I will be very personal this time.
Almost two weeks ago, I tested positive. I got rattled, a bit jittery, and didn’t know what to do – I was going to have my fifth vaccination when it happened. I called friends to inform them of my status as they were with me on the last 3 big events I attended. I started tracing and also made them aware to test themselves – all of them were negative.
It was not easy to be isolated, my dear publisher/ed Tess C said, “Don’t go out, stay at home, relax, chill out. This is the time to really be slow and take care of your health.”
I listened and realized it’s indeed so precious to just even sit doing nothing. On the first few days, I looked at my window as I sipped coffee, watched neighbors walk their dogs. This was in between bouts of coughing (I was feverish for a night).
As life paused and reorganized, I checked myself closely – was I leaning toward personal growth? By embracing this change, I could meet myself again in a brand new place. And maybe become a better version of myself.
I had barely relaxed when dear friends came to my rescue. Someone offered to get my medication knowing I could not get out (thanks Peaches, it means a lot); Mon and Tere dropping off a Greek lunch from Danforth plus copies of Balita at the bench on the front door; my taste buds seemed to be half-installed but there’s Jannie who overwhelmed me with a surprise show of 6 super sarap items from Republica – “Tita, kaya mo yan!”
Then the “quiet treat” from Rosary who drove miles away to heal my body (OMG, organic Green Ginger tea plus 6 more rare items for my throat, my hands, ah – the relaxing lavender) and she replenished my innermost soul (sacred souvenirs from Our Lady of Fatima) – I got misty-eyed, feeling so holy and pure.
Yes I have learned I do really want to be with friends, the best moments at certain times.
The notes from my niece Grace, nephews Jojit and Gary from Alabang (and for the first time I am putting here my family photos) and the meaningful lines from Tess C and Congen Castro brought tears to my eyes.
My fridge was full of special foods that i did not buy but gifts from the heart – now I know am a Krispy Kreme addict (it’s your fault Janet) and her special dish of callos (among others) to die for. Relatives who cooked a variety of soups to warm me up. The many emails, texts, phone calls were like a prayer brigade – storming the heavens to heal me – all sugar-coated enough to make me whole.
I finally got healed on the First Sunday of Advent – I tested negative! The Advent candles have never been more significant to me – yes, they are true symbols of hope, faith, peace and joy. Praise the Lord.
All these beautiful acts mean Christmas to me!
Let us always be thankful for what we have, for the family we love, the friends we cherish, and for more blessings that will come.
I am thankful for technology that allows us all to connect from a distance. I am beyond grateful for the many lives I’ve had the privilege of connecting with. What a joy, what a gift to have so many friends near or far. The holidays are that season when tradition encourages a humble tolling of all that should be appreciated, and a future shimmering with promise.
I enjoy the quiet reflections and a certification that actually, the best things in life are free – the air we breathe, the grass we walk on, the snow that transforms our surroundings to a winter wonderland, the flowers, the lakes, the birds and the bees…
The best things in life don’t require a credit card – a priceless feeling is something that no amount of money could ever buy… From small, everyday joys like listening to your favorite song to memorable experiences, there are so many reasons to treasure your life. Everyday is like Christmas. What a blessing!
Short News
Right now bffs Tirso Cruz III and Christopher de Leon are headlining A Night to Remember, a dinner and dance show in Los Angeles and Florida (Dec 9 ad 17). Later, the two will join Edgar Mortiz and Lovi Poe for a Valentine Special in Manila. I asked them, “Why not in Toronto?”
“Game kami!” they all said. Hey, why not!
Asia’s longest-running drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya” bid farewell on air after 31 years in the industry. Our dear Charo posted a video saying 31 years is not enough to thank all the people who support the show.
“Hindi na po mabilang ang nasalaysay na kuwento dito sa ‘MMK’ — mga kuwentong totoo, mga salamin ng sarili ninyong buhay na nagbigay ng aral at ng panibagong pag-asa,” she said.
But wait a minute, there’s some reason for jubilation. Our beloved Charo recently won as Best Actress for “Kun Maupay Man It Panahon” at #The5thEddys. The entire movie is in Waray dialect (but captioned and yes, Charo did a course in Waray).
Kun Maupay Man It Panahon tells the story of three Filipinos struggling to recover from the aftermath of the 2013 Super Typhoon Yolanda. The characters, portrayed by Charo Santos-Concio, Daniel Padilla, and Rans Rifol, attempt to survive and overcome the challenges around them. Directed by Carlo Francisco Manatad, the film takes a different storytelling approach from what the audience might expect.
While other disaster-themed movies choose a dramatic portrayal of tragic events, Kun Maupay Man It Panahon opts to highlight the struggles of the survivors through an interesting mix of realism and the surreal.
Does this mean that Charo now will have time and be a full-time actress?
“ABANGAN!” she sweetly told us.
Is it really goodbye for Angel Locsin and hubby Neil Arce?
Arce denied separation rumors in a statement he sent to comedian Ogie Diaz, which the latter showed on his YouTube vlog on Nov. 17.
“Me and my wife are charitable people. Donation na po namin sa fake news peddlers ‘yang kikitain nila sa pagkalat ng fake news. Besides, deserve naman ng followers and subscribers nila makarinig ng kasinungalingan,” Arce said.
Guess who first greeted us Merry Christmas?
No other than Bulilit, Nora Aunor.
“Ate Babes, umuwi ka na!” she requested.
Now, let us talk about Mr. Christmas, Joe Mari Chan. It’s the time of the year when we hear our favorite Christmas In Our Hearts, the song that reminds us not to forget the love we have for Jesus, sung by Jose Mari Chan and his daughter Liza.
Released in 1990, the song is an unprecedented “double diamond” (20 times “platinum,” with a sale of more than 800,000 copies so far — and counting), making it the biggest-selling album in Philippine recording history.
Liza and Joe have sung it in many concerts. “Liza was only 19 when we recorded it,” Joe disclosed. “Now she’s 40ish.” But did you know that Liza was not the first choice to sing it with her father?
“It was supposed to be Lea Salonga,” revealed Joe Mari. “However, her recording contract didn’t allow her to guest on a competing label. It was really destiny that Liza would sing that song with me.” The father-daughter tandem gave it that extra heart-warming touch, delivering the true meaning of Christmas.”
Right now, am ready to watch my all-time favorite Christmas films. My top three are:
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) tells the story of dissatisfied businessman George Bailey, played by James Stewart, who is visited by an Angel who shows him what life would be like if he’d never been born. Despite not being a box office hit when it was released in 1946, the film and its message have become iconic.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) This is the fanciful story of Kris Kringle, and the trial to prove he’s the real deal, an ode to the transformative power of believing in something positive. For all the star power in this movie (including a young Natalie Wood as Susan, the girl who needs to believe), it’s Edmund Gwenn as Kris who remains so pure and positive, you really might believe he is Santa by the end.
Home Alone (1990) When bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother (Catherine O’Hara) makes him sleep in the attic. After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin, he awakens to an empty house and assumes his wish to have no family has come true. You know what happens next.
How about you, what is your favorite playlist?
See you next ish – when we’re ready to eat puto bumbong at our Simbang Gabi. ******