Malipayon nga kaadlawan Nay…

Kalabaw lang tumatanda… That’s what my Nanay always say when I tease her about her age. We share the same birthday which works for both of us. Tipid sa handaan. Last Thursday, she turned 61 and her favorite son, 22! (a fly just buzz’d pass me).

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As far as I can remember, birthdays are celebrated exclusively at home. The sorbetes, pancit, maja blanca, adobo and biko matched with ice cold coke are regular “handa” in our old home. We don’t serve fancy cakes – our parents prefers the traditional kakanin over Goldilocks (one of this bakery’s first store in Pasong Tamo is a jeep ride away from our home) as they’re far cheaper. All dishes are cooked and made by her with the eldest son and me sometimes helping on the side. This hands on preparation made the occasion all the more wonderful. I’ll never forget the anticipation and joy we all felt knowing something special is cooking.

That's me. Hiding behind a Magnolia ice cream (they don't make the like they used too - just look at how big the container was back then). In front of me is a plateful of yummy "biko".

We don’t receive gifts from our parents  but we never mind it. I don’t think we know then that children are suppose to have parties, balloons and gifts – for us boys, birthdays are simple get together.

We don’t sing happy birthday – I don’t know why, perhaps no one thought of it. Looking back, I find this strange. We just ate and teased and played around the table. But to this day, we  all remember that special feeling of being in that old circular wooden table during our birthdays – being there with our parents meant the world for us.

Sadly, all things must come to an end. This simple yet wonderful family affair vanished when my brothers left home to pursue their careers abroad. This salu-salo are now just memories we relive whenever we talk about our old lives in Manila and Makati. Amazing how time pass so fast.

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Central to the boys birthday celebration was attending mass with Nanay. When we started secondary school, we had to go to on our own.

Instructions from my Nanay was that if you fail to hear mass (since some already have classes) pray and give thanks for all the blessings God has given you – if you don’t “you’ll have a bad year”.

Of course, we all followed.

Today, hearing mass is the highlight of my birthday “day”. None is more important – probably a sign that I’m really getting old.  I believe that with age the more you get intimately connected with the spiritual side of you.

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I faced some challenges lately that drove me to the edge. I made decisions.

Very difficult ones. Trying to see the silver lining in these storm clouds.

I pray that I made the right choices.

“… We seek guidance, forgiveness and comfort in the trials of daily life.”

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Goodbye Doña Amparo

Protection, shelter that’s what her name means in Spanish. And this is exactly what she gave her love ones.

She was a generous and loving lady. I know. I’ve had the privilege of being close to her. I was a recipient of her love.

I will always look up for her. She was a star.Though we were not related by blood, we were, by friendship and by love.

She gifted me with so many wonderful memories, but above all, she taught  me about the value of having a dream.

She’s big on “having a dream”. She even have song for it.

There were days that we would sing Disney’s Pinocchio theme, “When you wish upon a Star”. And oh boy did we sang like maya’s into the wind. She loves that song, and I did too.

We would sat in front of her house, while enjoying her beloved San Miguel Beer, she would tell me stories about her life and how Filipino life was like when she was younger. No wonder I’ve become a history buff – It was her amazing stories about the Filipino’s days of yore that got me.

She has very kind eyes. Those beautiful eyes were  very observant and curious. If it happened in Calle Bagtican – she knows it.

The reason the whole neighborhood calls her “Mommy” is because everybody love’s her. You’re not from that place if you don’t know the The Queen of Bagtican!

But when she gets upset – better watch out – she’s unstoppable, unpredictable when mad. She could curse, shout and rage in many language. She’s from a generation that gives importance to honesty – she speaks from the heart.

Mommy is always malambing. I think this is the Ilonga side of her. People know she hold no grudges. She’s not the type. Forgive and forget. This is how she was.

To Mommy: thank you, for all that you’ve done for me.

Nunca te olvidaré. Siempre estaras en mi mente y mi corazon.

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