After 10 Years

Last December 26, the high school batch 1994 of Siena College of Taytay had a reunion at Club Manila East.

I can't say it was well attended but nonetheless, i'd like to consider it a successful event despite its only 50% attendance.

The first thing that came into my mind that night was, when I was in my high school, 10 years back, I don't think I have thought of us having a reunion after 10 years.

But we have and the moment happened last Sunday.

The night was a blast. It's always wonderful to see old faces that makes you remember fun and youth and laughters and almost all firsts of your life.

I saw old faces, most I have not seen since my graduation of 1994. Some, I may have, one way or the other, saw through the years but most, I have really lost communications with.

So many changed and yet, amidst all the laughing and shouting and reminiscin', I realised, we are all essentially the same as we were all before. Sure we may have "changed" (in its purest meaning), but deep down, the person we were before, I think, are still the same ones we are now.

I was thinking that if we all decided to come to the reunion wearing our uniform, it would be eerie but it would seem 10 years had not passed.

The night was simply a night of laughter, of hugging each other, of remembering names, of showing how things been in each lives, of how are the ups and downs and yet we are all there to share one moment in our lives, of how many has gained weight, of how one defines success and triumph ....

I love every moment of it, it must say! I enjoyed the night by even merely looking at faces of people I may not have been too close or even friends with in high school, people I recognized who have shared an experience with me in high school in some ways ... I think, in its essence, all people that night had the connection to one another that not one can explain.

We realise the moments when we were strong, moments when we were at our weakest, moments when we seem misunderstood, moments when we were laughing, moments when we thought it was over, moments when we share, when we have been united, moments when we were alienated... our antics, our triumphs, our funniest, our loneliest, the good and the bad, the braces and the hair ... hahahah ... I never thought reunions are as crazy as it had been with ours. All I do know is it sure is so much fun!

Through it all, we were there that night. All smilin'. Despite the differences in the paths we have taken, I felt that night merged all those paths into one memorable and foreverly remembered flashbacks.

For me, we have all been enriched by the lives we have lived. Whether it has been a hard life or an easy one, it has molded us into the persons we were that night.

I am proud of us. Everything is all there to be proud of. But I am most proud that we are all alive and living our lives to the fullest!

And I look forward to our 20th anniversary in 2014.

later.

ps,
yup, my high crush crush was there. amazingly, we talked to each other as 10 years ago, I can count in the palm of my hand when we actually had longer than 2 mins conversation to each other. hehehe .. have I outgrown my infatuation? .... hmmm ... didn't I say above that I think, essentuially, we have not changed?
later later.

Roadtrip to Calaruega

It's always a wonderful time when I am with my dear best friends. Laughter never fails to deafen the persons nearby, or food pig out or lots of reminiscin' and future envisioning. We are all just one happy group of girls who are naughty but nice .. right Vie?

Last Saturday, I went to Calaruega in Butalao, Batangas with Reg, Cathy, Vie and JP (JP, of course, being the "dad" of the group and Cathy's better half). We missed our dear girlfriend Armi who, before she left several months back, was also in Calaruega to see if I am trul telling the truth about the place.

We were late in leaving the city as I was late in our meeting place (hey, I had Christmas parties for two consecitive nights ... and it was one of those few times that I was ever late, right girls?). Anyway, we began our trip to Calaruega with a several teasing and many laughs. I voluntered to bring the sandwhiches and the hot choco, Cathy and JP for some drinks and "poison" food (yeah yeah the junk ones ... so we are not health buffs) and Mrs. Sung (as she prefers to be called now that she is married to her Korean hubby) brought MORE junk food.

So the trip began with a AWFUL (im sorry, Cathy, I have to say it ..) music ... the grunge, the heavy metal rock, the NOISE from the car's stereo. Our driver, Ms. Cathy Lorbes, wants a blasting sound so as to prevent any of us from doozing off. It's really as if we can even blink our eyes close when I think I just want to cover my ears from the sound. On the other hand, Reg, the sentimental lawyer, wants the love songs radio station. JP, being a kind referee as he is, once in a while, changes the station to appease the head banging head of Cathy and the sentimental heart of Reg. And all these while Vie and I devoured some sandwhiches dipped in some sandwhich spead and some hot choco.

The talks about each other's lives were intercepted by some jaw breaking laughters, some bladder breaking anicdotes from myself,some work "chika" from Cathy and JP, some sentimental stories from the hopeless romantic Reg and some marriage and breakfast "coffee" from the married Vie.

