12 January 2012
My First Entry for 2012
Happy 2012, everyone!
Here's to a better, a greater, a fuller and a more wonderful year for all of us! May God bless us the whole year round! Let's all stay positive! Good vibes, good vibes! :)
So, what's been going on?
Well, I certainly hope that all the negativity and bad things end with 2011! Goodbye, negativity! Goodbye, bad vibes! *winks*
The year, 2011, ended tragically for some of us here in Mindanao. Typhoon Sendong hit Iligan City and Cagayan de Oro City and some other places, killing hundreds of people, destroying millions worth of property, tearing thousands of families apart, etc. It was on the eve of December 17, 2011. That fateful night.
The Sendong Experience
I was actually in Cagayan de Oro that night as I was supposed to have classes that Saturday. We got there Friday evening, that's December 16th, and it was raining. It was a cold night, which does not really happen often in Cagayan de Oro, especially from the point of view of one like me who comes from MSU-Marawi, the so-called "little Baguio of the South" due to the cold weather we enjoy. As soon as we got off the bus, the power went out. On our way to the dorm, we saw that there were parts of the city that had power still. I was hoping we had power at the dorm since I had some reading to do. But, as we got near the Xavier University, our dorm being a few meters away from the university, we saw to our disappointment that only those establishments that had generators had power. We continued with our evening like we would any other evening. We had dinner out, despite the rain, as there wasn't food at the dorm. We came back and, using candles, I started reading.
After some hours of reading and chatting with my roommate (Ayie) and another friend (Hany), Ayie got a call from her cousin, who resided in Balulang, who said that they were up on their roof because water had risen. She told Ayie that cars and so many other things were already floating. We were shocked to learn of this because in the place we were in, except for the power interruption, the rain and the strong wind, it was like any ordinary night. We couldn't even picture what Ayie's cousin was describing. We even thought she was joking, except that we had to take her word because she was in tears.
So, I went to class in the morning and there I heard about what transpired the previous night. Stories of experiences and horrible sights were getting from worse to worst! The descriptions were just unbelievable! After a few hours of waiting, we finally decided to head home as classes would obviously be postponed. My friends (Mats and Ton) and I decided to hit the bookstores as we wanted to check out some titles. Obviously, the impact of what had happened didn't sink in to us yet at this moment. We went to Lim Ket Kai Mall and we saw that there were a lot of people there. It was a normal mall day. So, we didn't think much of the typhoon although we kept receiving word about how the typhoon devastated the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. That's difficult to believe and absorb, though, when you're inside Booksale and you have your head buried under those shelves looking at books, examining them and discarding some.
We only started to really feel the impact of the typhoon the next day, Sunday, when we were on our way home to Marawi. What we saw on the way really shook us to our very core. We weren't prepared for the things we saw. We couldn't believe it! There we were strolling at the mall the day before and just chatting the night before while these people were struggling to stay alive! The sights we passed were just shocking and disheartening! Traumatic! We saw so many houses, cars and other properties ruined, we saw dead bodies by the side of the street, some being hauled onto trucks! It was unforgettable.
All we could do was utter prayers. All I could think about was my family and how thankful I was that, though two of my siblings and some of our cousins and aunts were affected by the flood in Iligan, no one in the family got hurt. They did lose most of their things due to the mud and the neck-deep flood water, though. That was when I realized how lucky and blessed we were. Had we come a little later than we had that evening we came to Cagayan de Oro, our bus would have been toppled down by the rain and the strong wind! We could've met the flood on our way! And, that was when I decided and vowed to help the victims and survivors of Typhoon Sendong in whatever way I can.
When we got home, I busied myself in trying to fulfill that little promise I made. We (our org and some others) were able to collect so much donations (in cash and in kind) from so many good-hearted people. We also saw so many willing volunteers. Together with some faculty members and college staff, I volunteered for the PeaceBuilders Community in their relief operations. We went to Iligan for that. I've done some volunteer activities in the past and I've somehow learned to control my emotions at such times. But, it was always difficult. And, this time, it really took all my strength to stop the tears. Iligan's just too close to my heart. As we looked at the people we were going to serve that day, we (volunteers) couldn't look at one another, lest one of us would start to cry and we wouldn't be able to stop it and all of us would definitely start crying. The faces that we saw, though it really was depressing to see and know of their predicament, gave us the strength to keep on.
