This year's celebration definitely topped my best birthday list as I celebrated it in the orphanage and had a surprise party in Zambales.
Each year, Jerry, Suzie and Jo-anne never fails to surprise me exactly at 12:01 with their big balloons, makeshift banners, wide smiles and their "Oh let her be surprised" look.In 2008, they surprised me at the hospital ward; at our condo unit in España Tower in 2009 and again at the ward during my 10 to 6 am shift in 2010, this time with Reymund. Though this year, I was kind of expecting them to do what they did best in the past three years. But, things were different...things are... and things will definitely be different. Jo migrated mid last year in UK and she is having her best days with Boo; Su, on the other hand, was busy caring for our classmate and her photo shoots , meanwhile, Jerry was in a community in Batangas with his students.
Things were different than they used to be. We are older and have a lot of things to worry about: stable career, shifting careers, and personal happiness. Funny how we all tried seeking happiness in different things but always found it with each other. Birthdays are happy days and they said birthdays, like all other holidays are only for children when the only difference we have from them is a different perspective on life. At a certain point in life (probably that moment when we had deadlines to meet, people to please and reports to finish), we started looking at the world in a dull and boring spectrum glasses when all we need is just a pair of anti-fog glasses.
Then I thought: "Why do we always force ourselves to grow old, tired and weary of life when life is itself a clown and a magic rolled into one."
This year my birthday wish was to have an anti-fogged perspective; to bring back my lost admiration and awe in life; to just take things shallow; and to simply bring out that lost innocence I had when I was younger.Last year, I spent my birthday all bruised up after falling eight steps in the old PH building while hurrying to my Epidemiology 205 class. This year, I was again all bruised with my soul crushed seeing those kids at the orphanage and knowing that they are going through the hardships in life with no parents to stand by their sides and supporting them in their aspirations and dreams.
I met different kind of kids during my two hours stay in RSCC, Quezon City: there were bullies and rebels, kids longing for affection and wanted to be held once in awhile and kids who were oblivious of what was happening around them and I realized that sometimes I could be these kids. Somehow, in spite of their differences, I hope I clearly made the message of love reached their longing hearts- that they are not alone and that someday they will belong to a family- like when I belonged into my biological family, UP La Familia, Tranz' and Ward Eleven family.
After the tiring day at the orphanage and three sleepless nights of contacting the clowns, packing loot bags, preparing my pre-departure documents, having my vaccine shots and dental checks, I headed off to my hometown in San Antonio, Zambales early Saturday morning and found out that my Mama, Manong, Bie and some friends planned a surprise party for me (which I had an idea of a week before). We arrived in SAZ around noon and I was a bit disappointed of not finding my friends there and so I thought maybe I expected too much from this surprise party. Nevertheless, my Conti's Black Velvet cake (thanks Bie), lechon, sauteed shrimps, lumpiang sariwa, maja, pancit canton, igado, etc. turned out to be two thumbs up.
Around 3 p.m, Jesse, Jerry, Suzie and Ed sneaked inside our house and surprised me along with my 3rd , 4th birthday cakes and a 59 Php ensaymada roll. Then,we headed to Pundaquit after their quick eat-out for a sunset, star-gazing event, a videoke concert with Backstreet Boys, N-Sync and 98 degrees and a swimming paranoia.
I missed Jo-anne and Randelle though. The last time we star-gazed, we caught seven falling stars and wished each one of us to finally meet our better halves. Jo-anne and I had our wishes, while Su and Jesse were unlucky on theirs. I think Randelle was lucky too and had his body into half this year. Jerry, as always, will have his better half around all the time. Our Popoy and Basha.We caught eight falling stars this year, and I have nothing more to wish for except to have our friendship in spite of distance and loss of communication.
Well, this was how I celebrated my 26th year: filled with my Lord's saving grace, full of blessings, family, friends and food.
I met different kind of kids during my two hours stay in RSCC, Quezon City: there were bullies and rebels, kids longing for affection and wanted to be held once in awhile and kids who were oblivious of what was happening around them and I realized that sometimes I could be these kids. Somehow, in spite of their differences, I hope I clearly made the message of love reached their longing hearts- that they are not alone and that someday they will belong to a family- like when I belonged into my biological family, UP La Familia, Tranz' and Ward Eleven family.
After the tiring day at the orphanage and three sleepless nights of contacting the clowns, packing loot bags, preparing my pre-departure documents, having my vaccine shots and dental checks, I headed off to my hometown in San Antonio, Zambales early Saturday morning and found out that my Mama, Manong, Bie and some friends planned a surprise party for me (which I had an idea of a week before). We arrived in SAZ around noon and I was a bit disappointed of not finding my friends there and so I thought maybe I expected too much from this surprise party. Nevertheless, my Conti's Black Velvet cake (thanks Bie), lechon, sauteed shrimps, lumpiang sariwa, maja, pancit canton, igado, etc. turned out to be two thumbs up.
Around 3 p.m, Jesse, Jerry, Suzie and Ed sneaked inside our house and surprised me along with my 3rd , 4th birthday cakes and a 59 Php ensaymada roll. Then,we headed to Pundaquit after their quick eat-out for a sunset, star-gazing event, a videoke concert with Backstreet Boys, N-Sync and 98 degrees and a swimming paranoia.
I missed Jo-anne and Randelle though. The last time we star-gazed, we caught seven falling stars and wished each one of us to finally meet our better halves. Jo-anne and I had our wishes, while Su and Jesse were unlucky on theirs. I think Randelle was lucky too and had his body into half this year. Jerry, as always, will have his better half around all the time. Our Popoy and Basha.We caught eight falling stars this year, and I have nothing more to wish for except to have our friendship in spite of distance and loss of communication.
Well, this was how I celebrated my 26th year: filled with my Lord's saving grace, full of blessings, family, friends and food.
