retraced steps: the year that was
Saturday, December 31, 2005
easter triduum in ateneo. meeting and talking with ofw's in changi airport in singapore. ccp nights. nri. wednesday edition. tiaong. sonia's garden and ugu bigyan. wg&a superferry. coastal clean-up with the philippine paradise divers. "the wednesday group" turned thursday group. drinking buddies. sri lanka. chance meetings with people i haven't seen for years and reconnecting with people i haven't talked with in a while. wine, cheese and a lot more in the fatima gallery. tennis mayhem. reyes-david wedding. kabayan with pads and the gang. sailing around the lake. looking at baguio differently. the warrior of the light. san fancisco in manila. tiendesitas. bohol with the balikbayans. the sanctuary, the wallaces and the amazing food. the panesas and the tadeos. cali and the amazing parties. he barros clan. canyon woods with family. tapping the creative universe. figuring out real names. ang-peralta reception and seeing ex-nri people (and i mean ex-nri people). the british commonwealth. infanta. countless dinner conversations. cooking with the oliveros. the wandersluts. new friends and loyal friends. one fateful night in anilao. writing. an amazing overnight in cebu. block z mini-reunion and birthday party of ryce and terri. e-mails from friends, buddies and colleagues. hellos and goodbyes. sagada and banaue. the jenkins-dela cruz celebration. pyro olympics. moonlit nights. laughter. weekday and weekend gimmicks. conversations over wine. the blockbusters. realizations. the joys and the pains. the abundance.
thank you.
posted by lex @ 6:17 PM,
destinations: permanent leave-taking
Thursday, December 29, 2005
"ang pag-ibig natin ay walang hanggang paalam
at habang magkalayo, papalapit pa rin ang puso"
- joey ayala, walang hanggang paalam
this is who we are as a migrant nation: we constantly say goodbye to loved ones all the time. that even if we are far apart, we find ourselves still bound to each other. the threads that connect us will always be here.
*****
today, my relatives leave again for san francisco. as always, it has been a sad parting. i don't want them to leave but they need to go and fulfill their destiny, and add depth again and again to their lives (even if it is a daily grind). sometimes, i question why things have to be this way and it is here where i need to remind myself that all things take their course, as i also have to take mine.
and so, go and hopefully, we will meet again soon.
posted by lex @ 8:59 PM,
sunday driving: gratitude journal
Saturday, December 24, 2005
from time to time, i write entries in my gratitude journal enumerating the bounty of everyday. abundance is in my midst and indeed, good things come to a grateful heart. here are 5 things that i was grateful for yesterday:
1. pre-christmas get-together with former officemates, the wednesday edition group, and enjoying another round of great conversations and it's truly amazing how we continue to meet up despite the fact that we have moved on to different jobs.
2. seeing college retreat-mates (and drinking buddies) in a coffee shop (of all places! -- we're getting old!) in greenbelt and having a nice chat with these people. it seems that the crevice is much shallower and narrower than i think it is, despite the length of being unable to see each other for a number of years.
3. getting to see the fireworks in greenbelt and realizing that the kid in me still leaps out everytime i experience things like this.
4. having a sunday drive on a friday and being able to go to fort in less time than i expected. (i'm glad that the simple things still make me happy.)
5. walking around makati (on the path where i used to walk to and from work) and being able to feel grateful that things turn out pretty well in the end. my resentment for the company is close to nil. plus the thought of working in makati doesn't scare me anymore.
posted by lex @ 12:20 PM,
holiday traffic: so much to write, so little time
Saturday, December 17, 2005
i've been wanting to write for the past few days but haven't been able to. there are so many stories to tell: stories of relatives from san francisco coming over; being grateful (at last) for my previous work; people changing lifestyles and how it becomes their own meaning; and a hypothetical on my brother's wedding.
hopefully, i'll be able to start soon.
posted by lex @ 12:06 AM,
off the beaten track: weaving kabayan
Friday, December 09, 2005
it is what we weave through our lives that shape and change us.
and what i experience on my travels is no exception.
photos by a.g. saño.
posted by lex @ 2:45 PM,