It was nice to see the evacuees' eyes twinkling as they lined up, especially when they were near the station. And, when they got the "package" of goods, some were really so appreciative and, with eyes shining, thanked us profusely. The same eyes and faces also tugged at out hearts. All we could do was give them some friendly pat on the back, a squeeze of the hand and a quick hug for some.
What truly amazed me, though, was the willingness of so many people, even some of those who were affected, to help others. The Filipino bayanihan (helping one another) spirit was really evident in everyone. The enthusiasm to help in whatever way was just overwhelming. Everyone wanted to help without anything in return. But, the most overwhelming was the fact that those who have so little were the ones who had the biggest hearts to help and assist. It is at times like this that we feel that there is still so much goodness in this world despite and in spite of all the negativity.
Some of us continued with our "mission" to somehow be of help. We also joined in the operations in Cagayan de Oro. It made us happy that we weren't just doing our share or our part, we were also witnessing some of the best traits of the Filipino people-- bayanihan and being able to laugh and to be positive amidst tragedy. We got to discover so much more about ourselves and one another; we also saw how our bond was strengthened by the experience. And, above all this, we all learned to be thankful for everything we have and everything we hold dear. We realized how lucky we all are.
When one of the leaders of the group we affiliated with asked some of us why we were doing what we were doing, the answers given were very heartwarming, very positive. In my case, I just simply said that I just try to imagine myself in their (the victims') situation, I know that I'd be happy if some people cared and helped. We, after all, need one another. In my mind, I just said, beyond any religion, beyond any belief, it is the right thing to do.
Belated Happy Blog-birthday!!!
Last December 18th was this blog's 8th birthday! Hehe:) Yeah, I know, I know! I haven't been blogging as much as I used to, but I do hope that changes this year. Every year I hope to write more, but in the past few years, I've been ending up not really achieving that. This year, there will be no promises. I'll just write whenever I can and, who knows, that might come as often as it did back in the earlier and more active years of this blog! :)
Also, I think blogging is becoming a fad once again. Not as big as it used to be, though. Ah, remembering the good ol' days really puts a smile on my face. Hay, I digress. Anyway, I really hope blogging continues to flourish. And, I hope to find more and more interesting blogs to read and follow.
Happy blogging, everyone! :)
1/12/2012 03:45:00 AM
29 November 2011
Remembering and Celebrating the 29th of November
November 29, 2011.
Today, I am sad and happy. I celebrate two of the most important men in my life. My father, the late Atty. Dagoroan O. Macarambon I, and my husband, Atty. Ibrahim M. Mimbalawag!
My father shaped me to be the person that I am and will continue to do so even if he's already gone. He will stay alive through the lessons that we learned from him and through the practice of what he taught us. I miss him every single day, but, among all days, I miss him most especially today. I wish I could give him a hug and a kiss like I used to. I wish I could tell him "I love you" again and hear him say "I love you, too" again. Just one more time. :-(
My husband is here. Though he's no replacement for my father, he's the best gift God has given me. And, I am looking forward to spending many and many years with him. I am lucky! And, I am thankful, I am happy that I have him in my life. I will always be. And, I want him (and, yes, all of you out there reading this) to know that I love him. A lot! And, I can only love him more each day. Love is a choice, they say. So, is it my choice to love him and love him more every day? Yeah, something like that. Only it's more than that. Is breathing to stay alive a choice? Yes? No? Well, loving him has become as natural and as integral a part of my existence as breathing is in my life. And, today, on his and my father's birthday, I shout that out to the world! :)
Happy, happy birthday, Abikulay! Happy, happy birthday, Bes! :)
11/29/2011 03:59:00 AM
23 October 2011
April to October...
