The Trouble with Hello is Goodbye

But summer's not forevermore
No matter how we tried
The trouble with hello is goodbye...

I don't know if anyone reading my blog knows this song sung by June Christy way back in 1977. But no matter, the reason why this song popped into my head is because of the passing of two people who are not related to me, but whom I had a special connection to.

The Joy of (Grocery) Shopping

I just came home from the store. No, not the shoe store or the clothes shoppe. I went grocery shopping over at the neighborhood supermarket. A boring chore? Not really.

I remember when I was a little girl, when my mom took me grocery shopping. I have always been in awe of the wide aisles and the tall shelves. And what child wouldn't enjoy riding the grocery cart?

www.prevention.com

When I was younger (as in, much, much younger), my mom would just leave me by the comics shelf where Archie and Veronica and Betty would be waiting for me and go about her shopping. I guess it was a wise move, as I don't remember arguing with her about getting the chips I want or the candy I so desire.

Coffee with Friends

It was a long weekend last week, so I thought I'd go to Los Baños, Laguna for some R & R. And while there, I got a massage, and vegged out most of the time. Until I decided to tell my college friends I was in town.

We hurriedly organized a get-together—just coffee and chit-chat—and then it's off to Manila for me. And while I was waiting for the bus to arrive, I suddenly realized how much I missed my friends!

BG, Elen, Alma, Gigi

Loving Is Hard. Hating Is Easy.

When I saw these 6 words, it felt like I hit my face hard on the floor. Yup, as in falling face down, without having anything to break the fall. Strange, though, because no matter how hard I try and just opt for the easy way out, the narrow gate always seems more attractive.

But it's true. It's really very easy to not like than to like, to hate than to love, to be indifferent that to get involved. At least, if things go wrong or you get disappointed, you wouldn't get hurt. So let's just stick to the status quo, shall we?

I Am Never the Same

Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay awhile and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever, the same. ~Flavia Weedn

February 29, 1992 is a significant day in my life.  I consider it a major turning point.  If Christ's birth divided history into B.C. and A.D., then February 29 divide mine into happy-ever-after versus how-now-brown-cow.  But before I go into the gory details, I am again reminded about another date: November 18, 2010.

Why are these dates even worthy of attention?, you may ask.  Well, the quote above has a lot to do with these dates being important.  At least to me.  Because on these dates, plus one more which I may have chosen to forget, people who came had gone--some permanently, some semi.

REMEMBERING AUGUST 22

Today is a special non-working holiday.  Why?  Because it’s been 20 years since the great Benigno Aquino Jr. was felled by a single gunshot wound at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport.

Actually, yesterday, August 21, was the real anniversary of Ninoy’s death.  But since the historic date fell on a Thursday, good ol’ GMA decided to move the commemoration of Mr. Aquino’s heroic death to a Friday. (The better for us working people to enjoy the long weekend, I guess.)

So, what makes the day special, anyway?  An extra day to sleep in and wake up late?  For most people this day may just be one of those holidays.  But definitely not for me.  Because today, I grieve.  For exactly a day after Rolando Galman allegedly shot the great senator, in the middle of a nationwide blackout, my mother passed away.

A Letter to You, From Me

I am going through an idling time right now.  You know, like a car stuck in traffic with the engine running.  Msgr. Tuazon of St. Vincent calls this kairos, a Greek reference for time described as "a moment of undetermined period in which something special happens."  It is a period which requires a tremendous amount of hope, faith and love within a person, so he or she could actually go through kairos.

Discern, Decide, Communicate, Commit

I was talking with some girls from the Mission House one night about making decisions and standing by them.  How did we get to this profound exchange of ideas?  It all started with Sr. Mary Nierre's no-holds-barred pronouncement: "The problem with you young people is that you are afraid to make decisions and make others decide for you!  When I was 17, I already knew I wanted to be a nun.  You should decide.  Once you do, stand by your decisions, even if it seems to be the wrong one."  In Tagalog, panindigan mo yung desisyon mo!