We arrived to our destination sometime around 10 in the morning and everyone is excited to be there. I, for one, was personally happy to have returned to one of my favorite places in the world, the Transfiguration Chapel of Calaruega. It is located on top of a small hill.

The place has a sentimental value to me. I have told those I am closest with how I feel about Calaruega. My first time there was 8 years ago and over the years after, I have planned on returning and being one with the place again. It was a leadership training convention that I attended when I was in Calaruega back in my college days. The activity was fun and eventful and I have learned to much. But the best moment I experienced there was when I sat on this lone bench adjacent to the small chapel on the left and over looking verdant fields and mountains. Just few steps from the same bench is already a cliff. I did not fall, of course ... but what happened was I fell in love with the beauty of what I have seen. The vast green fields and the strong proud mountains, capped with white clouds in a beautiful orange skyline ... it was before sunrise, around 6 in the morning and the whole experience converted me into a person of more faith in the wonders of a brand new day, a dawning of miracles, a blessing of beauty and serenity.

I have told to myself some promises that day and I keep such in my heart until the time it happens and all will be returned to that "promise land".

I first entered that chapel 8 years ago, when the sun was slowly rising and the rays of sun is reflected to the glass stained creations at the altar. The beam of light which is bounced on the glasses created an amazing dance of colors and stains inside the chapel. It awed me and until now, looking inside the chapel last saturday, I can almost see the reflections of the glasses. Simply breathtaking.

Back to my friends, we started our picture taking and posing and going around the small land of the secluded Calaruega. It was the first time for Reg, Cathy and JP. It was the second for me and Vie.

Vie and her husband Sunglee, when they were still "friends" and are just starting to date, went to Calaruega last February. The place did wonders to them as well and the experience of being together in the place touches their hearts. Few weeks after, the two committed to each other into a special friendship ... few months right after, marriage.

The second time for me in the place, I must admit, is not as fantastic and soul reaching as it was the first time. The feelings of the first will always stay in my memories. Last Saturday was more like re-visiting an old experience, looking at the venue from a different glance, a mature perspective, a rekindled spirit. It was a memorable moment beacause I was with my closest friends (though I miss Armi as she is in Canada already) and I was happy to share to them the beauy that captured me few years back.

There was a wedding in the Tranfiguration chapel when we were there so we did not immediately enter the small house of God. I remember, back then, I was absolutely mesmarized by the simple grandeur of the chapel. It was not lavish with gold trimmings or created to be flamboyant and eye catching ... I guess, it was simple if you look at it. Very small, around 100 sitting capacity. It was the glass stained altar which formed the images of Jesus, Moses and Elijah during the Transfiguration described in the Bible that is truly spectacular to see.

We stayed at the place for several hours because we were waiting for the wedding (which actually took forever) to finish. After which, we went inside, said our own prayers and took some photos.

Reg met her friend Dennis in Calaruega and he arrived close before we left.

We went to "downtown" tagaytay to have our late lunch. Late though it seem, it was a feast! Eating while laughing and joking around have always been a routine whenever we meet. It will not also be the same without Vie's antics and Cathy's laughs while sneezing or Reg's screams while lauging, or JP's teases. We terribly miss Armi. We felt her absence tremendously.

We went home at around 3 in the afternoon, hoping we can still visit Market Market at the Fort. But the traffic is simply at its best, as usual! It took us forever to even enter the express way, more so in Muntinlupa.

The best part of the trip was actually inside the car while we travel to and from Tagaytay. Only we know what has transpired on the talks of "coffee" in the morning of Vie, of Reg's opinion of her new found friend Dennis, of my plans on leaving the country, of JP and Cathy's wedding bells and much much more.

I must say, though, we have "learned" so much from the newly wed friend we have, right Cathy and Reg? She taught us how to take marriage in a note or two. For her, marriage is "singing of fine tunes and notes" everyday. Go figure.

I only wish we can do our travel again soon. to Share. To Laugh. To Experience Beauty Together. To Strengthen the bonds of friendship ... in the Beauty of Calaruega.

Later.

Before Christmas

I had to write something today because I figured, it's only several days before Christmas and I haven't written down my thoughts about it.

So what is Christmas?

Duh!, says Homer Simpson .. right, Galorb? =)

Christmas has always been my favorite part of the year. I believe it was the festivities and the outpour of commercial sensations that captured my heart when I was very young.

