Notebook of Dreams

I loooove notebooks.

I used to own probably 4-5 notebooks at any given time. For work. For personal to do list. For my literary scribblings and a few more that were given ro me as gifts. When I am in a bookstore and I see a nice, elegant looking notebook, I could not resist buying one. Even with the onset of Palm Pilot (which died), Smart Phone and now, the Ipad (and the Ipad look-alikes), there is something elemental about notebooks versus a digital rendition of scribbled musings.

Before I left Manila, I gave away a lot of my old "new" (unused) notebooks to my office mates. I realized have a lot kept in my locker and at home. I had to finally "let go" of my really old notebooks from my R&D Process days. I had to throw a couple that caused a great deal of stress.

Two years ago I started this tradition of writing down my "To Do List for the Year". I received a Papemelroti notebook-the one with brown paper-having been made from recycled paper and I decided to put it to good use by listing down the things I want to accomplish for the next 2-3 years. It included both personal pursuits as well as those that extend to my family.

Last September, I decided to leave the notebook behind as a "something old" memento to a friend from work. I had to tear off about 2 pages where I have written my life's pursuits. Looking at my hand written notes for the last time, I realized that each and every one of in the list had this red "check mark" beside them, -- even when I thought at the time I wrote it that it seemed impossible or outrageous. I have actually realized all those things I have set out to do and accomplish. And I had to say, most of them were not accomplished by my lone self. It also took great partnership with my better half.

I was handing down not just an ordinary notebook-- it was a notebook where dreams are made. And where dreams, coupled with faith, perseverance and tenacity -- do come true.

... Which reminds me, its time to have a new notebook. For my new "To Do" list. It will be quite a long list.

Acts of Kindness

Kindness is like a candle in the dark. Giving hope.

Being a stranger in a new country, a new workplace, a new city/community and a new function is more than enough recipe for disaster. And dont even get me started about being alone. I heard this before but somehow it escaped me in that hour of reckoning.

Along the way, there were people who like rays of sunlight, brings warmth to an otherwise cold and dreary long day. We probably do not take these things to heart and take those for granted until finally, you are in a situation where you feel vulnerable.

In my first two months in a new destination, I feel so grateful to the random every day people for their acts of kindness... the "Good Morning Armie" from new office mates.. Kanitha who reminded me of my "Mommy Joyce" who led me to the Healthway Clinic during that deathly day when I was about to fade in the face of Singapore.. the genuine query from folks about "my life so far"... Kevin's new Angel for the words of wisdom... the lad who offered me a shelter under his umbrella during that rainy evening while crossing Orchard road... the planners who helped me onboard... my new team who took the load off... my informal lunchmates for listening to my run-down of my days-so far... the cheerful taxi drivers (who negated the grumpy ones)... old Cabuyao friends who visited in SG for the joy of their company... the Cabuyao friends who continue to tag me in all facebook pictures of Plant Life and WPI Pillar (yes, the thought counts)... folks at work who provide data/information without waiting for the end of the world...and so many others.

These acts of kindness  make a heavy heart, a wee-bit lighter during those days when it mattered.  With these thoughts I also realized that someone, somewhere-could also be in the same situation I had... and I promised to pass on a little dose of sunshine too.

Farewell to Angels

Kevin spent his last few days bidding goodbye to teachers, friends and sea of familiar faces in this world for the last 10 years. On December 28, we all finally move to Singapore. The goodbye is of course a symbolic rather than a matter-of-fact affair for him because I reckon that at this point, he doesn’t really fully well know that those moments will be the last.

Apart from the secure shell of our home, his school and therapy centers have been his “second home” all these years. We were blessed to have been surrounded by people who genuinely cared for him during those times when we were away to fulfill the needful duties for living. They opened their doors for Kevin, and have him belong and become a part of something great and worthwhile. They have been part of Kevin's small steps and little triumphs over the years. We will always be grateful to them. They will always be Kevin’s Angels on Earth.

