Filipinos are well known for having extended families. Recently, my brother Jojo (who lives in California) told my cousin Honey (who lives in Oregon), that they'll visit them. They were going to Portland for a conference so they decided to come earlier so they can see Honey and her family. Honey is Filipino so it won't be a surprise if she invited Jojo, Brenda and their two boys to sleep in their house. But it was Harry, Honey's husband, and a true-blue American, who invited Jojo and his family to stay over. My brother was pleasantly surprised and told Harry he must be getting more and more a Filipino.
A kind person is usually referred to as having a big heart. And it implies that (s)he has room for others in his/her life. Filipinos must generally have big hearts. How else can they open their houses to others if that is not so? I think of Papa Domy and the fact that his brood of seven children live within his and Mama Luchie's place, or nearby? (Not to mention that I'm a squatter in Honey's pad). I think of Ate Ched and how her house is the open house of the Bagatsolons who live nearby? (That means free playstation, snacks, internet, playmate and even room).
Filipinos must have big hearts. And that's not only in having open houses. What about the open hands to give? Why indeed is the Philippines having such good GNP lately? That's because of the multitude of OFWs who send their hard-earned cash to their parents, their brothers and sisters, their cousins, their inaanaks, their I-don'-know-what-relation. I think of Jojo and Brenda and how they are the source of never-ending financial, emotional, financial help to me and the rest of the Sosoban, Bagatsolon, Saco, Canlas, and myriad other families. Multiply that with the millions of Filipinos abroad who regularly call, email, send cash, send balikbayan box, text, and we can get a slight picture of these OFWs investment into their families back home.
The Philippines is one of the countries euphemistically called "developing countries." Its poverty has caused it to be one of the top exporters of labor. We are not always a race that people look up to, nor do we many times look at ourselves and give ourselves a pat on the back. But I won't hesitate to say that we Filipinos have big hearts. Our GNP should always be rising. The investment that Filipinos invest with their hearts should make our economy bullish, if nothing else.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Peter Pan and Childlikeness
I hope I never grow too old. Sounds like Peter Pan has a relative here but there must be a truism on why Peter Pan can fly and his not wanting to grow up. Many people seem to equate being mature with being grounded on reality that it's no wonder people cannot fly. You look at faces in crowds and you know they are so much into reality -- along with the furrowed look and the scowl. If that's what I get for being mature, I hope I don't get too mature that I forget to fly -- metaphorically speaking.
These thoughts come to me because I like to play with kids (make faces, accomodate, talk to them, etc) and of late, I'm surrounded by so many of them. I have so many young nieces and nephews in the compound I live in now. There's Jana, Yacky, Aye, Carlo, CK, EJ, Rain, etc... and then there's Jana again. They like to visit me because I have a computer. Games of course! Then there's the cable TV which I allow them to control when they're there. And, of course, I bribe them by having candy and other foods inside. Certainly, it's not always easy to accomodate them. I have lived mostly alone this past year. I'd go into my place in Tagbilaran and I switch on my computer and check my email. I watch TV and laugh aloud alone. I'd cook and eat alone. Now, though I'm still alone in the bachelor's pad my cousin Honey has allowed me to use, within a few minutes, a little voice will tentatively knock and ask, "Tita Joy, can we come in?" I know it's better if I just say "No, I'm making my report," which was what I was doing this afternoon. But sometimes I think about myself in their place. What if I say, "Lord, can I come in?" And He says, "No, come back after I've finished dealing with the world's problems." So I try to accomodate them by letting them come in and play around, though I had to forbid the use of TV coz it was too loud and I couldn't concentrate. Besides which, I think that perhaps in the long run, this will all be even more productive for me. The Lord will kindly make me more focused in the midst of the noise and I'll be able to do my work. Perhaps if I'm just alone I'd get so sleepy and won't be able to accomplish anything at all. I remember the Lord's word, "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them." He certainly has weightier matters to attend to so I guess I can also make room for them. Besides which, as I happily tell Papa Domy, the good thing about these kids are they are not mine. If I really get fed up with them, I can just return them to their families. It's a good thing the Lord doesn't return me to whoever when I'm being such a bother. Now that would be a real problem.
These thoughts come to me because I like to play with kids (make faces, accomodate, talk to them, etc) and of late, I'm surrounded by so many of them. I have so many young nieces and nephews in the compound I live in now. There's Jana, Yacky, Aye, Carlo, CK, EJ, Rain, etc... and then there's Jana again. They like to visit me because I have a computer. Games of course! Then there's the cable TV which I allow them to control when they're there. And, of course, I bribe them by having candy and other foods inside. Certainly, it's not always easy to accomodate them. I have lived mostly alone this past year. I'd go into my place in Tagbilaran and I switch on my computer and check my email. I watch TV and laugh aloud alone. I'd cook and eat alone. Now, though I'm still alone in the bachelor's pad my cousin Honey has allowed me to use, within a few minutes, a little voice will tentatively knock and ask, "Tita Joy, can we come in?" I know it's better if I just say "No, I'm making my report," which was what I was doing this afternoon. But sometimes I think about myself in their place. What if I say, "Lord, can I come in?" And He says, "No, come back after I've finished dealing with the world's problems." So I try to accomodate them by letting them come in and play around, though I had to forbid the use of TV coz it was too loud and I couldn't concentrate. Besides which, I think that perhaps in the long run, this will all be even more productive for me. The Lord will kindly make me more focused in the midst of the noise and I'll be able to do my work. Perhaps if I'm just alone I'd get so sleepy and won't be able to accomplish anything at all. I remember the Lord's word, "Let the children come to me and do not hinder them." He certainly has weightier matters to attend to so I guess I can also make room for them. Besides which, as I happily tell Papa Domy, the good thing about these kids are they are not mine. If I really get fed up with them, I can just return them to their families. It's a good thing the Lord doesn't return me to whoever when I'm being such a bother. Now that would be a real problem.
