Procrastination nearly cost me this month's list. Thanks to a long weekend break in Cebu and Bohol, I got my thoughts to work double time for this top 10. Except for #10, all these happened during lent/holy week -the most looked-forward to week of the family. Blessings upon blessings came that week. God is good all the time.
1. The Word
For most of the days of Lent, I listen to the Passion of Christ (all 4 Gospel accounts: Mat 26 &27; Mark 14 &15; Luke 22 & 23; and, John 17-19) on my phone while driving. For reasons I can’t really explain, when I listen:
He refreshes my soul
He guides me in right paths for His name sake
Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil
For you are at my side
Psalm 23
Tompay is not an online payment alternative. It’s the Branjelina version of Tommy and Epay Lara love team -our generous hosts in Australia. We went to Pampanga with the fam bam to give a fitting climax to the vacation-long food trip that started with the turon chase in Baguio. Or even way before that. I guess when you’re with foodies, food is a must. Who cares about the propound effects of all these in the scales? When you’re having fun, let no scale stop you.
3. Holy Week Confession
4. Diet
Every year, starting from Monday of the Holy Week until Friday, I eat nothing but fruits and vegetables. I’ve been doing this for the past forever. It’s difficult seeing others enjoy the pleasure of eating to one’s heart’s content during a long holiday. But every now and then, I try not to allow my physical get the better of me. Call it sacrifice. Call it cleansing. Either way, it works for me.
5. Tradition: Good Friday Procession
No one can recall when it started but this is the hi-light of the family’s Holy Week activities. The family decorates one or two carozzas of Mater Dolorosa and the Santo Entierro. At 3pm, when everything is good to go, we pray the Holy Rosary. Then at 5pm, we all join in the procession.
6. Boodle Fight
I grew up eating with my hands -meaning without utensils. Squatted around a dulang, we shared God’s blessings three or so times a day, everyday. It never occurred in my young mind that we were poor. I thought we were Japanese eating on a Chabudai. I couldn’t actually now recall the time when our dining experience was, you know, elevated. But it eventually did. Those days, though gone now, are what come to mind on days like this when we eat with banana leaves as plates and with hands and fingers to dig in. Hands and fingers not necessarily yours. Participated in by children and grandchildren, it’s a fight grandfathers dream of. It’s gastronomic!
7. It’s a BOY!
Prior to the great reveal, Paeng and expecting wife Nadia made all of us take part in a guessing game. Losers were made to take a shot of tequila. I earned one for guessing otherwise. But shouldn’t we’ve puffed cigars instead? The June baby will be the third in his generation and the first to carry balls. Everyone’s excited to see ‘em.
8. The Bobo Game
The “it” gets to nominate a category and every participant should name within 5 seconds a previously unnamed word under that category. Loser drinks a shot of pinakurat vinegar. It was a real riot playing with the kids but not without the price of drinking 3 acidic shots. I’ve never had so much laughs and acid refluxes since puberty. It taught me there's more to life than lighting. The Bobo game: not for the faint-esophagused.
9. My Old Man, Part II
March 28 is his 88th. Unlike that pesky pet bottle story last month, this one started with food and ended with more food and a song. It’s a blessing to celebrate life with the one who gave it to you. At this point in our life and his, I can only be thankful of the miracle of life especially when an acute gastro back in February threatened to break it. Or that I feared it did.
10. My Car Got Towed Away
I shouldn’t have trusted the security guard of the building. Just one of several lessons that I can learn from this. During the first few minutes, I took the chance, nay, opportunity to choose being spiritual than emotional. So I prayed and hoped that a miracle would happen. Midway through the chauffeured ride, I was offered a bail out: discounted “penalty”, shortened time wasted, less inconvenience. In my mind, if I give in, I will be contributing to the corruption that I’ve taken disgust for and therefore realize this was not the answer to my prayer. What will I tell my children during dinner? Heck, what will I write in this blog? I swallowed hard to decline politely. I was at peace with my decision. At the end, through the help of a friend, I got more (legit) discount than what was initially offered and I was 15 kms closer to my next appointment. My soul uncompromised.
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