Thank you so much—

To Teacher Weng Ynion of Trails Center. To Teachers Len, Donna, Ai and Aimee. Thank you for holding hands with us in the last seven years and through the challenges that Kevin faced, for sharing with his life's milestones. Congratulations on your new pre-school—we couldn’t have been happier knowing that more and more special kids need Angels like you in our country!

To Teacher Mon Mendez of Partners for Child Development and Progress. To Teachers Kang, Elaine, Mai, Soleil, Meng and all his former therapists. For being our partners and enabling Kevin in his ADL and for not giving up on Kevin. Thank you for the very memorable farewell dine-out you gave him... He always look at the pictures he had with you and although he cannot express it in words, I know that he is very happy and will always remember that day.

To Teachers Grace, Gerry, Edison and Lovelyn of Kindertech of Uno Cevita- for opening your doors for Kevin and other special kids who needed a chance. Thank you for giving him a place to belong and a little community where I know he is happy and loved.

I tried to be brief as I know words are not enough. We hope to see you all once again… somewhere, some time. I trust that somewhere along the road, there will be new Angels for Kevin too.

Just Got Lucky

When I first came in the Red Dot four years ago, I heard about this quaint mall along the posh Orchard Road where Filipinos gravitate, called Lucky Plaza. They actually called it a Jologs mall. The low rise mall will remind you of small town neighborhood malls back in the country. I never had a chance to go inside and check it out.

Until lately.

Sissy told me that Lucky Plaza is bustling with Filipinos on any busy weekday, but most especially during weekends. This is where many OFWs go for forex, remittance to home country (at a lower charge), buy authentic Pinoy groceries (Boy Bawang, Pancit Canton, Likas Papaya, etc) at Singaporean prices. At the food court you will find a stall serving Pinoy dishes. One serving rice and your choice of two dishes will cost SGD5.

One rainy Sunday afternoon, onwards to my second week at Sing, I was struck with flu and was literally sick and tired. I didn't have food at the service apartment then and was near starvation so I decided to brave the rainy weather and headed to Lucky Plaza to get a late lunch of rice and Pinoy food. I was also quite deppressed then that each step felt so heavy. The rainy weather did not help either and added to the gloom of it all. It was that kind of a week, really.

I knew I was close to Lucky Plaza when I saw throngs of fellow Filipinos at the rainy pavement. Chatting. Waiting. Laughing. Inside the mall, it was elbows to elbows with Pinoys. The remittance centers were the busiest lot.

I went to the basement food court and found the Pinoy stall and ordered my lunch. The tables were full so I had to squeeze in amongs the Pinays eating and chatting in one table for four. They smiled at me and let me take the vacant spot. I can hear their conversation as we were seated so close. I think they work as domestic caregivers, based on their exchange of stories. I listened to their stories as I ate my lunch. Before I left, I went to the Pinoy store and bought some noodles and canned tuna.

When you are in a country that is not your own, alone and sick as I was that day and longing for the comfort of your family, the company of fellow kababayans is as close as you can get to give you a sense of belongingness. Even if it was just a quaint mall sorely misplaced in the middle of the posh Orchard Road.

And who really knows? Probably during those weekend afternoons, the communion of Pinoys might have been sharing the same thoughts I had. We are all not very different at all. We were all just strangers in a country that is not our own. Working. Missing our loved ones. I will go through it for three months, but most of them probably had it for years and years. And there we were. Bounded by our solace.

The End of a Friend

And so my loyal and strong friend met its end.

I have sworn to run (well, walk really) it to the ground. So I did. After 4 years, my loyal Naturalizer Wedge Sandals called it quits. The red strap gave way. Actually if I yank the horizontal strap off, it will still be good as new. So I am seriously contemplating to do just that.

I bought this in Bangkok 4 years ago (!) together with a fellow WPI Pillar leader Wang Ping when we attended the 1st ever Regional Std Work training. Come to think of it, Wang Ping had left and came back to China already after years of sojourn in Europe, and this pair is still my favorite every day shoes, and is still good. Wang Ping also bought one but a lighter color with Lime straps. I wonder if it's still alive.