Thursday, August 17, 2006
A New Place
If people welcomes a newcomer to a new place by providing the best that they can offer, I thought of my entrance to Mindoro in a similar way by the Lord. There's only Asian Spirit available aircraft carrier going there so I had some apprehensions. In Bohol, they say you leave an Asian if you ride the Asian Spirit, and you arrive a spirit. And the plane we rode in needed repainting too. But when I checked in, a man offered to share his ticket so I don't have to pay extra for my luggage. Then, the weather was so nice that the whole ride was one of the smoothest I've ever had. Papa Domy was apprehensive in Mindoro because the sky was not too clear on their end but there were no problems at all.
To me, those all seemed a portent of a special care shown to me by the Lord. The night before, I was struck by a passage I read in the Bible. It said about the Lord choosing to be my father on that day and the nations my inheritance. I really savored the first part. The second part I didn't understand as clearly but who cares since it sounded good enough. It might mean I'll have lots of homes all over the world, or I'll be going all over the place. Oh well, as long as I have Someone who has offered me a true home by choosing to be "father" to me, that's good enough.
When I arrived at the Bagatsolon compound in San Jose (a municipality in Mindoro), it was a pleasant surprise to be greeted by numerous faces all ogling curiously, though smilingly, at me. The whole compound is filled with Papa Domy's (my Mama Ester's older brother) children and their children that I had to say, please excuse me that I can't memorize your names at the moment. Coming as I am from a two-children home who lived together infrequently, I was a bit apprehensive about the numerous people but mostly happy to be with family. I'm now a squatter at Honey's, my cousin's, place and it's really just fit for me since it's a bachelor's pad. She's in Oregon so I'm safe till she comes home, probably in two years' time.
To me, in the Lord's kindness, and to give face to His fatherly love, I have Papa Domy. Papa is a bit like me, a bit like Mama, and a whole lot like the rest of the Bagatsolons I know. He is noisy, curious, gung-ho. You must not forget intelligent or he will kill me here for not writing that. He is like me because he is curious and likes to philosophize and looks at the world and how it can be improved. Well, not to mention that Frodo will not find an alien in his and my height. He is like Mama because he can very well manage you if you let him. So I asked him to fix my light at my place, and he submitted my bank forms this morning. I could have asked someone to do the electrical part, or waited patiently at the bank to do it. But he likes to do all these things. Besides which, why find 1001 people when you can have one person who can do it all for you? That's why he is given more and more work at the munisipyo as a legislative consultant. And he is like all the Bagatsolons because they say they're intelligent and they prove it by how noisily they make their presence felt. Truth be told though, Papa can be very silent, just like me. Just give us a book we like and we don't know your name.
So I'm in Mindoro now. It is indeed a new place. But the Lord who is always kind shows me His never failing faitfulness and His constant love in many and different ways. And for as long as I have that certainty, I'm home enough.
To me, those all seemed a portent of a special care shown to me by the Lord. The night before, I was struck by a passage I read in the Bible. It said about the Lord choosing to be my father on that day and the nations my inheritance. I really savored the first part. The second part I didn't understand as clearly but who cares since it sounded good enough. It might mean I'll have lots of homes all over the world, or I'll be going all over the place. Oh well, as long as I have Someone who has offered me a true home by choosing to be "father" to me, that's good enough.
When I arrived at the Bagatsolon compound in San Jose (a municipality in Mindoro), it was a pleasant surprise to be greeted by numerous faces all ogling curiously, though smilingly, at me. The whole compound is filled with Papa Domy's (my Mama Ester's older brother) children and their children that I had to say, please excuse me that I can't memorize your names at the moment. Coming as I am from a two-children home who lived together infrequently, I was a bit apprehensive about the numerous people but mostly happy to be with family. I'm now a squatter at Honey's, my cousin's, place and it's really just fit for me since it's a bachelor's pad. She's in Oregon so I'm safe till she comes home, probably in two years' time.