Hello, Blog-world! :)
It's been such a loooong time! One summer and one whole semester have passed since my last entry! So many things have happened, so many changes, so many adjustments, so many realizations, so many new experiences! I just have so many things in mind right now, so many things to write about I don't know where to start! Haha! Anyway, here goes...
Being Married
Okay, so I've gotten married! How're things? Great, definitely great! I'm just so thankful that I have such a kind, understanding, supportive and loving husband! Oh, and, add to that, great looking! Hehehe:) If I had the power to give every single girl in this world a husband, I'd definitely choose for them someone just like my husband! He's no perfect person, of course, but he definitely is the perfect one for me! He's probably the only one who can really stand me, my moods, my temper and tantrums, my opinionated outbursts, my insanity, and everything about me. And, I tell you, that's not exactly easy. He really makes me love life and the world more! Love, love, love!
Waking up every single morning with the same person was a little difficult for me to imagine, especially that I've been sleeping alone since I was 12 (except on occasions I slept with my mom). It was one of the things that I thought would somehow weird me out when I get married. But, as it turns out, it even makes me feel better to know that someone is sleeping beside me. It makes me feel safer. I never thought I'd ever say this about anybody, but, now, it's become quite difficult for me to sleep without him by my side. He has really changed me in so many ways. For the better. He has made me more secure (about everything) than I've ever been. And, he's my best stress-reliever! So, again, all is well! Life with a husband is good! :)
Pursuing Masters (Again!)
I enrolled in two different Master programs (MA Asian Studies: Japan and MA English Studies: Language) back in UP Diliman, but finished neither. I got a job, I got sidetracked, I got burned out, I just went crazy! I have no excuses for not finishing, not that anything would excuse me. Haha! But, I don't think the time I spent in both programs was wasted because I really did learn a lot and all those things have stayed with me and have continuously been of great help to me. I'm thankful for the whole experience. I've promised myself, as soon as I came back home for good, that I will go back to school one day because that stint in UP is one unfinished business that I have resolved to finish no matter what and no matter how long I'd have to wait. I'll get that UP degree! I started it, I'll finish it. Maybe not now, but one day, I'll definitely do it!
Since it's impossible for me to go back to Manila at present, I opted for the next best thing. I enrolled in the MA English program of the Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan this first semester. This time, I'm majoring in English Language and Literature. We have Master programs here in MSU-Main and in MSU-IIT (Iligan, that is), but the major I want to take is not offered in both campuses. I want to major in Literature or in Language and Literature like I did back in my undergrad. The nearest university that has the program I want is XU and theirs is a very strong one, too. So, off I went to Cagayan de Oro and enrolled in the program. And, so far, I'm really enjoying and loving it!
Cagayan de Oro is three hours away from Marawi, four when there's heavy traffic. I go there every Friday afternoon and come back to MSU every Sunday afternoon. It is exhausting, all the traveling, but it's all worth it. And, I look forward to every class session. That excitement overpowers whatever exhaustion I feel. And, now, I'm done with the first semester! I'm very happy about this very small triumph, my first step in getting that much wanted degree and having that illustrious title before my name! And,this time, I am definitely going to finish this program! Two years is not that long, right? Insha-Allah.
So, what about going back to UP and finishing what I so suddenly left? Well, I can go there either for another MA or for PhD. That'd be really nice. If all plans go perfectly, then I'll be in Sanggumay again in the near future. In God's perfect time. :)
Teaching English 140
I love literature! Needless to say, as a college student, I loved all my literature classes more than any of my other classes. But, my most favorite class, the course that I really enjoyed the most, was English 140. The Novel. It was also very fortunate that my teacher in that class was brilliant! Thank you, Ma'am Margie!
