You’ve Got A Friend

I am having an LSS since this morning. James Taylor….You’ve Got A Friend, Fire And Rain. Wow, I miss listening to his songs.

Back in high school, there was this guy (he was my oldest brother’s classmate) who sang the blues and strummed his guitar like JT. Everyone, my classmates and I got a crush on him. In every joint program in school, he had the intermission number. Boys and girls were separated during our high school days so we only saw each other during joint activities. Which reminds me, today is the start of our golden celebration/grand reunion since we left our high school alma mater back in 1973. It is a week-long celebration with some schoolmates/classmates coming back home from abroad to join the scheduled activities. Some classmates asked me if I am joining. How could I? I could not leave mom alone here. They are scheduled to go out of town and enjoy the events.

Today we also celebrate the Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas, an Italian Dominican friar and priest, a philosopher, theologian and doctor of the Church. He is the patron saint of the University of Santo Tomas where I spent high school and college days. It is around this time when most graduates of UST have their reunions. One schoolmate told me that the grand reunion for all Thomasians will be held on Sunday.

How lovely to reminisce high school days and all because of the lyrics of one song….you just call out my name and you know wherever I am, I’ll come running to see you again.

Don’t you miss that kind of friendship during your younger years and you were just beginning to discover what a beautiful world it was because you had kind and loyal friends? And aren’t you blessed and lucky that you are still friends after all these years? I do and I am. So glad there are now social media sites where we could meet.

What a wonderful thing friendship is🥰❤💐

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Lovely, Lovely, Lovely

Imagine meeting a friend again after more than twelve years, online that is.

One of my friends Ruvie tagged me yesterday about a photo I posted twelve years ago during our reunion at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) library where I spent three years of college life as a working student. I posted it on my wall and said I miss those days with colleagues and books of course. A friend on Facebook messaged me that he knows one of the guys in the picture, they were batchmates in Naga Parochial school in Bicol.

Mon and I were both assigned at the Asian Section of the UST Main Library for almost two years. He took up an engineering course while I majored in Economics. The last time we saw each other was in the year 2010. The reunion is held every ten years but I was not able to attend the reunion last 2020 because of the pandemic. We are friends again on Facebook….haha but how lovely.

Today is the presbyteral ordination of one of my SSP friends which I was not able to attend because of my early appointment with my internist. I was looking at some photos on his wall but it was not updated yet so I visited their page called Sambuhay. It’s a page created by the Paulinian priests and brothers at Society of Saint Paul. Two years ago, two friends and I had this Sambuhay Interaktib group based on the regular program they hold every week. Imagine my surprise when I saw various blog posts I shared with the Sambuhay Interaktib posted at their own page Sambuhay. I am one of the admins of Sambuhay Interaktib so time and again I share my writings. How lovely to look back at all the reflections I shared with them.

My internist said I will be back come January 5 next year, great, I’ll have enough rest with doctor appointments and lab tests although I ‘m going to visit my ENT on Monday.

Have a nice and lovely weekend everyone😉❤️😘

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Meeting Friends

This morning I went to the wake of one of my friends’ mom. My Sambuhay Interaktib family met me there. Malou is also a member this group which was organized more than two years ago. These priests and seminarians of St. Paul created a program three years ago to share reflections and bond with other online people who attend the former’s online masses during the pandemic. It was a concelebrated mass of Fr. Pao and Fr. Baste assisted by Rev. Ed who delivered the homily. They go online twice a week and they have gained loyal followers.

Malou’s family took a one-week vacation (they live now in Australia) to attend their mom’s burial. Her son is also a seminarian. He took a video of the mass. I took some shots after the mass.

With Fr. Pao

Br. Russel and I

Fr. Pao, Marian (Malou’s daughter), Br. Ronel and Fr. Baste at the back.

Fr. Pao, Rev. Ed and I

Love those funny and precious moments of bonding after the mass and while we were eating lunch.

When friends meet, hearts warm❤🧡💜💙💚💛

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These…..

A friend, a former classmate in high school just sent me a lovely pic collage and beautiful words of greeting. Amazing🙂 Thanks Bechay.

