Entries that should've been...
I was reading what I have, so far, blogged about since 2005 started, and decided to look at my December entries as well, and I realized that there have been some things that I wanted to blog about, but never really got down to blogging about. I think it was
Simbang Gabi…
On December 15th, I went with my friend, Bok, to the first Simbang Gabi (literally translated as ‘night prayer’) of the year. Simbang Gabi, especially in the Philippines I think, is held at 8 o’clock in the evening and at 4 o’clock in the morning. People can choose whether to go to the 8 o’clock mass or the 4 o’clock one. Bok opted to go to the 8 o’clock mass with me in tow. As we entered the Church of the Jesu at the Ateneo, we found that the church was almost full. It wasn’t really my first time to hear Catholic mass (the first Catholic mass I was in, though, was a mass for the dead when a friend of ours died), but everything was just so new to me. I liked the songs and the choir. I was familiar with some of the songs. Having grown up in a community where Muslims and Christians co-exist beautifully, I used to hear these songs sang by people I knew and people I grew up with.
What I liked most about the mass was the homily. The officiating priest (I sure hope I’m using the right term here) was Father Tito Caluag. His sermon was all about ‘light’. He talked about how nice and right it was to become the ‘light of others’. Light, he said, is not there so that people could stare at its beauty and marvel because that would hurt the eye. Light is there to help people see their way. Thus, being the ‘light of others’ is being there to help others or guide others to the right way/path. This could be done, among other ways, simply by living a clean life and trying to be a good example or a model citizen.
That was basically how I understood the sermon. I really loved it. I couldn’t help but think it’s like fighting for one’s personal jihad (that is struggling to be the best Muslim one can be) so that, in one way or another, one becomes an instrument for others to find the right path. That was how the Holy Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) lived his life. He was, is and forever will be the ‘light’ that keeps Muslims on the right way.
The mass ended with the church-goers wishing one another peace. We, Muslims, always end prayers with “assalaamu alaikum” (peace be with you). It was a nice experience.
Thanks, Bok! :)
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The Rainbow Party…
Bok, me, Drew, Toni...
...Ria and Erik!
I’ve always enjoyed parties. The Hope for Our Flowers with Special Guests Rainbow Christmas Party was one of the best ones I’ve been in in a long time. It was so much fun because the party was exclusive. There were only six of us, that is! Each person was assigned to wear something that would represent one of the colors of the rainbow. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet! Since we were only six, no one was assigned to wear indigo. It was too weird a color in the first place. Mine was red. We also exchanged gifts. The gifts had to be something that could be associated with rainbows or the rainbow colors. I got a beautiful blue (with rainbow colors accent) tubao (scarf).
We did nothing but play games, laugh and sing! The party was held at Red Box in Greenbelt (for those who don’t know, that’s a nice karaoke lounge). I was feeling feverish at that time, but I forgot I was sick as soon as the singing started. We sang all songs that had to do with rainbows (Rainbow Connection, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, etc.) and the rainbow colors (Yellow Submarine, Bluer Than Blue, etc.).
That party was, to me, a proof that quality time spent with good friends are always the best. No matter how little time we have with good friends and no matter how seldom (or often for that matter) we see them, times spent with them always help pull us to our feet and keep us going and going and going… and partying on!
Thank you Drew, Erik, Ria, Bok and
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Meeting Anj…
One of my first few blog friends was
By the way, the night Bok introduced us to Anj, Erik and Rowie (another friend of theirs), we couldn’t really see one another because we were at the dorm parking lot. They (the two girls) wanted to use the ladies’ room, but after learning that it had no lights they changed their minds. We said quick hi-hellos and then they left.
The next time Anj and I ‘met’ or saw each other was when I gave her the books that she wanted to borrow. It was another ‘hi-hello-then-you’re-gone’ kind of meeting. Bok, again, introduced us to each other and I gave her the books. We were smiling at each other, she was thanking me for the books and telling me how and when she could give them back and the next thing I knew I was at the door waving goodbye. Weird, huh? I thought it was.
And, in the evening of December 20th, I finally got to really meet Anj. This time, we spent a little more than 30 minutes together (with the others). It was really nice having met and talked to Anj. We didn’t really talk like “talk”. I guess I was feeling a little shy at that time. I’m always shy at first meetings, you see. But, that time, I felt more comfortable than I would usually feel at first meetings. After some time, I was comfortable enough to throw jokes here and there and laugh really loud, too. It was really great because it felt like I knew her for a long time already. I mean, you know, after a year of reading each other’s blog and all, it was weird and difficult to think that we weren’t really friends in the real world… yet. I didn’t tell her that (now, I am), but that was how I felt.
Anj, it was really, really nice having finally met you. ‘Til next time, Insha-Allah (God willing)… :)
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