But, as what they say that the view of the world changes after a few books and nuggets of wisdom taken over the years leading to your adulthood, I too, have a different perspective of what Christmas really now.

Christmas for me is a chance to renew hope in my heart. It signifies life as a miracle to appreciate each passing days. It's already a cliche for me that Christmas is a time to give and share to others what you have gained. I do not think that Christmas is here to merely justify the reasons to reach out your hand to help. You can do that all the time, anytime.

So this Christmas, I thought to give something to myself instead. Here is my Christmas wish list ...

1. World Peace. YES! I may not be a contestant in a beauty contest that mindlessly answers WORLD PEACE, smile and wave my hand. But hey, WE DO NEED WORLD PEACE, you know and it will always be on top of my list every year until I can feel it has come to the point of coming true.

2. Love,Protection,Blessings,Happiness and Forgiveness. I wish these for all those people I dearly hold in my heart .... to ... and to ... and .. and not forgeting ... and .... in short, ALL my family and ALL my friends who all deserve the grace and kindness and love and happiness coming from God.

3. Long Healthy life for Auntie Tess. This is between me and God.

4. US Visa. This is between me and God ... again.

5. The One. ... yes, also this ...

6. Digital Camera. ahh .. this one I really really want for myself this Christmas of 2005. Just last month, I realise this fascination I have with churches. You see, wherever I go, I always try to make a point of visiting the church of that particular placeI have visited. Then one day, while I was taking a mass at the Stella Orientis of the the University where I work, I thought that I wanted to collect pictures of myself standing in the facade of the church building I have visited. Since then, I have browsed through sites of different digital camera companies and researched if I can afford a cam for myself this Christmas.Fat Chance. Well, I'm still looking .... BUT, if someone out there wants to give me a digi cam as a gift, well, I will be eternally grateful.

7. A 2005 year of opportunities and the eye and strength of heart to pursue such. It's a cliche to desire a big break in life. I wish this one for all of those, who like me, still waits for the big one. But for this Christmas, I wish for myself and all those I know and maybe for those that I don't know either, a 2005 year of opportunities. It does not matter if it's a small chance or a big one. What matters to me is the chance to see it, seize it and hold in my heart that thought of giving oneself a chance to take it.

8. More FAITH to God. He knows how i love HIM and everyday of my life, I seek HIM out for a stronger hold of my bond with him. This coming year, I wish for more wonderful miracles from God which will strengthen my relationship with HIM.

I know that this heart of mine has so many desires in my heart to fulfill for the next year. But then again, I will take each passing day as a new chance to take a step towards the goal I want to achieve. What matters most, I think, is I am wlecoming a new year with an open mind, a brave heart, and a peaceful soul.

Happy Christmas to all and may the graces of God come upon you all days of your life!

A Blessed New Year as well!

later.

Reflections of 2004

I was writing to a friend in Canada yesterday and I was telling her how 2004 has been an eventful year to all (I was actually referring to what had transpired in my and her and our friends' lives).

It hit me that 2004 is indeed ending in few days time and when I look back of the year that soon be gone, the reality of what it has brought all of us still never fails to make me sigh and thoughtfully reflect:

of the good and the awful times,
of the nearly impossible challenges conquered,
of lost love and excruciating pain,
of endless hopes and meaningful beginnings,
of unconditional love,
of having found what was lost,
of having lost of what should be gone,
of saying goodbye to friends,
of new friendships,
of distant bonds,
of weddings and marriage,
of after 10 years,
of truth and lies,
of recurring insanity,
of the possiblilty of the impossibles,
of true faces and hideous ones,
of starting an end and ending a beginning,
of smiles and cries,
of promises and optimism,
of the family,
of friends,
of faith ...

It was a blessed year no matter how it had went through.

As life celebrates the commencement of another leap, I wonder how mine again faces a new beginning.

We are better off from the ruins of yesterday as we start 2005. And yet we must remember to cherish the fragile lessons of the past.

We should live the day as it comes. Live in the present. As such cliche as it is, it is the only way to live. For the past is gone and will never return. The future is but a figment of man's imagination. We have only now to breathe, to suck in life, to open our eyes and see the world again, yet from a different set of eyes, from a different sense of smell, from a single touch, from a new vibrating sound.

After all, we will never notice how life has been until we once again remember everything at the end of the succedding year.

later.