My good old wedgie have been companions everywhere-Bohol, Batangas, Subic and Central Luzon, all of South Luzon, Bangkok, Shanghai, Beijing, Vietnam, Japan and Singapore. I always bring this pair of shoes in all my travels, in all the 53x4x2 days of weekends of my life. Can match any outfit in the wardrobe, casual or formal. If you are a keen observer, one would assume this is the only pair of shoes I have.

I love it most of all because it is just so comfortable! You can walk all day long and not feel fatigued. Almost as if a premonition, I was browsing for a similar pair at Naturalizer last week. But not a chance.

And if I happen to find Mr.Quickie at Lucky Plaza, I am sure I can have it repaired! So I am not throwing it away for now!

The Gift of Generosity

Eversince Kyla started owning coin purses, mostly as a gift or souvenir pasalubong from someone, she always made it a point to fill them up with coins. She is so resourceful that her pink piggy purse or her tarsier purse from Bohol would always be brimming with coins.

When I travelled home this month and we had quite a time together, it was then that I saw for the first time what she has been up to.

When we heard our Sunday Mass, Kyla would no longer ask me for money during the Offertory. She turned to her own coin purse and brought out coins for the offering. She even gave some coins to her Kuya Kevin. This made me smile. I am proud of my little girl!

Later thay day while going around the mall and shopping for home stuff, whenever we will stop by at the cashier, Kyla took out coins from her purse and drop a peso or two to the tin can coin banks beside the cashier. She did this for at least 3 outlets we visited. Kyla knows that these coin banks go to charity work, usually for Red Cross or Bantay Bata, she once asked me what they are for. This also made the cashiers and sales ladies smile.

By mid-day, her once heavy coin purse is empty.

And so whenever I have change of coins after paying the cashier, she would ask for them. I think she also collects the coins from our garage sale at home. She never rans out of coins to be sure. I believe generous people-- despite giving away what they have-- they never really lose anything. They gain back more vs. what they have given away and most of all, they gain back more blessings and reap good karma points.

It is so refreshing and heartwarming how a child develops the gift of generosity amidst her world where the young are surrounded by crass materialism and me-first attitude.

I am proud of you, my little one!

And as I waved my goodbye to her this morning, though I leave Manila today with a heavy heart, I know that she will be alright. In more ways than one. 

(Musings from NAIA, thanks to the reliable wi-fi, it worked this time)

A House and a Home

Been busy house hunting for the past three weeks or so.

Exciting, interesting, riveting and of course tiring. It helped that I have been trained on Options Analysis, Success Criteria and Key Drivers. It made a big difference when it boiled down to the Final Two choices.

As I was looked forward previewing the so-called future home towering above me, I could not help but also think about our home in Sta. Rosa, Laguna that will be the soon-to-be-ex-house with poignant memories. Come to think of it, two years ago my husband and I made the big leap to finally build our home/house and it ended to be everything we both dreamed of and a place where the kids would be warm and secured. It was in a way a symbolic commitment on our end that it was a place where we would now be settling down for the many years to come. We even thought of selling the land and moving on the side of Sta. Rosa where new neighborhoods and villages are bustling. But we also believed that it wasnt just the prestige of those new places that mattered -- really, it was our community of friends in La Joya and their warm treatment of Kevin that held us back. That home also brought about many blessings and good karma to our family. Alvin and I both felt good we stayed in La Joya. The thought of having to relinquish ties with the old home seemed unnerving. I thought of every stick and stone that carried priceless memories.

In the Settling-In tour that Alvin and I had during his visit to Singapore, a nice Swiss lady was assigned as our settling in consultant. She has been married for more than 16 years and lived all those years in SG. Over a nice lunch at Lee Soy Chicken Rice (I hope I remembered it right...) along the SG backstreets, she shared something that her husband told her once when they were deliberating to sell their house in Switzerland ... "A house is just a house."

I had to tell myself again. A house is just a house. I had to bow to the wisdom behind these words.

A house is just a house. But HOME is where the HEART is.

 

A house is just a house. We can have so many houses in a lifetime. We actually did. But there can only be one home.