I don't care what other literary students, scholars or even literary snobs say, but my favorite form of literature is the novel. I love reading novels. They're long enough for me to develop a special connection or bond with the characters and the different settings. Sometimes, I read really slow on purpose because I don't want "the end" to come and I don't want to say goodbye to my 'new-found friends'. I just love how novelists take us to special places and make us experience a world so different yet so similar to our own. I love novels because when I read them, the characters just come right out of the pages and come alive. And, because I get attached to characters and stories, I want to "stay" with them and the length of a novel affords me a longer time to be with the characters and in the story. I guess, novels are just perfect for people like me.
Ever since I realized that I wanted to be a teacher, English 140 (The Novel) has ultimately been my #1 dream subject to teach or handle. I've always, always wanted to handle the course. I always imagined how I'd discuss the selected novels for the class, I envisioned the activities and the exams I'd give, I thought of how things would be done in my class. As early as my first semester to handle a major class, that was two years ago, I already had a selection of novels that I wanted to take up in class. I even sat in the English 140 class so as to refresh my memory, to re-read the novels and listen to the discussions and the students' take on the novels, and also to show to the senior faculty members and our Department chairperson how much I wanted and how seriously interested I was to handle the course. It was a good training for me, I wanted them to realize.
My dream came true last semester when our teacher, Ma'am Margie Saclote, who originally handled the course had too many preparations/subjects to teach and we (she, our chairperson and I) talked it out and they decided that I would handle the course! I was ecstatic! I couldn't stop smiling the whole day! I wanted to hug everyone! I just couldn't believe it! To think that, at first, they were giving me another subject to teach because Ma'am Margie loves English 140 and she wanted to teach it, too. She was offering me her other major class, British Literature, which I also love, by the way, but not as much as I love The Novel. We "haggled" and, as I mentioned above, it ended in my favor! Weeeee!
The semester was really a whole new experience for me. I've handled major classes, but Englsih 140 was different! It was my dream come true! My wish granted! Teaching the subject was a wonderful and meaningful experience to me. And, my students! Ah, they were great! They read every single novel with enthusiasm. And, as their teacher, I really couldn't wish for better. My excitement was somehow contagious, I guess. Also, I got to go back and tread the familiar paths and unforgettable places in some of my favorite novels. I got to re-orient myself with some of my most beloved as well as most loathed characters! Because I had so many novels in my list, it was very difficult to decide which titles get to stay and which titles to put aside (for now). I chose for us to work on 15 novels as there were fifteen students. The novels were:
1. The Pearl by John Steinbeck
2. Animal Farm by George Orwell
3. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
4. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
5. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
6. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
7. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
8. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
9. Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
10. Dracula by Bram Stoker
11. Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence
12. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
13. Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami
14. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
15. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
We dissected and devoured these novels. We related our own situation with the situations in the novels. We compared experiences as we explored the plot and other elements. We identified with the characters. We hated some, we loved some. We learned from them. We cried, we got angry, we fell in love, we felt betrayed, we forgave, we enjoyed victory, we endured loss and emptiness, we got vindicated, we laughed as we read through the novels. We understood the stories. We got the hidden messages, the secret treasures the novels held. We learned the lessons. We studied more as we wanted to learn more. We understood the world more, we understood life more, we understood ourselves more. All these because we were, after all, reading and learning about ourselves, even our inner selves. These novels are not just about the characters or the authors, they are about us. These stories are our stories.
And, to have shared that with my students and to have them understand and realize that, plus a thing or two about life means so much to me. To have helped them develop a genuine love for reading and appreciation for novels is one of the best things about all this. To know that they'll continue reading is the greatest gift they have given me. As a teacher, I still have so much to learn and I still have a long way to go, but, in one way or another, having handled the subject I've always hoped to handle and having shared that love with my students is fulfillment enough for me. And, I smile at the thought of handling the subject again... soon. :)
Alhamdulillah.
10/23/2011 03:27:00 AM
14 May 2011
March 27, 2011: The Day My Life Changed... Forever!
Hello, blog-world! :)
I have absolutely been dying to blog for a long time now, but I've just not been able to give it time. So much has happened since I last blogged. And, when I say so much, I mean SO MUCH and I mean every single letter of it! Haha! :)
My last blog was dated March 23, 2011; that was my birthday. I had a wonderful day. I felt loved and special. Oh, but, I'm not going to dwell on that in this entry. What happened after my birthday is what I want to talk about.
