. We are all very proud of you....for what you have achieved despite the many obstacles along the way.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Lupang Hinirang
May mga araw na mababaw ang luha ko. This is one of those days. When we sang Lupang Hinirang at the start of the Department of Tourism-sponsored run, tears welled up my eyes. Suddenly the words of our national anthem took whole new meaning.
With the recent turn of events, my sense of national pride was at a low, if not an all-time low. Who doesn't? But a visit to Quirino, seeing and rediscovering the beauty that is old Manila, or hearing of HK teens hugging Filipinos. The spirit of volunteerism and the positivity I hear in others, somehow uplifted my spirits.
We are a race that prides itself of being resilient amidst adversities. And yet after getting beaten black and blue, you get numb and that resilient spirit you are so proud can easily evolve into indifference.
That incident was a major blow in this already castigated nation. Admittedly, we did a lot of things wrong on August 23, during and even in the aftermath of the tragedy. We failed.
However, I agree with one article, we shouldn't let this one incident define us as a nation. But as we learned in forecasting, most recent history has the greatest weight in projecting the outcome of an event. And that recent event defined us as a people, our system and the climate which we live in.
And we cannot blame anyone who has lost faith in our fellowmen and the system we have put in place. Maybe that was the reason the tears came, because for a moment, I have lost faith.
And yet hearing the words of the national anthem, I was reminded that despite its many imperfections, we live in a country that has been lambasted and yet has the audacity to stand proud and smile. Is it indifference? Callousness? Or is it the capacity to roll with the punches and get up after a knockdown?
No words or new negotation team can bring back the lives lost. What we can do is move on and ensure that we know what to do when (God forbid) this happens again.
Lupang Hinirang, now might not be your proudest moment. But I still believe in the capacity of your people to adjust and move on. After all, a pearl is a product of dirt in the ocean. If only we can the harness the power of an oyster.....
With the recent turn of events, my sense of national pride was at a low, if not an all-time low. Who doesn't? But a visit to Quirino, seeing and rediscovering the beauty that is old Manila, or hearing of HK teens hugging Filipinos. The spirit of volunteerism and the positivity I hear in others, somehow uplifted my spirits.
We are a race that prides itself of being resilient amidst adversities. And yet after getting beaten black and blue, you get numb and that resilient spirit you are so proud can easily evolve into indifference.
That incident was a major blow in this already castigated nation. Admittedly, we did a lot of things wrong on August 23, during and even in the aftermath of the tragedy. We failed.
However, I agree with one article, we shouldn't let this one incident define us as a nation. But as we learned in forecasting, most recent history has the greatest weight in projecting the outcome of an event. And that recent event defined us as a people, our system and the climate which we live in.
And we cannot blame anyone who has lost faith in our fellowmen and the system we have put in place. Maybe that was the reason the tears came, because for a moment, I have lost faith.
And yet hearing the words of the national anthem, I was reminded that despite its many imperfections, we live in a country that has been lambasted and yet has the audacity to stand proud and smile. Is it indifference? Callousness? Or is it the capacity to roll with the punches and get up after a knockdown?
No words or new negotation team can bring back the lives lost. What we can do is move on and ensure that we know what to do when (God forbid) this happens again.
Lupang Hinirang, now might not be your proudest moment. But I still believe in the capacity of your people to adjust and move on. After all, a pearl is a product of dirt in the ocean. If only we can the harness the power of an oyster.....
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Kobe
Back in high school, a trip to Kobe, Japan did not push through because of the 1995 earthquake. My classmates and I were supposed to go to Kobe on an educational tour sponsored by the city's local government. Due to the cancellation, they sent us an apology letter and a miniature japanese umbrella.
I forgot all about that near miss until we passed by Kobe. The city where my favorite baskatball player got his name. I didn't get to go around the city, I just caught a glimpse of it from the rapid train to another city in Southern Japan.
Famous for its prime beef, it didn't fit on our hectic 7-day round-about the land of the rising sun. Maybe the next time I'm here, I'll definitely swing by. And after what I've seen, heard and experienced in the land of the rising sun, there'll surely be a next time.
Though, I was not given the opportunity to visit Kobe before, I am thankful to pass by it 15 years later. Sometimes the answer to our prayers is not really "No" it is somtimes "Not Yet".
But sometimes we have to prepare ourselves for the "Not ever" reply.
I forgot all about that near miss until we passed by Kobe. The city where my favorite baskatball player got his name. I didn't get to go around the city, I just caught a glimpse of it from the rapid train to another city in Southern Japan.
Famous for its prime beef, it didn't fit on our hectic 7-day round-about the land of the rising sun. Maybe the next time I'm here, I'll definitely swing by. And after what I've seen, heard and experienced in the land of the rising sun, there'll surely be a next time.
Though, I was not given the opportunity to visit Kobe before, I am thankful to pass by it 15 years later. Sometimes the answer to our prayers is not really "No" it is somtimes "Not Yet".
But sometimes we have to prepare ourselves for the "Not ever" reply.
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