To me, in the Lord's kindness, and to give face to His fatherly love, I have Papa Domy. Papa is a bit like me, a bit like Mama, and a whole lot like the rest of the Bagatsolons I know. He is noisy, curious, gung-ho. You must not forget intelligent or he will kill me here for not writing that. He is like me because he is curious and likes to philosophize and looks at the world and how it can be improved. Well, not to mention that Frodo will not find an alien in his and my height. He is like Mama because he can very well manage you if you let him. So I asked him to fix my light at my place, and he submitted my bank forms this morning. I could have asked someone to do the electrical part, or waited patiently at the bank to do it. But he likes to do all these things. Besides which, why find 1001 people when you can have one person who can do it all for you? That's why he is given more and more work at the munisipyo as a legislative consultant. And he is like all the Bagatsolons because they say they're intelligent and they prove it by how noisily they make their presence felt. Truth be told though, Papa can be very silent, just like me. Just give us a book we like and we don't know your name.
So I'm in Mindoro now. It is indeed a new place. But the Lord who is always kind shows me His never failing faitfulness and His constant love in many and different ways. And for as long as I have that certainty, I'm home enough.
Monday, August 14, 2006
A Place In Between
For a long time, this has been my public private spot on the internet. I could write here and it didn't really matter if anyone reads what I write. My life has turned a new direction once again that I thought of writing here so I need not write individually to my friends and family to update them on what's happening to me. It helps that blogging has a space for comment or reaction so you're welcome to do so.
Right now, I'm in an in-between place. For a long time, Cebu was called my home and not a place to pass by for me. But now, it's a jump off point to another place I shall be calling home for only God knows how long, Mindoro. My favorite Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman was right in calling life's journey "a roller coaster ride." Man, it does seem like that at times, now especially. I would never have thought I'll be settling in Mindoro for an indefinite period. I was looking forward to going to Mindoro for a vacation, hopefully this coming December when Papa Domy said their family have a noisy and colorful Christmas, what with themed Christmas parties and apos galore. It's not so bad I guess. As Papa Domy said, the wide beach front, internet connection and a free place is waiting for me. What could I ask for? In some other instance, I would have said, nothing.
In any case, philosophically thinking about it, I look at it this way: maybe the Lord is allowing me to see a glimpse into a pilgrim's life -- which we all are, in the end. We pass by this earth for a mere 60 to 70 years, longer if you can beat the statistics. But our stay is never permanent. And perhaps through this event, the Lord wants to engrain into me my visitor status. I've always liked being able to leave at a moment's notice. That's one of the reasons why I don't like to own keys. To me, it signified permanence. I had no problem relinquishing my two sets of keys to two houses in Bohol. But now, I do miss my place in Tagbilaran. When I go home, the most immediate thing I do is check my email. Even if I was only using a dial-up, I realize how a dial-up is so convenient compared to going to an internet shop (like what I'm doing now) and being charged P30 per hour. It's the noise of the child beside me playing this violent game that's really bothering me. Oh okay, yeah maybe, I'm a bit on an internet withdrawal symptom too, I guess. Added to that the fact that I couldn't access a website I needed for a deadline I need to meet. The frustrations of the electronic age.
Tomorrow, I'll be leaving for Manila and the next day, God willing, to Mindoro. I thank God there is such a thing as the internet. I realized that there are so many people who love me and care for me through what's happening at the moment. This spot is my little place of connection. Hopefully, it will be. And the friendships and love that I have experienced (and hopefully, even in a small way, given) will continue in the midst of distance.
Right now, I'm in an in-between place. For a long time, Cebu was called my home and not a place to pass by for me. But now, it's a jump off point to another place I shall be calling home for only God knows how long, Mindoro. My favorite Christian singer Steven Curtis Chapman was right in calling life's journey "a roller coaster ride." Man, it does seem like that at times, now especially. I would never have thought I'll be settling in Mindoro for an indefinite period. I was looking forward to going to Mindoro for a vacation, hopefully this coming December when Papa Domy said their family have a noisy and colorful Christmas, what with themed Christmas parties and apos galore. It's not so bad I guess. As Papa Domy said, the wide beach front, internet connection and a free place is waiting for me. What could I ask for? In some other instance, I would have said, nothing.
In any case, philosophically thinking about it, I look at it this way: maybe the Lord is allowing me to see a glimpse into a pilgrim's life -- which we all are, in the end. We pass by this earth for a mere 60 to 70 years, longer if you can beat the statistics. But our stay is never permanent. And perhaps through this event, the Lord wants to engrain into me my visitor status. I've always liked being able to leave at a moment's notice. That's one of the reasons why I don't like to own keys. To me, it signified permanence. I had no problem relinquishing my two sets of keys to two houses in Bohol. But now, I do miss my place in Tagbilaran. When I go home, the most immediate thing I do is check my email. Even if I was only using a dial-up, I realize how a dial-up is so convenient compared to going to an internet shop (like what I'm doing now) and being charged P30 per hour. It's the noise of the child beside me playing this violent game that's really bothering me. Oh okay, yeah maybe, I'm a bit on an internet withdrawal symptom too, I guess. Added to that the fact that I couldn't access a website I needed for a deadline I need to meet. The frustrations of the electronic age.
Tomorrow, I'll be leaving for Manila and the next day, God willing, to Mindoro. I thank God there is such a thing as the internet. I realized that there are so many people who love me and care for me through what's happening at the moment. This spot is my little place of connection. Hopefully, it will be. And the friendships and love that I have experienced (and hopefully, even in a small way, given) will continue in the midst of distance.
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