March 27, 2011. I GOT MARRIED!!!
Yes, me! I actually did get married. Me! The very person who couldn't even place a shadow of a man in the future she imagines herself in! The same person who does not get kilig whenever people or other girls around her talk of love and dream weddings, the person who would rather listen to a Biology lecture on frog dissection than listen to some girl gushing about her dream wedding! Yes, that person has gotten married! Now, don't get me wrong. It's not that I never wanted to get married or that I hated men or love, it's just that I couldn't imagine it. I just wasn't really that interested. Well, not yet, I guess. Or not at the time before my wedding.
In my culture, it's not a surprise when a girl suddenly gets married off. That is, arranged marriages are not new to us. But, was mine an arranged marriage? Well, in some way, you can say that. Arranged in the sense that my husband-to-be, at that time, contrary to what most people think and assume, was not my boyfriend, it was really my mom who wanted it. At first.
Our story is like this:
We've known each other since college as we were classmates in one subject (Latin 1) and we were both part of the editorial staff of our official college publication (Bidlisiw), we were both members of some organizations, like the College Debate Society among others, and we participated in some programs both locally and nationally. So, naturally, we were friends. Not very close, but friends. That was in college.
After college, I left for SSEAYP and for Masters in UP immediately after. But, right before I left, some of our common friends were already "whispering" about how he liked me and all. I didn't really mind. Hell, I didn't even care! I was too busy with other things and other people, if you know what I mean. He gave me a book as a keepsake. It was really no big deal to me.
Forward to five and a half years later, I came back home and started teaching in the same college we went to and where he was also teaching while taking up Law. We'd see each other from time to time and by that time he was able to tell me that he did like me. We'd go out for lunch and all. He officially started courting me. After some time, I started to like him back and I told him so. But, we didn't really get together as I wasn't one to get into that kind of relationship. We hung out more, though. And then something happened that caused us to drift apart. We stopped seeing each other. Whenever we'd have no choice and see each other in the hallways, we'd be civil to each other and we treated each other like any other colleague. It was like that for quite some time.
Forward again to a few more years later, we became friends again. Good friends at that. But, it was clear to me, as he made it so, that he wanted to marry me. He had always wanted to as he had always been in love with me. Since college! His words, not mine! Hehehe:) But, like I said, I couldn't really picture myself married. But, I let him be. Yeah, it's like that in my culture, you see. A guy who wants to marry sometimes doesn't really need to go to the girl he wants to marry. Instead, his family would go directly to the girl's family and officially ask for her hand in marriage. And, if the family agrees, the wedding is set. Something like that. In the Islamic point of view, the girl has to agree or say yes before the marriage can be arranged. But, in most Meranao cases, girls are left by their parents with no choice but to say yes. Traditionally, courtship, for us, happens after the wedding.
Anyway, he finally passed the Bar Examinations and became a lawyer. Again, he made his intentions known to me. But, he also wanted to make sure things fall perfectly in place before taking his first step towards asking for my hand. But, by this time, lots of people were telling my mom about him and the more she knew him, the more she liked him for me. He visited me at home once and he got to talk to my mom. My mom was very much impressed and she told me that if he wanted to marry me, she'd most definitely agree. I really didn't know what to make of that as I wasn't really feeling very romantic or anything. At that time, all I knew was that I didn't want to get married yet. Not to him, not to anybody.
We continued to be friends, but I was also giving him some hint of how I was feeling. But, he never gave up. When he was able to save enough and things were in place, his parents and sister came to our house to have "the talk" with my mom. It was the first day of this year. January 1, 2011. They also wanted to see me as it was our first time to actually see one another. They told me that he had made it very clear at home that I was the only one that he wanted to marry. My mom, needless to say, was beyond herself with excitement. She really saw that he was good for me, that out of all the others, he was the best for me. So, she said.
