We are now on the 3rd day of eid holiday in Saudi Arabia (Eastern Province). I am thinking of browsing around Al-Khobar with friends, but since Christmas is approaching, sending remittances is on top priority(kaya wala na akong datung). I am not obliged to do so, but since I am working and earning already, it’s my turn to let them feel special. That is only my concern, to give joy to my family left behind in my home country.

Bakit ko ba inisip ang mga bagay na yan na kung tutuusin eh single pa naman ako? Marahil lumaki akong sadyang family oriented, humanitarian at mahabagin ( tama ba itong mga pinagsasabi ko o dala lang ng lamig dito sa Saudi. Wala na ata akong pagkain sa ref kaya gutom lang ito, lol!). Hayyy, kakapagod mag-isip kung paano celebrate ang Christmas sa bansang bawal ang Christmas. Saan kaya ako sa Christmas?

Mahigit anim na taon na akong di nag cecelebrate ng Christmas sa pinas. Di ko na nga maalala kung ano ang itsura ng ayala ave. tuwing sasapit ang kapaskuhan o kaya ang Emilio Aguinaldo highway sa cavite na punong puno ng ilaw pag sapit ng araw na ito. Di ko na rin maramdaman ang simoy ng hangin na may kasamang amoy ng bibingka sa tabi ng simbahan, but instead amoy ng Indiano at Bangladesh ang bubungad sa ilong ko sa tuwing maglalakad sa kahabaan ng al-khobar (kakahilo try nyo! Nothing against them naman, amoy lang nila talaga.).



Ang simbang gabi sa Quiapo at sa U.S.T open field ang tanging nagpapaalala sa akin ng masayang Christmas kasama sila. Bilang isang probinsyanong bata, Jollibee ang natatanging fastfood na sikat sa akin. Chicken joy, Ice cream na may putik sa ibabaw as what I called it during my childhood days (sundae with choco toppings) at French fries ang aking fave during that time (maiba naman para it sounds sosyal). Kahit di ko na kaya isubo, kinakaya ko pa rin kasi walang Jollibe sa probinsya at ang pasko ay dumarating lang isang beses sa isang taon (ganun ako katakaw). Malaking bahagi sa buhay ko ang SM carriedo sa Sta. Cruz, alam mo kung bakit? Yan ang malaking airconditioned room na alam ko sa tuwing naiinitan ako. Once na pinasok na ako dyan ramdam ko ang amoy ng Manila, hahahahaha! Kakaibang feeling ang nasa loob ko. Feeling na bibilhan ka ng mga bagay na gusto mo (ewan ko ba! kasi pagsinabi ko agad naman natataranta ang mga ate ko at bili din sila agad) dahil kaya ako ang bunso o dahil love lang nila ako? Yun ang sigurado! Naaalala ko nung time na malapit ng mamatay ang papa naming. He made sure na okey ang bunso ( ako yun). He let our ate promise na pagtatapusin ako ng schooling until maka graduate. Our eldest made a vow to our father na gagawin nya yun. Kaya si bunso tuwing nagtatampo laging dahilan “mumultohin kayo ni papa at mama” (kakatuwa ang buhay bata) kaya love ko talaga ang mga kapatid ko at di ko sila pwedeng iwan kahit may asawa na ako (package deal ang drama).



Now, it's my time to let them feel na special sila sa akin. Lumipas na ang masayang mga alaala ko sa piling ng Jollibee kaya ako naman ang taya. Di man dahil sa Jollibee, kondi sa pamilyang pinoy mahala ang tunay na diwa ng pasko. Maraming beses na na di ko sila kapiling sa mga nakaraan pasko pero nasa puso ko pa rin sila kasi nasa puso ko si Kristo.

Maligayang pasko po sa lahat!

Ang video na inyong mapapanood ay isang halimbawa ng paskong pinoy na namimiss ko sa atin.
Paki "pause" lang po muna ng music background sa baba ng blog page bago nyo i-play ang ad na ito.

Habang buhay pa ang mga magulang ninyo, hayaan mong madama nila na nasa tabi nila kayo ngayong pasko. Kung walang pagkakataon, tawagan at sabihing mahal na mahal ninyo sila. Say it right away (I LOVE YOU!) para di nyo pagsisisihan sa darating na araw.

To Mama & Papa, saan man kayo ngayon mahal na mahal ko kayo. Bulong mo na lang kay Hesus na "Happy birthday!".

Bakit ba sa tuwing may get together ang mga tao, mapa-family reunion man o simpleng barkada gimik, ang unang tanong sayo ay "may girlfriend ka ba?" at bago ka pa makasagot ay maririnig mo naman ang "BAKET WALA?????!!!!!!". Hay, kailan ba talagang may bitbit kang girlet sa mga okasyon na ito? Pano kung wala talaga? Alangan namang makiusap ako sa mga close girl friends ko para mag-panggap na "kami"?! Di naman ata tama yun, di ba? How I wish na sana maintindihan ng mga tao na sa mga panahon ngayon ay "accepted" na sa society na medyo madi delay ang pag iisang dibdib ng mga kalalakihan sa kanilang irog especially like me who wants to get into so many things all at the same time. I also wish that people would understand that okey lang ako and the rest of the member ng "Samahang Malamig Ang Pasko". I mean we do get lonely once in awhile. Naiingit din minsan dun sa may mga lovelife paminsan-minsan. Kung minsan naman ay nagmumuni-muni sa mga past kilig moments, but these lonely moments do not and will not make our world stop..

