Coming home for Christmas

(The busy street of J.P Laurel in Davao City)

I slept. I woke up. I was late.

I always have this habit of coming late during my flights. I don't know. It's either because I woke up late or it's simply because of my delaying tactics. As I said, I don't know.

I have been a constant traveller and I love the feeling of being one with the heavens and seeing what's below through a bird's eye.

But this trip is a whole lot different. With just the thought of it, butteflies start flying in my stomach. It was not the airport, not the airplane, and definitely not the thought of flying.

After an hour and a half of sitting on a window seat, the flight attendant finally spoke, "We have just landed on Davao International Airport," I sighed. And there I realized. What made this trip different is that Im coming home. Finally.

There I saw them - my aunts, my uncle, my cousins, and my lola. I was almost in tears, but I decided not to. I don't want to start my vacation with tears. Not a good start, I thought.

Seeing smiles from your family was heavenly. It was like I haven't seen them in years.

Everything was the same - same food we are, same songs we sang, same beers we drink. What made this extra special is the gift-giving session. Excitement filled the air when I gave my Christmas gifts - smiles, thank you's, I like it's..that made it more special.

Celebrating Christmas with my family means a lot to me. It's not about the gifts that I'll be receiving. Not the drinking sessions. But it's celebrating the season with the people you love, the reason you call it a celebration.

I am now looking forward to a Christmas celebration same as what we had this year. We may not have the fireworks. We may not have the special hamon. What we have is a blessed and meaningful celebration of Christ's birth. Nothing compares to that.

Nothing could ever replace the bliss when you come home for Christmas.

Hark the heralds and Falalalalas

I've been spending nights on my bed, silently listening to children singing Christmas carols. But it was until last night when I heard a whole lot of them. From Pasko na naman to Silent Night, children sang from the top of their lungs either to express their joy towards the birth of Christ or to earn a penny or two.

I, too, am fond of caroling. 

I could still remember how we do it in my childhood days. Two pieces of stone are enough to accompany our Christmas rituals.

It is fascinating to know how children today, despite of technological changes, still spend time gathering their friends, and jump from one house to another to sing Christmas carols.

If I still have the luxury of time, I would eagerly spend every night caroling. It's a different feeling when I sing Christmas songs for people, or even just for me. And it's even a greater feeling when they give you money just for singing. 

I think it's not just about the money. It's how we express our love for the season through singing. 

So I sing, "We wish you a merry christmas, we wish you a merry christmas, we wish you a merry christmas... And a happy new year!"

What am I thankful for this year?

I am thankful for you

The sweet embrace before we sleep

The touch that no one can replace

The kisses, oh, the kisses

I am thankful for you

The reason why I exist

The blessing I'll forever cherish

The light I see at night

I am thankful for you

My life

My partner

My everything

* * *

This goes to my partner. My entry, as well, to Avalon.ph's What are you thankful for this year? (2008).

Wedding bliss

I wonder how it feels to walk down the aisle, exchange vows, wear those rings, and kiss the man/woman of your dreams in front of a crowd?

When I was younger, I don't pay too much attention on wedding ceremonies. I settle with just being on the background. The last time I remembered involving myself with the ceremony, itself, is when I was the ring bearer of my uncle's wedding, I was five or six that time. From then on, I never saw myself being one of the sponsors.

Growing mature, I now feel the romantic breeze during weddings. I can't even help sometimes but cry.

Now I ask, how do people find the perfect someone whom they will spend forever with? Do such exist in the world of homosexuals?

Searching the corners of the world for your lifetime companion is not at all an easy task. It requires a spoonful of patience, a bucket of faith, and a pinch of perseverance. Sometimes, some end with fixed marriage just to settle themselves - rather, it's what their parents want. 

But however we find our partner, may it be through the web, through a wrong phone call, or through a friend, what's important, really, is how we keep the love burning with passion and desire even after years and years of being together.

With homosexual relationships, I find it interesting when people of the same gender vow to live with each other forever. I, myself, would want to spend a lifetime with my partner. It would be the happiest moment as we exchange vows and promise to love each other until our dying day.

Homosexuals, too, has the right to love and be loved - that's the reason why I am one with those gays and lesbians who fight for their right to marriage. 

No matter what gender you belong, we all are looking forward to that big day. And no matter what gender you belong, you have the right to marriage.

Let's all fight for it.

* * *

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Galvez as they celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary yesterday, December 17, 2008 - the reason why I made this blog entry.

May you continue to spend a lifetime in each other's arms. May you live life to it's fullest together and celebrate an unending love with God's love and divine presence. May the passion to love burn forever. As you vowed, till death do you part.

Again, Congratulations!

Mighty morphing me

A friend persuaded me to do this. Out of boredom and distress, I did. It wouldn't cost me a single centavo anyway. Why not.

And so I found myself struggling to look for the perfect photo. Luck must have been around the corner, Beyonce Knowles was one of the celebrities that, according to the site, I look alike. 

It's all for fun. 

Bare with me.

As I said, I'm bored.