After my mom accepted, it was made official. They started talking and arranging things that were to be considered, like the dowry for example. It was at this point that I started to open up to the idea because I knew that there was really no stopping it any longer and, not exactly that young anymore, I really had no excuse to postpone things. Besides there was no valid reason why I would say no. It was also then that I started to really open my heart to him. Meanwhile, everything was settled. On February 18, 2011, his whole clan came to meet my whole clan for the Dialaga (Official Engagement Party) and the date of the wedding was set.
March 27, 2011. The wedding! I was, by this time, quite happy about what was going on. The moment I accepted things and the fact that there was no stopping this thing and there was no turning back, I began to feel less stressed and somehow happy about how things turned out. I couldn't really be the one to plan everything for my wedding. Well, not that that's exactly allowed in my very strict culture. I mean, it's normally the families who plan, not the bride and groom themselves. The couple to be married can suggest. That's it. Besides, up until March 25, I had work. I had deadlines to meet and all. Those weeks were the busiest I'd had in my life. It was good of my mom to ask me from time to time what I wanted for the wedding, my dress, the invitation, etc.
As it turned out, it was the perfect wedding for me. It turned out to be exactly the wedding I wanted. Like I said, I never really was the kind of girl who had a dream wedding, but I'd say now that my wedding would have been my very dream wedding if ever I had one. I loved the invitation. I absolutely loved the way my dress turned out. I loved the motif (PINK!). I loved the cake. I loved how the events were arranged. I loved that it was simple and a gathering of people close to our hearts. I'd say I couldn't really ask for more. It was just perfect. And, most especially, I was happy that I was marrying the person who, by that time, I've realized was really the one for me. He was able to prove and show to the whole world that true love really did exist.
Today is May 14th, it's been more than one month that we've been married. What can I say?
Only that I married the perfect guy for me. I can not imagine being with someone else. I can not even remember how and what life was like without him. I know our marriage is new, but I can not, for the life of me right now, imagine life without him. When we got married, I was scared like hell because I didn't really know what to expect, I didn't know what will come. Now, it feels silly that I even thought of that. It feels utterly weird that I wanted so much to postpone it. Some of my married friends always told me that there's this something, maybe a bond, which you can share only with your husband/wife, now I understand that. There's this feeling of security, of safety, of satisfaction. There's this sense of peace and tranquility that envelopes you despite everything. Of course, I'm not saying it's all bliss. We have differences, we even have issues sometimes, but at the end of the day, I look at him and thank God vehemently for giving him to me.
Now I can say that I am happy to be married. I am happy with my husband. Yes, like I said, we do have differences. There may be things that he does that I may not like in the same way that there are also things that I do that he may not like. The key is acceptance. We have both accepted that we are two very different individuals with different backgrounds. He can teach to be more like him, I can teach him to be more like me. We have resolved to become better persons everyday not only for ourselves alone but for everyone around us. Of course, there are times when we get in each other's nerves. But, what I like about our relationship is that we both like to communicate. We both like to talk. Both of us, we exert effort to understand and accept each other. Like I always say, any kind of relationship, even friendship, needs effort for it to last, right? Respect is also primary in our relationship. We've talked about how important that is. Even more than love as I always say. Love, sometimes, is not enough. It takes more than that. But, love has to always be present. It's one of the foremost things in any marriage. And, there's, of course, the choice, the decision to make things work. As Boy Abunda puts it, "Everyday is a choice." Indeed, everyday is a decision. Everyday will be a happy day that's full of love if we want it to be.
When we got married, he wasn't even my boyfriend. Other people wouldn't believe that, I know. And, now that we're married, I just love him to bits. The moment I decided to accept him and his proposal, I started seeing him the way he should be seen and that made all the difference. I realized how lucky I am. He makes me happy every day. He makes me smile and laugh. He makes me understand myself more and the world as a whole. He makes me want to be the best. There is just no one I would rather be with. And, thinking back on everything, I wouldn't want everything in any other way. Magical, absolutely magical. That's how this marriage feels like. :)
With that I would like to make it known to the whole world how happy and proud I am to be Mrs. Ibrahim M. Mimbalawag!
