Those Days

This post was inspired by a fellow blogger and online friend Elizabeth in one of her posts.

Back in the early sixties, my parents bought a Sony transistor radio which was battery operated. I guess we were the first family to own one in our baranggay. It had lots of programs, news, variety shows, singing contests, dramas and soap operas. Those radio actors and actresses were really talented in projecting their voices – a child, parents and the voices of grannies and grandpas as the story demanded.

During Sundays, there was this radio program called Operetang Putol-putol and I never missed it. Always, there would be comedy skits and singing. I learned those 60s songs from foreign groups via our transistor radio.

In those days, two of dad’s siblings with their families would come by after sundown and spend the night with us. The old folks would listen to the drama on the radio while us kids would have the perfect opportunity to play outside especially when the moon was bright. Our house back then was quite large. Since dad was working here in Metro Manila, mom and my brothers would sleep in the bedroom, my aunt’s family at the sala and my uncle’s family at the dining room. Each would bring sleeping mats, pillows and their own blankets every night then bring them back home in the morning. They would listen to the night’s programs.

Since we didn’t have electricity yet, we used kerosene lamps at night and it was lit all night. We never used candles but kerosene were stocked in empty wine bottles for future use. The lamps looked like something like this. Ours were made from aluminum with wick and you can hang them to light up the room.

A few years later, we graduated to this. Kerosene was still used but there was a filament inside that lights up bright.

Those were the lovely days until our baranggay or barrio finally had electricity in the early 70’s I think. My older brother and I were already studying in Manila by then and enjoyed the advantage of having electricity.

Advertisement

Read Full Post »

Reminiscene

1

I look at you

What seems so funny is that

I see myself in you.

2

I cannot touch nor feel your face

through my fingertips

Nothing is really wanting of anything

Except perhaps that old glass case

of your photograph

Sending sinews of hope.

3

I’ve thought I’ve learned to bury the past

Again, you came,

Disturbing my complacent breath

Renewing old dreams

At this moment, you live again

in my thoughts.

4

And yet –

What I only see

Is your old photograph!

(Reblogged from March 3, 2011)

Read Full Post »

This Moment

I wrote your name in the sand

Only to be erased by the noontide

But the essence remained

When my morning comes,

I’ll write your  name again.

The breeze whispers a gentle sound of “hello”

Calling me, you

Beckoning us to the world beyond

I hear the sea

And I hear you

Calling, calling my name.

I feel your face

And see you smile

While the ripples gently dance at our feet.

I watch your serene countenance,

And nothing moves

Except the breeze and the ripples

We treasure this moment, this minute, this hour

A silence that inspires us

To write our names again in the sand.

Dusk is falling

And the only remnants are our footprints

And the sea calling our names.

Note: (previously published on March 01,2010)

Read Full Post »

It’s Friday, Praying For Edsa Celebration This Saturday

It ‘s First Friday of Lent.

A friend who is based in Canada is now active exchanging news with me through Messenger. She lost her husband a few months ago and had a knee operation earlier than that. Grace is another friend for fifty years. Back in college, we used to write each other almost every day using date due slips of the UST Main Library, Humanities Section. She is like an older sister to me. Instead of going out to enjoy ourselves, we’re both regular visitors of hospitals for medical appointments. She said, these are the signs of getting old. She’s older by three years.

Early this morning I went to the Medical City clinic to have some lab tests then I’ll go back on Tuesday to get the results and consult with my internist. Not a month passes that I don’t get to visit the clinic. Two days after my ENT told me to go back for check-up after a month, my ear began to ache, it was tolerable but uncomfortable. For three days I had my ear drops but I stopped this morning. Hopefully, it won’t hurt again until my next check-up with her.