Isipin nyo na lang na kung wala kaming mga single friends nyo eh di walang kayong paghihingahan ng sama ng loob tuwing nag aaway kayo ng partners nyo. Wala din kayong "instant dayte" kung sakaling nangailangan kayo. Wala rin kayong mahihila sa mall para maghanap ng magandang regalo for your better-half pa x-mas o kaya pag birthday nya. At ang mahalaga sa lahat, wala kayong kakampi if things between you and your labidabs don't work-out. Marami naman sa aming mga singles ay nakakaranas nang "ma-in-love"yun nga lang, obvious ba???? it all didn't work-out. Pero di naman kami "bitter" o galit sa mundo. ang totoo nga nyan eh mas lumalalim ang kahulugan ng "love" para sa amin.

When you're all by yourself, there is more time to reflect and think what you really want in life. Mas naiisip mo kung ano ba talaga ang makakapagbigay ng tunay na ligaya sayo...at mas naiisip mo kung paano matututpad ang lahat ng mga pangarap mo. And while reflecting, we also get to imagine that we will, one day end up with someone who will share those dreams with us.

Di naman sa nang-iinggit ako pero masaya ang buhay naming mga single . Biruin mo we can go out with anybody, anytime, that is. We can get into kind of things like go to gym regularly or get into all kinds of sports or any "self-enhancement" programs, etc. Medyo tipid ang buhay single kasi wala naman kaming po-problema tuwing Valentines day, Christmas o Aniversary, O di ba ang saya?

Sa palagay ko naman ay lahat tayo ay may karapatang sumaya ke single man o attached ka. I guess may kanya kanya lang tayong panahon lumigaya at diyos lang ang makapagsasabi kung kailan nga dadating ang oras na yun.

So, para sa mga kasalukuyang "attached" I wish you all the luck and happiness. If there is any problem dont forget that your single friends are always here for you! Sa mga bagong singles naman, wag na magmukmuk! enjoy life! (enjoy the single life!) There are a lot of things that you will still discover. At tandaan mo, di ka lang nag-iisa madami tayo, hehehehe!

Sa kapwa kong mga singles , I hope that we are one in believing that we long for someone not because to be happy but we long for someone because we want to share our happiness with that special person for the rest of our lives.

When I was still working in the Philippines, Elmer and I shared funny mission stories. He come along with us if he was not able to caught up the daily boat schedule going to Mindoro. We had a great time with this young and enthusiastic SVD missionary (that time kasi freshman pa lang sya). He came with some colleagues; Kiko , Jason... etc. ( I don't remember some names). Elmer used to be very malambing to us with my brod (Fr. Glen Deuna,SVD) that's why I treated him as my own young brod already.

When I left Philippines last 2002, I lost connection with my brod seminarians temporarily, but when I had my vacation last 2006 I saw Elmer & kiko when I visited and had my slept-over in the seminary dormitory. That's the last time I saw them together.

Elmer was assigned to Hungary for his theological studies and...Kiko? di ko na po alam!....Surprisingly, I saw the write-up of Elmer about "Old Lady & Eucharist". I was moved to tears when I read it because that is the story I am into right now. In almost 7 years working here, I experienced deep sorrow and spiritual poverty. There were times that I woke up in the middle of the night crying looking for a crucifix and mass (Eucharistic celeb.). What I did was to cut-out papers and formed it as crucifix for the meantime. By the way, crucifix is prohibited here!.

I feel alone without Christ in the Holy Eucharist. It sounds weird to some, but it is true!. Read his story:

An Old Lady and the Eucharist
By Frt. Elmer Hernandez, SVD.

Elmer(Right) with seminarians from Budapest and China.

I noticed an old lady who was left behind after a Sunday Bible service in one of the barrios of our parish. She was teary-eyed. I approached her and asked if there was something wrong. I was surprised to hear her answer: “Hindi ako nakapag-komunyon kasi hindi pa ako nakapag-kumpisal.” What added to her sadness was the fact that that day was very significant for her because she was celebrating her birthday.

I sat beside her and intently embraced her. That was my immediate reaction hoping to make her comfortable. I assumed that she was aware that I do not have the faculty of hearing confession. And so I asked her to see the priest at once. Her tears flowed all the more. That was the only word I left her. She knew I could not stay longer because of my other scheduled services. I felt helpless and so I turned my back silently to proceed to my next schedule of Bible service in another barrio. I kept that in my heart and continued pondering. I had enough time to reflect because it was a long trip to reach my second area. It was four rides away.

The experience made me appreciate all the more the value of the Holy Eucharist and the reverence of the holy sacrifice deserves. Holy Eucharist is being celebrated everyday as part of our spiritual nourishment. Unfortunately, there were times when it becomes very ordinary in the daily structure. For some, it is of great importance like the old lady who has the rare chance of celebrating the liturgy. Unfortunately, it is not even a mass, it is just a Bible service. It made me grateful for the opportunity of receiving the Lord in the most Holy Sacrifice.

No one could underestimate the power of the Holy Eucharist. It could even transform people. God sanctifies the sacrifice being offered. We are just made instruments to facilitate the sacrifice. I thank God for the experience. I may not be teary-eyed like the old lady but there must be an inner longing for Christ and be disposed to receive Him in a worthy spirit. God deserves a well-prepared dwelling place in us. I should exert more effort to make my soul, mind and heart worthy of the transforming grace that flows in the Holy Eucharist.

Posted by Hatid-Diwa: at 4:38 AM 1 comments (Story was taken from Hatid Diwa)

Goodluck to you Mer & God always be with you! I will pray for your perseverance. .