I agree that the more we face life’s challenges, the more we become stronger. Birthdays are not just the number of years beside your name, they speak of experience. We don’t only grow older, we become wiser through the years. And sometimes you wish it is your birthday every day, an opportunity to read those inspiring and wonderful words of greeting. The beauty of reaching out even without face-to-face contact.

And Facebook seems to be your online diary. I limit it to about 400 plus friends and I don’t post publicly. And there are limits to sharing your world with them, I don’t publicly complain of life’s struggles but I have chosen friends who understand and empathize. Isn’t that great? I don’t always see them personally though. I have a friend who’s been one for almost five decades now. He migrated along with his family to the US several years ago. We keep in touch from time to time and celebrate new beginnings and triumphs. Lovely to be remembered.

Fr. Lovell sent me a lovely message via text. Inspiring words. He is busy with his ministry and graduate studies. When you see these words like, keep safe, ingat, more blessings, God bless, doesn’t your heart jumps with joy?

These….

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Kris Kringle

I told you about our Kris Kringle a few days ago at our Sambuhay Interaktib Online,  a program that we watch twice a week anchored by two  Pauline priest friends and a seminarian.  We have become one big family, those who are active at the site but we are scattered.  Some live in Australia, Canada, USA, Hongkong, Italy and even in the Middle East. 

Well, the app was downloaded by one of our members and friend Min helped him with e-mailing those who participated. Yes, there is an app called Secret Santa.  Fr. Pao suggested that everyone could join although it is not compulsory.  We’ll finally have the “reveal” tomorrow via Zoom. My goodness, I am only just learning how it works because I didn’t see the need of downloading the app before.  I wonder how the more than fifty of us would go about it. 

A few hours ago, I received the gift from my Secret Mommy  sent through MrSpeedy, another online delivery option for us here. We were allowed to have a wish list that our Secret Santa could see in the e-mail.  

Despite this pandemic, we could still laugh. I am glad I found this group. Last night, the topic was about previous and memorable times spent during  Christmas.  Everyone has their own story. I am really looking forward to tomorrow’s 115th episode.  Come to think of it, this program was conceptualized by the SSP ( Society of Saint Paul) brothers and priests to make lighter moments and share laughter despite the grave threat of this pandemic.  And we have music in between. Fr. Albert and Bro. AJ have lovely voices. We gained friends in the process. Wonderful 🙂

We are on the seventh day of Simbang Gabi, two more days to go and we’ll complete the novena masses. 

 

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Lazy Monday

I had a good chat with a former officemate from the bank and also a schoolmate from wayback high school. She was ahead of me by two years but I knew her because she was very popular back then.

I haven’t seen her for twenty years (since I left the bank) but we recently found each other on Facebook.  What do two good friends talk about after all these years? Several, we touched on our faith, our kids, our hobbies at the moment and the happenings in the government that we both hate. There seems to be a common denominator when it comes to our views on how this country is being run.

For the first time, I watched our Vice-President  Leni Robredo attend the Congress hearing for the budget next year. Recognizing her  inspiring role as VP since she was elected back in 2016, her achievements and projects during this pandemic to help Filipinos, both the opposition and the pro-administration legislators are seeking higher budget for the Office of the Vice-President (OVP).  She received the highest audit rating from the Commission on Audit in 2019. The OVP has the lowest budget appropriation for the last two years. The Vice President said the OVP initially proposed a P720-million budget for 2021, but the Department of Budget and Management set a budget ceiling at P679.74 million.  She was helped by the private sector in all her projects. They’d rather extend their hands to her than to…. you know who. Whatever they come up with and approve is okay with  VP Leni.

“We make do with what we have. That has always been the case with the Office of the Vice President… Of course we will be able to help more people if we are given more. But whatever is given to us, we work with that budget,” VP Leni said. She is a frontliner, not a politician.  We have this notion that VPs are only the spare wheels of the president, right? But VP Leni is doing her job well. Some call her Busy President.

 

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What A Lovely Place

I had a good chat with Fr. Lovell last night.  I consider him my oldest son. He  said before that I am his spiritual mother. He was transferred to Angelicum Iloilo sometime last July  and he is now the official treasurer of the school. He told me to google Lizares Mansion which is now called  Angelicum School – Iloilo.