It’s a holiday here today, a rapid declaration supposedly to celebration People Power 1986 when the Marcos family fled to Hawaii carrying so much cash and jewelry with them. I told you before about the three private ITs who were concerned about the “unusual” result of the May 2022 election where it was obviously rigged. After submitting the mandamus to the Supreme Court, the SC finally ordered the Commission On Election to explain it. The People Revolution in 1986 is celebrated every 25th of February where the organizers now in different sectors will be joining the street protests at EDSA tomorrow. The government might have thought that a three-day off work might result to the people to ignore Saturday’s event and go somewhere else instead. Nervous? Haha, they just gave time for the people to prepare for tomorrow.

Marcos, Jr. is trying to cleanse their names from history but we Filipinos who are still alive now are witnesses to what happened before. My goodness, I think with those junkets abroad, he is trying to bring respect from the other countries and to help the Philippine economy through investments. Is anyone biting? He is the most travelled president during his eight months in office. And not only that, he brings with him his family and gargantuan members of his cabinet including close friends. Around the world in eight months. And they are using the people’s hard-earned tax money. Wala silang kahihiyan.

Praying for tomorrow’s event. I hope people would finally wake up from their blind obedience to the one in power.

Read Full Post »

It’s Ash Wednesday, A Lenten Reflection

I wrote the post below on an Ash Wednesday back in 2011 when I was about two years blogging at WordPress. Reposting for all its worth. This morning, I attended mass at 6am at our town’s shrine. A deacon was assigned to read the Gospel and do the homily. His voice was so soft that I didn’t understand what he said so I have to repeat listening to the Gospel readings when I went home.

By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.”

Genesis 3:19

We heard mass early at 6am .  We are celebrating Ash Wednesday today. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent in the Roman Catholic Church. We are encouraged to attend mass in order to begin the Lenten season with proper reflection, conversion and repentance. It is a day of fasting and abstinence. Fasting means restricting the food we eat and the number of meals and the size of it while Abstinence is abstaining from eating meat.The imposition of ashes is a reminder of our sinfulness and unworthiness, it is a renewal of our commitment to follow Jesus and acknowledging the sacrifice He had made for our salvation.

I found a beautiful Lenten Reflection (via EWTN) entitled WHAT TO GIVE UP and I am sharing it here with you.

Give up complaining – focus on gratitude

Give up pessimism – become an optimist

Give up harsh judgments – think kindly thoughts

Give up worry – trust Divine Providence

Give up discouragement – be full of hope

Give up bitterness – turn to forgiveness

Give up hatred- return good for evil

Give up negativisim – be positive

Give up anger – be more patient

Give up pettiness – become mature

Give up jealousy – pray for trust

Give up gossiping – control your tongue

Give up sin – turn to virtue

Give up giving up – hang in there.

Beautiful, isn’t it? And you might say, it is easier said than done, after all we are just human, capable of making repetitious mistakes, capable of abandoning good deeds  and choosing the easy way out, more focused on material things that makes life easier ,or so we think. But everyday of our lives we are given the chance to do something good for others if not for our selves.  I remember the time when I was in the hospital almost two years ago, it was my first time to undergo chemotherapy. I was expecting that just like the rest of the patients at the Ambulatory Care Unit, I would lose my hair but the chemotherapy nurse assured me that I won’t . I was apprehensive at first, who wouldn’t be, but  I gave up the thought of going bald and I was elated and grateful that chemo drugs for colon cancer treatments do not result to that grim scenario. That’s a small miracle  for me. God must be thinking , I don’t trust Him enough.

We are sometimes too quick to judge other people. The thing is, we must look at our own inadequacies first. Unless we know what makes them the way they are, we are not in any position to pass  harsh judgment.  Think kindly thoughts and think positively.  Trust in Divine Providence, give up worry. How often do we feel anxious  about everything in our lives?   We are endlessly worrying because we want everything to be perfect but this is not a perfect world. If it is, we won’t need friends or our neighbors or our families even,  to make us smile.  Benjamin Franklin said, “Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen. keep in the sunlight.”