Thank you, Bes, for never giving up. Thank you for loving me the way you do. Thank you for the respect. Thank you for being the "dream" husband. Thank you for being my very own "Ronald Reagan" and "Coffeemate"! Thank you for making me feel I'm the most beautiful and the sexiest woman in the universe! I love you for everything that you are. And, I pray that we have years and years of happy and contented togetherness. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. And, I will value that for the rest of my life. :)
5/14/2011 04:12:00 AM
23 March 2011
I'm 31 and... more!
Hello, Blog! Hello, World! :)
After everything that's happened in the world-- political and religious unrest in some parts of the Middle East, the earthquake in New Zealand, the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, etc.-- I feel that all my concerns and issues in life are trivial and some even meaningless. It has become very difficult for me to write about anything especially as my thoughts keep going back to the victims of these natural and man-made disasters. Praying for them and hoping for the best seem to not be enough, but what can I really do, right? Donating seems to be the next best thing to do on my level. And, I'm glad that there are many organizations that have made that easier to do. Even our telecom companies make it easier for everyone to at least be of help. It's "simply amazing" how they all contribute in "making great things possible!"
So, anyway, what have I been up to? Well, it's almost the end of the semester, so, as always, I have been up to my neck in work! I need to finish everything by the 25th so I can relax by the 26th and welcome a great change that's about to happen in my life come March 27th. I don't want to write about that yet as I'm still having mixed emotions about it and I think that deserves one whole entry. Hehehe:) (Of course, those who know me personally already know what I'm talking about!)
Aside from the papers I need to check and grades I need to compute, I also need to arrange my room as it's in total disarray after some renovations! I am in desperate need of helpers at the moment, really! But then again, I work better alone. I don't really like other people touching my things. So, I'll have to settle for myself and myself alone! I can do this, I can do this, I can do this! That has been a very helpful mantra for me the past days. Grabe lang!
Today, I am welcoming my 31st year in this world and I'd like to thank every single person who has been a part of my life and a part of who and what I am! I thank God, too, that I have reached this far. I mean, we never really know until when we'll live. And, on this very day, I give homage to my Creator by promising to really give my best in everything that I do and be a good Muslim so I could glorify His Name. I want to dedicate everything I do to Him. This resolution makes me feel happy and peaceful. So, I do hope that I can stick to it.
My Tribute to Inakulay
Many sad things have also taken place that affected me and the whole family. Our great matriarch, our grandmother, passed away in February. She was more than a hundred years old so it's good to know that she had lived a full life. She was always full of love to give so that in her last years, so many people showered her with love and care the way she did everyone when she was younger and much stronger. She was such an inspiration to everyone. She brought education as we know it to the Meranao women, being the first Meranao woman to ever complete and earn a degree. It was through her that the Meranaos of the olden days realized that Western education is not bad for women. For most part of her active life, she was a teacher! She taught and inspired so many people. If only for that, I think she really deserves a special place in the history of the Meranao people.
I have always taken pride in being her granddaughter and namesake, but what we learned about her and what we saw during her wake-- the many, many lives that she had touched, both Muslim and non-Muslim, the love that people of different races and from different walks of life had for her-- made me more proud if that were even possible. According to stories about her, she was the first Meranao woman to drive a car, to play the piano, to wear Western clothes and make-up, to really use silverware at home, etc. She was "girl power" personified if you ask me!
I'm glad that I was given a chance to pay tribute to her when I did my undergraduate thesis and I dedicated it to her and I remember how she smiled proudly when I showed her a copy of my thesis with a whole page dedicated only to her. That, of course, is not enough. The real tribute that I think she deserves is for me to do my best to follow her great example and be the best in whatever I do. To continue what she has started and keep working on and for that. To live up to the name she gave me. That is the greatest tribute I can give her.
3/23/2011 02:45:00 AM
