Our journey through life presents many challenges. If we find someone to share that journey with, it opens up a totally new perspective and a whole realm of possibilities. Lucky are those who found someone that they love and share life’s journey with.
Though people say that I don’t look one, I am already five decades old. And though people say that I am addicted to love, by this time and at this late period of my life, I have started to accept the fact that sharing my journey with someone seem already farfetched and very unlikely.
happy valentines everyone!
If a psychic palm reader would try to peruse the lines on my hand, I guess, he would say that such palm-lines seem crooked and uncommon. I guess my fate is simply different as compared to the majority.
It’s Valentine’s day tomorrow and I realized that I am too old to turn crabby or cantankerous. I have started to accept the thought that sharing life’s journey is not for me. If such is not for me, then it is not for me. What is important with my life’s situation now is that I simply follow my heart, I’m living my own truth, I try to enjoy life and I got a beautiful family who cares and loves me.
love rule #1: if it’s not for you, then it’s not for you
The BBC Reel documentary about Japan’s impressive lost & found scheme and system is true. I have personal accounts and experiences about how remarkably honest, decent and trustworthy the Japanese people are.
During our family’s second visit to Japan, one of the inexpensive yet enjoyable lunches we had was at a self-service keiseki-like (keiseki are like tapas of Spain or the small dishes of Japan) eatery in Osaka. I can clearly recall that after we have stepped out and we’re like 200 yards away already from that eatery, we noticed that the old and short lady who worked in that establishment was actually running after our group. Gasping for air when she reached us, she then handed a small bag to us.
Without me understanding what she was saying, my now-niece-in-law (Alexis) then noticed that the bag the old lady was handing over was his. He then realized that he actually left behind his pouch-bag inside the eatery which contains his cash, his credit cards and his valuable passport.
Another remarkable experience my family had in Japan when it comes to trustworthiness was when we had a winter adventure in Sapporo. After a short flight from Osaka to Hokkaido, my family chose to reach our hotel via subway from the Sapporo airport. The subway train station near our hotel was actually just beside a park, the Nakajima Park. When we got out of the train station towing and dragging along our huge suitcases, out in the street, we noticed that the magnificent park beside the train station was filled with soft and fresh snow.
My family lives in a tropical country where no snow falls. Here in the Philippines, the weather is either hot or hotter. Thus, it is but thrilling for us (a snow-deprived-family) to see, smell and touch those fields of frozen and icy hexagonal-shaped crystals. And as if my family suddenly transformed into little naughty children we run towards the park and were unmindful of leaving behind our huge bags and suitcases right there in front of the train station. We spent about half an hour inside the snowy park – making snow angles, snowball fighting, creating our very first snowman and gasping at how magnificent the snow formations are on trees.
the nakajima train station right beside the park. that’s the very spot where we left our suitcases! haha!
After mellowing down and when we regained our adulthood back, only then that we realized that we actually left behind our suitcases right there at the train station’s entrance/exit platform. We were gone for more than half an hour and when we went back to retrieve and get all our bags and suitcases, all of it were surprisingly still there! Do that here in my country, all of our luggage will be gone in less than a minute and you got no one else to blame but yourself.
Japan is beautiful, its people are incredible and exploring Japan has been a worry-free type of adventure. Because of these, this country has been my family’s most visited country. I won’t be surprised if after the pandemic my family will again venture for another trusty Nippon adventure.
Last Christmas, like any other Christmases in the past, I woke up late. I have always considered Christmas Day as my laziest day of the year. If there would be a day that I would give myself as a gift, it would obviously be the Christmas Day. It is the day when I would spend inside my bedroom all day – relaxing, slackening and lazy-ing (if the latter is a word).
Part of my respite was to just watch YouTube videos all day and peek at what my social media friends have been posting. Surprisingly, the first YouTube video that I watched last Christmas made me sob and whimper.
2021 is the first Christmas without Nengkoy, my mom. That is why my family’s Christmas Eve dinner was totally different for the first time. Absent was the star of our traditional Noche Buena. Though the Christmas food was really good, the Nengkoy-flavor was not there which I guess I would have to get used to in the next Christmases to come.
me & nengkoy (my forever star of Noche Buena), christmas 2019
The song is so moving, it made me miss my mother this Christmas. And though my mom will never be forgotten – she’s part and will always be part of my daily prayer – I guess I need to simply just get used to this kind of a Christmas set-up.
This is what happens when a businesswoman, a banker, an IT Manager and a college professor who’s a candidate for PhD do a Christmas dance number.
They call their group, The Wrong Direction (gleaned & predicated from the British group One Direction). And every year, when they are about to end their wacky performance they would shout and ask us, the spectators, “Mabuhay Manila, do you want more!?”. And every year all of us, their dazed & confused audience, in unison would scream the biggest “NOooo!!”.
Gabby, the IT Manager! He was judged the best performer this year. Haha!
Holding a talent contest and performing in front of my family during Christmas Eve has been a tradition. They won the Grand Prize this year amounting to 60 USD. So, can you just imagine how bad the other groups (my other family members) performed?
They claim that they won because they were so in unison and perfectly danced like the Korean pop group BTS. Why did they win? It was because I was the judge. Haha! These businesswoman, banker, college professor and IT manager are my crazy niece & nephews by the way. One good thing though, they are not working for one company. After their crazy performance, I had a headache.