Give up discouragement, be full of hope. I’d like to think that’s something I got lots of. Giving up hope is like giving up life.  When you  are  confronted by  a life changing situation, hope is a precious commodity that you cling to.  No matter how painful your situation might be, you can and you will survive it as long as you don’t lose that thin thread of hope. Sometimes, trials are really just blessings in disguise. They are God’s way of telling us to trust Him, always.

It is not easy to forgive when you are full of  hatred and bitterness. Let  us not plant hatred in our hearts because in the first place, we are the ones greatly affected. Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”

What better life this would be if only we can follow these simple steps. Happiness is the simple thought of trying not to give up, just hang in there.

Sponsored Content

Read Full Post »

The Carousel

In between my slow reading and blogging, I managed to read some fiction books. I just finished The Carousel by Rosamunde Pilcher. I have about fifteen of her earlier books plus one trilogy which I patiently collected over the years. My favourite of course is The Shell Seekers which I have already read twice. I have always been fascinated by books about Cornwall, Scotland and Ireland. I love those open spaces, beaches, the weather and castles.

Of course Pilcher is my favourite too. The Carousel is a delightful read, nothing fancy there but several comforting lessons on loving, friendship and family ties. And of course beautiful scenery too of Cornwall. One of these days, I’ll reread her other books.

The sun hasn’t shown its face for two days now and it rains at night. I was planning to trim those birds of paradise I planted outside but they are so wet, so inconvenient to remove the dried leaves and flowers.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent for the year which culminates on Easter Sunday. Here’s the lovely prayer for the day on sacredspace.ie.

Dear Lord, help me to be open to you

for this time as I put aside the cares of this world.

Fill my mind with your peace, Your love.

Read Full Post »

Another Jetpack App….My Approach To Budgeting

I think I am good at it. Yes, honestly.

I worked for three year at the University of Santo Tomas Main Library during my college days at the same time studying for a degree in Economics. I only stopped working when some of my subjects were mostly research that needed my time and attention.

Back in September 1978, I started work at Bank of the Philippine Islands, the oldest and one of the largest banks in the country. These two jobs made me aware on how to budget and how to save. For economists we always say: income minus savings before expenses. Set aside something first and work on the remaining money for daily expenses.

When I got married, I had these little notebooks where I list everything even the price of fifty cents candy. Don’t laugh but I did it. I compiled my daily budgets to monthly then added them to show the whole year expenses. It was always during December when everything jumped a little buying gifts for everyone including my officemates at the unit where I was assigned. When my kids were in high school and college, I had these individual envelopes for marketing, utilities, maid’s salary, groceries, budget for school service of the kids and for my daily expenses. I got on well until Nissa had her first job and what used to be her school expenses was transferred to savings. While I was at the bank I took advantage of the bank’s stock option offer and bought more shares in another bank. I still hold those shares until now.

Now that I am in my senior years, I no longer list a budget for daily expenses but I usually set aside something until the next pension credit. When you are used to making a budget, it comes easy over the years.

Read Full Post »

Sunday, Sweet Sunday

It rained last night and there is still a gentle drizzle at the moment, enough to wet the garden, my plants are happy. Before I woke up I was dreaming of taking my cup of coffee outside and hear mass online but it’s not to be.

I attempted many times to be physically present during Sunday masses but I found them too noisy to my over-sensitive ears. The sound echoes back and I could not understand a thing. So I went back to attending Sunday masses online where the sound is clear if I put my CP to full volume. Fr. Aly, a long time friend was the mass presider in our parish today at the town proper. Back in 1995, he blessed our new house. He was still two years into priesthood then. When Nissa got married in 2011, we invited him as the mass celebrant. I remember the more personalized homily about our family and about my treatment and journey as a cancer survivor.

I will hear mass on Ash Wednesday even if it’s hard to listen to it. It’s the beginning of Lent. Even if I am a senior, we still observe fasting during Fridays of the whole season of Lent and fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. I am looking for some links on online recollection. I used to read that of Fr. J’s meaningful reflections but he is no longer active in his blog. He is a Jesuit and I used to read his homilies too. There is this site called sacredspace that posts nice and uplifting reflections but I haven’t visited it for a long time.

