hold..

Hold people like it's the last time you'll ever see them.

And when they go, don't make reasons for them to stay..

...make reasons for them to return.

Sulat ni Nanay at Tatay...

"Thank you to the author of this, whoever you are.."

Sa aming pagtanda, unawain at pagpasensyahan mo sana kami, anak. . .

Kung makatapon kami ng sabaw sa hapag kainan
O kaya makabasag ng pinggan
'Wag mo naman sana kaming kagagalitan
Dala lang yun ng kalabuan ng mata at ng namamanhid naming mga daliri. . .
Pinagalitan ka man sa mga baso't pinggang iyong nabasag noon bata ka pa,
Iyon ay dahil ayaw naming masugatan ka.

Kung ang mga sinasabi mo'y 'di maintindihan at madinig
'Wag mo naman sana kaming sabihan ng "Bingi!"
Humihina na talaga ang aming pandinig
Pakiulit lang nang malakas-lakas na 'di naman kailangang sigawan
Upang tayo ay magkaunawaan.

Kung mabagal na kaming maglakad at 'di na makasabay sa mabilis mong paglakad
Pakiantay sana at alalayan—mahihina na ang aming mga tuhod
Alalay na tulad sana nung musmuos ka pa at nag-aaral ka pa lang maglakad
Tuwang tuwa ka naming pinagmamasdan.

Kung minsang makulit at paulit ulit ang aming sinabi na parang sirang plaka,
'Wag mo sana kaming pagtawanan o kainisan
Ganyan ka rin kakulit noong bata ka pa at nag-iiyak pa--
Kapag nagpapabili ng kung anu ano’y di kami tinitigilan
Hangggang ang gusto mo'y di naibibigay.

Kung kinatatamaran namin na maligo at nag-aamoy lupa na
'Wag mo naman sanang pandirihan at piliting maligo. . .
Mahina na kasi ang aming katawan pag nalalamigan.
Natatandaan mo ba noong bata ka pa at kahit anung dungis mo
Ay masayang-masaya ka naming hinahalikan
At mat'yagang hinahabol sa ilalim ng kama upang paliguan?

Kung palagi kaming masungit at nagsisisigaw
Dala na siguro ito ng pagkabagot sa bahay
At pagkadismaya na wala nang magawa at wala nang silbi.
Ipadama mo naman sana na may halaga pa rin kami sa mundo mo
Katulad ng pagpapadama namin noon ng pagpapahalaga
At pagtutuwid sa kamalian at katigasan ng iyong ulo.

Kung may konti ka mang panahon mag kwentuhan naman sana tayo. . .
Alam kong abala ka sa hanapbuhay pero sabik na kaming makausap ka.
Gusto kong malaman mo na interesado pa rin kami sa mga kwento mo
Tulad n'ung pagbibida mo sa eskwela noong bata ka pa.
Na kahit pautal utal pa ang salita mo,
Nakikinig kaming masaya tungkol sa iyong mga laruan.

Kung kami man ay maihi o madumi sa higaaan dahil hindi na makabangon
'Wag mo sanang pagagalitan o pandididrihan.
Katulad ng walang reklamo naming paggising nang kahit anong pagod sa gabi
Upang linisin at palitan ang iyong lampin para maginghawa kang makatulog
Hindi na baling kami ang mapuyat.

Kung kami’y maratay sa banig ng karamdaman
'Wag mo sanan kaming pagsawaang alagaan
Gaya ng mat'yaga naming pag-aalaga noong musmos ka pa.
Bawat daing mo noon ay hirap na dinadala sa aming kalooban
Pagt'yagaan mo naman sana kaming alagaan sa aming mga huling sandali
Kami naman ay di na rin magtatagal.

AT kapag dumating na ang takdang panahon ng aming pagharap sa Dakilang Lumikha. . .
Ibubulong at hihilingin ko sa Kanya.Na pagpalain ka dahil naging mapagmahal at maalaga kang anak sa iyong ama’t ina.

this season..

One thing I love about Christmas is that inspite of the many trials and struggles that people are going through, still you'll see and feel them really aiming for a better if not a perfect Christmas. We all have different ways of defining Christmas. For some it may be having their family together, for others it may be the feeling of excitement of the exchanging gifts that brings, the merry-making, reunions with old friends and relatives, or it may be the feeling of being able to share what we have to the less fortunate ones. To sum it up, we want to feel the spirit of Christmas as something like far from the ordinary days that we have when we just simply wake up one morning and rush for work.

Christmas is remembering and thanking the ONE significant reason why God so love mankind. In a nut shell, Christmas is a time to realize that we don't simply exist to a life that is meaningless. And that no matter how much we feel like being left out while the rest have gone to their stairways to successes, still "your" existence has a reason for being.

I wish for a Christmas that is not fleeting for us all. A season that will not just be remembered... but lived by everyday of our lives.

Maligayang Pasko!:)

snow..

got this photos from my sis, in a snowy land, that she just took 30mins ago...she could not go out..there's the thickness of the snow covering almost the entire town of aldeburgh, suffolk. i couldn't still imagine myself experiencing snow being used to the kind of weather that we have here in the philippines. though i wish to experience but then sa nipis ng aking balat na halos di nga makatiis sa lakas ng air-con, i wonder pano nalang kaya ang manatili sa isang napakalamig na temperaturang tulad nito?!hayyss!

thanks you sis for the photos. ingatz!:)

Even dogs have the right to celebrate!

I felt guilty when I saw this photo from my cousin's fb. I was supposed to be at Ken's(my cousin's dog) birthday. But I disappointed them...I wasn't able to attend. sigh!

Anyways, better late than never..happy birthday Ken!:)

bahrnee

i never thought my dog could swim,

i just realized that animals do learn
things instinctively...bahrnee did.

proud of an old friend..

Last thursday, the school where I am currently connected, joined a spelling bee competition with all the participants also coming from both public and private schools. We only have one contestant allowed from each school. And so given the task to coach our participant, I was there to witness myself the event. And there I met familiar faces back in college who are also coaches coming from different schools. But what caught me by surprise was when I saw a very good friend back in high school.

He used to be the sickly and thin guy in our group as there were eleven of us then who used to jam around the school campus, cracked jokes to each other and even made noise that irked-up some of our high school teachers. I was brought back to that high school life when I once again got the chance to meet him, no longer in his sickly and pale look but very much dignified with his formal attire while shaking hands with the head officers of the Davao City Library office. He was the one covering the entire event, taking video and pictures to the participants. Somehow, I know so well some of the not-so-happy moments that my friend went through as a student and a brother to his four siblings. And I was so delighted and proud to see him now very much happy with his career and family.

While I was falling in line to get our participant's badge and number, it was only then when he noticed me as he was the one taking video coverage. I couldn't help but show him my big grin at that instance as he too was grinning at me in a distance. We waited for like and hour to start the activity. Sitting quietly in one corner, I noticed my friend walking into my direction. We have not yet said our lines and yet we were already both laughing at each other as if we were back to the old times. He was teasing me for being there and so was I to him. I also teased him with his formal attire however congratulating him for being successful in his chosen field.

We all really have our own fair of chances and luck in life like that of my good old friend if only we don't give up to trials. His struggles back then were his steps to become who he is now. Congrats my friend! For sure the rest of our high school friends are also proud of you. Speed on!:)

stopping by my blog on a late night...

only to say (with my tired hands and poor penmanship),


however, i am reminded by the line that that goes.."work as if you're the highest paid."aha!:)

i can only hope that it's all worth it.