Sixty long years ago a proof of an unquantifiable love was perched. Sixty long years ago my parents, Nengkoy & Joe got married inside a church.
Nengkoy & Joe sixty years ago. Happy anniversary Nanay & Tatay!
Today, I realized that my big moments, my little talks and even my silly laughs in the past with Nengkoy & Joe were all unquantifiably special. I terribly miss both of them. But June 9 this year is more than special. It is because it is the first year that this gorgeous couple are celebrating their wedding anniversary together in a stunningly beautiful place called Heaven.
Nengkoy & Joe may no longer be here but knowing that they are finally together gives me peace. Nengkoy & Joe may no longer be here but they were my proofs that unquantifiable love does exist. Nengkoy & Joe may no longer be here yet my unquantifiable love for these two beautiful souls will forever persist.
Some vivid childhood memories that I have with my mom are the situations when she would hold my hand when we cross a street. My young brain was instinctively programmed by my mom that the starting point of crossing the street is by initially grabbing my then little hand.
Her grip turning firmer to my young little hand is the signal that we would have to commence striding a street no matter how narrow, busy or dangerous the crossing would be. I consider this simple yet distinct memory as a symbol and representation of my mother’s care, love and attention. Though the childhood experience of crossing a street with my mom seem too plain and too basic, I also consider her firm grip as a way of conveying that while crossing the street, I would be just fine.
one of the last two photos I took of me and Nengkoy
On the last day of my mom on her deathbed, I was the one who was gripping unto her hand. It was me whom she was with when she crossed not a busy highway, not a narrow road and not a dangerous street. And while she crossed over to Joy and Forever, as if to symbolically reciprocate back her care, love and attention, my hand firmly gripped hers. I then gently whispered and conveyed to her in a reassuring manner that everything and every people she would leave behind will be just fine. This too would be one of the most vivid memories of my life.
A couple of nights ago before going to sleep, I opt to step out of my balcony so as to decide whether to shut my windows close and turn on the AC or leave the balcony door and windows open since its tranquil and nippy.
And while gazing at the night sky I was thrilled to see multiple stars in the heavens.
too sad my camera couldn’t capture it
It dawned in me that it has been more than a year that I haven’t seen those stars hanging from the sky. It was beautiful. Seeing stars in the metro sky has been so rare. It has gone so infrequent that metropolitan folks have started to link seeing night time stars as positive signs from the heavens that their longings will soon be granted. No thanks to the smog and pollution of the concrete jungle.
I decided not to link seeing stars to the multiple wishes that I have. I simply smiled and enjoyed the site. And while stepping inside, I opted to keep the balcony door and windows open. When I closed my eyes, I realized that sleeping under the stars is a perfect way to end the night.
I recently received a wedding invitation from a good friend. While he proudly tells that I am the first one to have received a copy of the actual invitation, we discussed details of what is to happen and where he and his wife-to-be are in their stage of planning and organizing their big event. I particularly was engrossed with his answer when I asked him what songs to be played or songs to be sang during his wedding.
a super cool wedding invite from jb & irene!
It then dawned in me though seem farfetched and unreal circumstance in trying to answer the same question. What would be the songs to be played in my own wedding if in case? To be specific, what specific song would be played during the wedding while I walk down the aisle?
My brain seems to have a ready answer to this silly question. No need for research, no need for review and no need for discussions. My brain’s ready answer to this is Something Good (the Jonathan Groff version). Listen!
got my would-be simple wedding cake too! mwahaha!
One problem though that I need to resolve. I need to find the one whom I should get married to! Haha! And while I await the melodramatic arrival of “the one”, let me continue my doing “something good” on the days and years to come.
Like Rock Hudson who promised that he would treat himself for an ice cream if he gets the acting-role he first-time auditioned for, I too promised myself in the past that I would treat myself for an ice cream in case I finally found my “significant other”.
smiling today! haha!
I am writing this because it is Valentine’s Day today, the day of hearts, the day of love and the day to celebrate with a “significant other”. Unlike other Valentine Days in the past where I would just stay indoors, be quiet, sometimes be cranky and do nothing, I this year mustered a lot of chutzpah to be seen in public.
With testicles the size of asteroids, I stepped out, I went out and smiled outdoors! I decided to be cheery and light-hearted! A good amount of it was spent in my office so as to beat a deadline, shop at the biggest people-infested mall for larger-sized shirts because I’m getting plumper and do a little grocery at a nearby hypermarket. Included in my grocery haul was a pint of ice cream.
Yup, I decided to treat myself today for a big calorific amount of ice cream. You may be wondering now if I finally find my “significant other”. Let me answer it then…
ice cream!!!
Did you know that Rock Hudson went to his nearby diner and ordered for an ice cream despite knowing that he was not chosen for the acting role that he auditioned for? Though sad and down he was nevertheless was full of hope. Rock Hudson treat himself for a big goblet of an ice cream because he was proud of the courage he showed during the first time he auditioned.
I got the strawberry flavor! Happy Valentines everyone!
Let me simply post the most adorable face on earth today…
That’s 3 days old Alexander III nicknamed Ali. He is the newest member of my family and my 3rd grandchild (from a bunch of my monster nieces and nephews) to date.
Watch out world, this little human being is gonna rock sometime soon!
Nengkoy 