"Do not be too happy, or else the gods will get jealous, and they'll do something to make you sad!" so the old folks say. Or maybe, I heard this in my Oriental philosophy class in college.
I really didn't subscribe into that; but the perennial optimist in me believed in the glorious sunshine & starry nights whenever the storm clouds disappear in the horizon, because clouds are like people-- they either bring clear sky or rain, good or bad omen, like wind & fire, or floods & tornadoes.
But I'm a Christian, a disciple or follower of Jesus Christ who do not care about superstitions, and therefore: no amount of rain from Phuket Thailand, Penang Malaysia, and Singapore (where we couldn't even go out during the last leg of our City Tour on our way to the airport because it was pouring like cats & dogs,) could dampen my spirit to proceed to the Philippines for Christmas (we did it in Italy, and extended our stay for Easter two years ago,) after overhearing an American couple who decided to take a side trip to Manila & Cebu after getting off in Singapore, which is only 3 hours away by plane. Besides, there were inexpensive flights available, which were cheaper than the storage fees for our luggages, while galivanting, shopping and dining twice at Singapore's Changi International Airport, Park, Food Court, Restaurants & Shopping Center for 9 hours, and aside from the fact that it does not rain in the Philippines around Christmas time, which is the happiest time in the only predominantly Christian country in Asia.
Actually, we already had so much fun before we even stayed and embarked in Dubai for our 18-day cruise which took us also to Abu Dhabi UAE, Kasab & Fujairah Oman, Male Maldives, Goa India, Colombo Sri Lanka, and other Southeast Asian countries, when our son Osbert celebrated early Christmas with us and our Charismatic Prayer Group's Christmas Party (where he won a brand new designer lady's bag, which he gave to his Mom, together with our Christmas, my birthday, and our 38th anniversary monetary gifts,) followed by another birthday and anniversary celebration with an exclusive slow dance for just the two us, and the presence of my high school classmate Delia Minas & her daughter, other friends, Charismatic brothers & sisters, members of the Voice of Emmanuel Service Ministry & Choir, and Sis. Shirley, who brought us a delicious and decadent Mango Cake.
As if that was not enough merriment & celebration, here I was again trying to convince Gie to spend Christmas in the Philippines, instead of serving the Lord as scheduled Lector & Eucharistic Minister in our Parish Church, and attending the remaining Pilipino Simbang Gabi in our Diocese of Las Vegas.
Aside from being an extrovert, a Type A personality, who gets easily bored, was I adamant because I felt guilty for missing our Family Reunion which I spearheaded in order to get Ate Fel & Kuya Arthur to go home and retire in the Philippines after 20 years in America without seeing their children & granddaughter, and take care of our eldest brother Kuya Muling who was incapacitated and lived in our ancestral home by himself? After all, he took care of their children in the Philippines, and acted like a father & mother to them, while they were in the US. Was I right in encouraging them to retire because they were past the retirement age, and already had a single & full-time registered nurse son working in Dublin Ireland, while their eldest was already married, and had a great job as a supervisor in a Call Center in Metro-Manila?
Or, was it wrong for me to cancel our Family Reunion (together with my 3 siblings for the first time since Papa & Mama's Golden Anniversary 30 years ago) with the Ocampo & Diaz clans, when they lied to me about not having any money after having just retired in the Philippines from the USA, and put our eldest brother in a charity ward with no air conditioning, while unbeknownst to me, my nephew or their nurse son Michael from Ireland came by to visit, and they had the funds to renovate their rooms without telling me. Fortunately, I have friends and relatives in our village who tell me what's happening with my siblings, even if they try their best to keep me in the dark, and just unfriended them, so that I don't get upset with what they're doing, after bringing them to the US and getting them jobs, and acting as an errand boy to their children for them (such as: drop off their package in Las Piñas, make him a speech in school, take him to Laguna, Ilocos, etc.,) when I visited Mom & Dad in the Philippines for 13 times, while they were in New Jersey.
Gie was not buying it-- I mean, spending Christmas in the Philippines because we were not prepared. Not only that, but she's tired, and did not want to be seen 5 lbs heavier, or 10 lbs more for me. So, I invited her to have an early lunch at a French Cafe at the airport lobby, that was serving chicken bagette sandwitches with creamy asparagus soup in a bread bowl, and fancy fruit drinks in real cups, plates, and utensils. She loved it because it was less crowded compared to the Food Court; and although we ate a heavy breakfast in Norwegian Jade before leaving the ship, and went on our final tour which ended at the airport, yet still, we were famished.
Afterwards, I walked her to the gigantic Christmas trees and took some of our selfies, so that she could feel the holiday ambiance, which was so much better in the Philippines, especially in our town of Macabebe, Pampanga. How much more in my former village of Sta. Rita, where I was born, and where my siblings were all retired now, especially Kuya Bert, who built a new home for his second wife Jobbelle and daughter Maja, just across from our ancestral home.
Gie reminded me that I was not welcome in their home, after convincing her to let me read Kuya Bert's letter he sent her via Messenger because they were friends in Facebook, and we're not.
(TO BE CONTINUED...)
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