We will be completing the first half of the year this month. Before we realize it, ayan na, 2014 will be giving way to yet a new year in our lives.
Time really flies fast. I think of profound thoughts about past personal experiences that have given me much happiness, pain and sorrow, too on a number of occasions, and most of all, valuable lessons that hopefully will teach me how to gracefully face life more and appreciate what it will still offer me as I reach the end of my journey. Malayo pa naman sana ang end, I pray.
How time has flown. I look at my eldest daughter Mag who has come home for a week’s visit from her home in Laurel, Batangas. She now has two sons and a third one is on the way. It is she who opted not to pursue her nursing career but instead make a career in marriage. She looks like she is making good at it as she and husband Rean bravely and happily I hope, start to raise their own family. In their early 20’s, these two seem to know what they want- Rean seriously tends to a couple of small business ventures as he makes himself available, too to help in the bigger family business undertakings in Laurel. My panganay Mag is a stay- at- home mom for now while the children keep coming and growing fast but plans to manage her small business also when they reach school age.
Upstairs are the rest of my children- borne by others but reared by us three sisters. Danica. RJ and Myka adults now, have also embarked on their very own life’s trek. Danica, 22 and finishing her HRM course, together with boyfriend Vincent cleaned and propped up the garage and converted it to house a small food service business that they opened a couple of months ago. It’s not a glamorous thing they do as they both have to rise up very early to go to market, cook, set up for deliveries and clean up afterwards. Added to these is their campaign to get contracts and agreements with construction groups in the area for the provision of budget but clean and nutritious meals to feed the labor force in construction. Even at my ripe, old age of 63, I imagine their venture to be tiring yes, but very exciting and not to forget, also financially rewarding- at least commensurate to the effort and puhunan invested. Lotsa sabaws served/ packed- sinigang and nilaga, pork, fish and chicken with lotsa gulay- favourite ulams of the customers. They are also served some excitement to the palate- dinakdakan, sisig, and bicol express all with siling labuyo. And lotsa rice- the Pinoy’s staple and our construction workers’ chief source of energy to be able to wield their hammers, barenas, masos and others tools generally used in construction work for smaller buildings.
Myka, my single- parent daughter has just left her job as she realized that overall, it was not worth it. In a few days, she will embark on another job- hunting activity I pray, with the same high hope she showed during her first try. I hope she lands a good one, too. My sisters and I are still at it playing doteful grandmas to our artistahin grandson Lawrence so Myka has no problem with her son when she goes back to work.
Ramil John, RJ to us, passed his OJT with Kimberley Hotel with excellent evaluation from his hotel supervisors. Our hotel and restaurant services new graduate is now submitting his resume to a number of offices- he dreams of an exciting career (who doesn’t?) as part of the hospitality staff of a cruise ship- work and travel overseas, this is his plan. Marriage is still far off in his priorities though he has a nice and lovable girlfriend who visits our home from time to time. In fact, gf Rozelle has been made ninang to one of the grandchildren (Dylan, Mag’s youngest).
And not to forget CJ, our six- year old son. This month, he will be going to school as a first- grader. More years of close guiding for this little boy. Many moments of assuring him that he gets our love all the way.
Yes, time has flown very fast for this simple Pinoy family that has coped up in times of some difficulty and thankfully managed to keep its members hold on tighter together despite or should I say, because of it. We were not able to provide our children with much that money could buy. We poured heaps of love and support to them, though.
We treasure each moment that we are together in joy and in sadness and keep in mind that each of us will be there to be the strength of the other (s) when needed as we trek to our individual journeys in life.
THANK YOU, TORONTO