According to Wikipedia, “Lizares Mansion was built in 1937 by Don Emiliano Lizares for his wife Concepcion Gamboa and their two sons and three daughters, the mansion has three floors, a basement and an attic. It has a winding wooden staircase and big bedrooms with floor and doors made of hardwood. It has 59 doors which indicate the intricacy of its layout.”

Facade of Lizares Mansion from TripAdvisor

In 1962 the Lizares Mansion was sold to the Dominicans. In 1963, it was converted into a House of Formation for young Dominicans in the Philippines.

In 1978, the Lizares Mansion compound became the home of Angelicum School Iloilo.

Fr. Lovell told me that he likes it there and hopes to stay longer because he will be taking up his doctorate degree soon.  We had this standing joke that he would like to stay there until he is 55.  At age 55? That would be 16 years from now.  Oh no, by the time he might be transferred to UST, I may no longer be able to visit him…haha!

Fr. Louie, another Dominican and is our chief administrator at Filipino Catholic where I serve as one of the admins posted this photo on his wall at FB.

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They’re Just Stories

Be a wheat among the weeds. Seeds grown in good grounds produce a good harvest.

One time, I attended an early morning mass in our Parish. It was a Sunday and the church was full. Besides me was a child  maybe about five years old.  When it came to the part of the mass  that we had to greet each other “Peace be with you”, she shyly turned to me, smiled, bowed her head and  said  “peace be with you”.  I was so touched with her gestures. Not all children who attend Sunday masses are attentive enough to follow the sequence of the mass.  Hallelujah!

When Nissa had her thyroid operation last September, I was  with her for four days at the hospital and before we went to sleep, we shared these stories about life and the daily happenings in our lives. I remember her telling me about Nate. Every after the end of the mass, the priest usually gives blessings to the parishioners especially little children. When Nate approached the priest he asked him to bless and to please say a prayer for his mom for her successful operation the following week. That started their friendship. Nate made it a point to see Fr. Regie since then.  The latter is the present Rector of the Manila Cathedral.  I attend his masses online almost everyday with Fr. Kali. They have inspiring  and lovely homilies. So many lessons learned in the process.

Last February,  the last time Nate came with  Obet and Nissa to spend the day with us, we invited our good friend Fr. Aly to have lunch with us here at home. He has been our friend since we had our house blessing twenty five years ago.  He even officiated Nissa and Obet’s wedding back in 2011. Nate was not shy in front of religious people. Seemed as if he had also known Fr. Aly for a long time but it was only the first time they met each other.

Nate is not shy among strangers because he talks a lot. This is one of his photos taken at the Manila Cathedral last December.

Have a blessed Sunday everyone.  May the coming week be a happy one for us. Amidst this pandemic, let us not lose  our faith and let us always hope for the best.

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You Are Family

I found this on my newsfeed a few moments ago. Too good not to share it.

from dailynet.co

Friendship, that one word that makes the world go round.  I have my share of friends for almost half a century now and I love it that we still get in touch after all these years. And yes, my high friends are still there too. We have regular reunions every three years but I don’t always get to attend.

Doesn’t it feel wonderful when you find someone who is attuned with what happens in your life? Don’t you find it beautiful when they are by your side through thick and thin ?  Isn’t it lovely when someone laughs and cries with  you?  We are one big family.

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What A Lovely Surprise

Odette, a friend, surprised me with a visit and gave me a brand new hardbound copy of Richard Paul Evans’ latest book entitled Noel Street. She is so thoughtful when it comes to providing me with books by my favorite authors. She gave me several books and blank journals in the past years. I introduced Richard Paul Evans’ works to her and since then she had provided me with copies that are not sold here. And she likes the works of RPE too. It’s always a “one copy for me, one copy for her”. Her kids who are based abroad know this 🌝🥰☺

I enjoyed our chats while we had dinner at KFC near our place. We both wanted to avoid the traffic so KFC was our best choice. She even bought a barrel of chicken and side dishes to bring home to Josef.

I love unexpected meetings. They are priceless moments that a friendship brings.

When friends meet, hearts warm👭🌺🍻

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