Fantastic at 57

To quote Fr. Xavier who officiated my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary: “Sa mga nagsasabing walang forever, Eton, mamatay kayo sa inggit.”

Today, my parents are celebrating their 57th Wedding Anniversary!

To paraphrase Carl's message some 7 years back, Mom and Dad really set the bar high when it comes to long-lasting relationships. They're both an inspiration and a benchmark that the Morales kids aspire for.

How fantastic is that?

Love-ly

Today’s Scripture reading is definitely one of my favorites.

Corinthians 13 is one of the most beautifully written, most heartwarming, most smile inducing, and most heartfelt readings in the Bible.

When I was organizing a lot of weddings, this was one of the favourite readings of couples and would request that it be read as the Gospel. They would often request this, and when the priest would oblige, the homily would be equally beautiful. No matter where the wedding was or who the priest was, each homily would be a joy to listen to.

This scripture reading never fails to uplift me. Which makes the last line even more relevant:

“Love never fails.”

Love and Compassion

Today is Maundy Thursday, and this very apt and timely image appeared on my google search page:

This rings truer now while in the midst of all this uncertainty. One of the best things you can share is Love. Love for family. Love for friends. Love for strangers. Love for Him.

I'm praying that when this is over, we become - as a people in general - more compassionate and loving people.

Lolo x 2

As March begins, I realized that I haven’t written about the fact that I became a Lolo again this February!

Jul and Jen welcomed their second child - a beautiful baby girl! And now, another baby will be calling me “Lolo.’

Presenting Olivia Rose!

Looking at this cutie makes me both happy and proud to be a Lolo again.

They've got each other's back...

...for the past 53 years!

This has got to be one of the most adorable photos of my parents of late.

Happy 53rd wedding anniversary, Parentals! Here's to more years of love!

Family First

On the first day of the year...

The last time the OG Regalado-Morales family members were ALL together in one house was in 1990. This was the year when Ate Lissa got married. After that, she moved out. Followed by Ate Bullet the year after.

By 1996, the house was almost an empty nest. It was just my parents and me. So, the once super noisy and super frenetic home in Morato was quiet and, well, empty.

Now, 28 years later, we found the OG Regalado-Morales family ALL together in one house again. With the addition of spouses, children and grandchildren.

As expected, the noise, laughter, stories and frenetic activity were back! And amplified much, much more. For the past 2 weeks, the house was filled with catching up, cooking breakfast, lunch, dinner, special dishes, and Javi's cooking show. There was a lot of cleaning, doing laundry until 3am, and watching kids-who-are-no-longer-kids drinking wine while playing board games.

Then, there were the conversations. Much missed and much changed after 2 decades.

Now, we talk about seeing kids enter the workforce, the pride of seeing kids already working and advancing in the journey of life, facing the signs of aging, missing home, and planning ahead. It makes me smile seeing how far we've gone, but how we've remained together despite the distance and time difference.

On the first day of the year, I'm thankful to Him for allowing all of us to start the year with family. Because that's one constant that should be celebrated on the first day of the year, and every day of the  year.

ATLast!

From our family in ATL to all our families around the world...

Siblings are *insert heart emoticons here*

We're all older now and living our separate lives. Some here in the Philippines, some in the U.S.

We may not see each other that often, but when we get together, it feels like we're back to being kids in that big, old house in Morato.

That's the reason why it's always a joy to get together with my siblings. And whenever we do, I feel like the luckiest youngest brother in the world.

It's all we need...

On this day of hearts and chocolates and huge stuffed toys from Blue Magic, it's nice to remember that beyond all the gifts and gestures both grand and small, the most important thing to remember is that today is a day of Love.



And that's all we need.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Devotion

It was 7:00 am and I just alighted from the LRT Station and started walking to school.

At the corner of Taft Avenue and Pablo Ocampo Streets, just in front of Jollibee, I passed by this striking old lady. My estimate places her at around 75 years old. She was a frail looking woman, with her white hair tied back in a pony tail. She was carrying a small, transparent umbrella with a pink handle, and wearing a bright yellow house dress. On the surface, she looked very nondescript. But I found her striking because of something on her dress.

There was something attached to both sides of her dress. Neatly safety-pinned on her bright yellow house dress was a computer print out with the photo of an old man. On top of the photo were the words "MISSING," and below, there was an address and a telephone number.

Since I had 30 minutes to spare before my first class, I went back to the corner and talked to the old lady. I greeted her good morning, and proceeded to ask her a few questions. (And to think I just discussed "The Art of the Interview" last Friday. How timely.)

ME: "Lola, sino po itong nawawala."
LOLA: "Yung asawa ko."
ME: "Kailan niyo po siya huling nakita?"
LOLA: "Mag-iisang buwan na. Mag-iisang buwan na siyang nawawala."
ME: "Nagpatulong na po ba kayo sa mga pulis o sa DSWD? Baka makatulong sila sa inyo sa paghanap."
LOLA: "Ni-report na din namin sa pulis. Pero gusto ko ding hanapin siya."
ME: "Malapit po ba kayo dito nakatira?"
LOLA: "Medyo malapit din. Dito nga kami magdalas nagkikita sa kanto kaya dito ako naghihintay. Baka sakaling bumalik siya dito."

That last line sent a surge of emotions throughout my body. If I were made of weaker stuff, I might have been bawling like a baby in the middle of the street. I was touched by her devotion to her husband, and the fact that she stands there, right at the corner where she usually meets him, in the hopes that she'll find him there.

It reminded me of the story of "Hachiko" in Japan. But this story was happening right in front of me. Right at the corner near our school. Right now.

ME: "Sige po, Lola. Tignan ko po kung may maitutulong kami sa inyo."
LOLA: "Naku, salamat. Kaawaan ka ng Diyos, iho."

I went back to school and held my two classes, telling my first class the story of this devoted wife waiting for her missing husband at the corner where they usually meet. Suddenly I was thinking, "heck, this is an advertising class. Why don't we help her make posters?"

At around 1:15pm, I left school and headed towards Taft Avenue, going to the LRT station. The old lady wasn't there anymore. Maybe she had lunch. Maybe she went home. Maybe her children picked her up and advised her to just stay home and assured her that she'll find him soon.

I sincerely hope that she does. A woman with that kind of love and devotion deserves to be rewarded. And what better reward than finding the man she's been looking for for the past month.