I just visited it. The link is sacredspace.ie. Here’s a simple prayer for today posted at the site. It is entitled Presence:

Dear Lord, help me to be open to you

for this time as I put aside the cares of this world

Fill my mind with Your peace, Your love.

Read Full Post »

Sunday, Sweet Sunday

It rained last night and there is still a gentle drizzle at the moment, enough to wet the garden, my plants are happy. Before I woke up I was dreaming of taking my cup of coffee outside and hear mass online but it’s not to be.

I attempted many times to be physically present during Sunday masses but I found them too noisy to my over-sensitive ears. The sound echoes back and I could not understand a thing. So I went back to attending Sunday masses online where the sound is clear if I put my CP to full volume. Fr. Aly, a long time friend was the mass presider in our parish today at the town proper. Back in 1995, he blessed our new house. He was still two years into priesthood then. When Nissa got married in 2011, we invited him as the mass celebrant. I remember the more personalized homily about our family and about my treatment and journey as a cancer survivor.

I will hear mass on Ash Wednesday even if it’s hard to listen to it. It’s the beginning of Lent. Even if I am a senior, we still observe fasting during Fridays of the whole season of Lent and fasting and abstinence on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. I am looking for some links on online recollection. I used to read that of Fr. J’s meaningful reflections but he is no longer active in his blog. He is a Jesuit and I used to read his homilies too. There is this site called sacredspace that posts nice and uplifting reflections but I haven’t visited it for a long time.

I just visited it. The link is sacredspace.ie. Here’s a simple prayer for today posted at the site. It is entitled Presence:

Dear Lord, help me to be open to you

for this time as I put aside the cares of this world

Fill my mind with Your peace, Your love.

Read Full Post »

Going Up And Up

We bought a tank of an LPG gas yesterday and I was like ” my gosh, even this has increased big time?” The last time we bought one two months ago, the price was P920 pesos for a filled-up 11 kg. tank but it has risen to P1,150 pesos yesterday. Since we don’t cook much nowadays, the previous one has reached two months. Almost every day we order online food and when Josef and Jovy are at the office, it is just mom and me. Mom doesn’t eat much now, I have to wake her up in the middle of the day to eat lunch and around 6pm for dinner. I have to supervise her meals, otherwise, three tablespoonfuls would be enough for her. She drinks plenty of water though. She does not drink coffee anymore.

I am also surprised by the price increase of eggs nowadays. What used to be P7.50 large eggs before now cost P9.50 each. I always buy a tray when I go out. The prices of commodities have all gone up. Your P1,000 pesos could not even buy a two-day meal. Sad to say, nothing is being done by this government except to go abroad and sell himself but I think no one is biting. The Marcos name is very well-known for ill-gotten wealth since the older Marcos was president for twenty years. The lowly Juan and Juana could not even meet three meals a day. Sad scenario isn’t it? Public and private employees bear the burden of being taxed as much 20% to 30% of their salaries. Kawawa ang mga mamamayan.

There are three private ITs who were concerned about the result of the previous election last May. They don’t believe that 20M votes were counted an hour after precincts closed. Their findings after several months of research were submitted to the Commission On Election but it was clearly ignored then their mandamus was filed before the Supreme Court but even that was ignored by the SC. Those justices are not talking. Clearly the election result was rigged and they are so quiet about it. There is no way to go according to the defenders of the truth but to take to the streets again. They have been having daily rosary prayers infront of COMELEC and the SC. People say that those 31M lead votes are just in the SD cards created by someone to look like it’s the truth. A done deal?

We will wait and see come February 25, the anniversary of the peaceful EDSA Revolution which led the Marcoses fleeing to Hawaii back in 1986. They have come back and the Philippines is in a rut. We are rapidly sinking.

Read Full Post »