Assumption turns 101, E-beths had so much fun

We had FUN FUN FUN one afternoon under the SUN!

A Greeting to A FRIEND

I set the alarm at 4 o’clock in my phone the night before, yet my body clock woke me up at around 3:45 in the morning of that Friday. I took my phone and sent the message I saved in the drafts folder to this person- this friend. In less than 3 minutes, she replied and said she is thankful for the greeting. We had an exchange of text messages for about twice and she told me to go back to sleep for it was very early. I just closed my eyes until five. As I was trying to fall asleep, I imagined how good and fun the day will be the moment I step in the school.

                And the day was starting to be what I wanted it to be- fun all the way with no stress and disappointment. I greeted her for the second time, but this time, in person. I hugged her so tight a she thanked me again for the greeting and as I greet her again. My former classmates, the MICHAELITES, were telling me that they are getting more excited as the time passes. I rushed to every second year classroom to check if my former classmates were there. I asked them to sign in one black cardboard by lunchtime. By afternoon, we ran to the classroom and packed our things, ran down to the ARC and met with my former classmates. We waited for almost half an hour just to greet her as a whole family. We went to the door next to her table at the Faculty room. With the surprise appearance of her former ‘daughters’ and a background music, I Swear, we all had a little but, for me, special reunion. We gave the cake and for the best part, the frame, which she thought when seeing the back part was a painting. It was so special to me that I almost shed a tear seeing some of them crying. I gave my former sisters a hug and we started reminiscing the fun moments we had the previous year. We ate a part of the cake with our bare hands as the knife and spoon. We spend some minutes of chatting of how our lives have been this second year. It was nice seeing their faces again after some time. We parted ways with hugs and kisses, as usual. We all greeted her just like the previous year. We surprised her, the same as last year. We, again, had a good time just like the days we missed. We pleased her heart with simply with our greetings and presence. Yet it was a big thing… it was something special… something to cherish. And you know her, the birthday celebrator every August 19 of the year aside from Mr. Romero and other people- MRS. SARDUA.

I Call it CRAM not STUDY

     I am currently at the stage of exam rush  ( as I call it). I spent the whole weekend finishing my projects and cramming for mastery tests. And now I am suffering the consequences of having manana (man ya na) habit. 

     Tonight is the night I will keep vigil just to finish reading and jotting down notes on  Statistics, CLE and Soc. Stud.  And the final judgment on how worthy my staying up late is will be on the day I will see my exam scores and receive my report card. 


BTW August 26, 2011- report card day a.k.a.my  judgment day and HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELISSA!!!

The First Project-like Activity in My Sophomore Year

Gabrielle, Elissa, and Jo performed their own version of Born This Way

Camille, Jianne, and Sonaya

Well, these girls performed a remix presentation of their own style.

The activity was indeed fun! After our CLE class, classes were cancelled due to a storm signal. 

1st of July

 What a perfect beginning of the month! After a very frustrating June ( though it is my birth month), I had a taste of a relaxing and positive first-day-of-July.

I was silent upon entering the classroom and as I stepped inside, though hurriedly, I felt something that triggered me. Something that gave a sign of an occurence of something I have been looking for... something I've been longing for.

And yes... yes it did happen! The thing I've been waiting for has finally come. I've been prolonging this agony of waiting for things to happen. But then, all the sorrow just vanished away like dust blown by wind. With a simple step forward... an approach, everything changed. I began to smile. My heart became so light that I felt like I was floating on air due to an undescribable bliss. I remember the days when the chance was right in front of me, yet I ignored it, I waited for it to fade.


Wonderful things have been happening throughout the morning. And then strikes the afternoon I have been waiting forward. The climax of the day has occured. I can't find the words to describe what I was feeling. My heart seemeed so heavy but suddenly lightens. What I know was that, that day was one of the many days of my life that I will never ever forget. That day, for others may not be, was perfect for me. 

Last Minute Agony Before Turning 14

Yesterday, I was thirteen, now I turned fourteen. Today is the 26th day of June and it is written on my birth certificate. Usually, there is nothing so big deal when it is the day before my birthday, but yesterday was really something. Aside from having a pre-celebration together with my family, I also experienced a last minute pain. We were at the Jaro Cathedral to attend the anticipated Saturday Mass. The last time I entered the cathedral was last year's Centennial Celebration, so when I went inside, I was, as usual, amazed by its beauty especially the statues of various male saints and the paintings at the ceiling. And every time I enter the place, everything seems so solemn. There I predicted that even though I am not with my friends in any of my birthday celebration, this day will be unforgettable.

            The Mass has started and we were already singing the Gloria when I saw a white thing moving on the floor beside the pew where we were seated. The people near that side looked at the white thing. I was curious so I also gazed. There I found out that it was not a "moving thing" but a lame boy. I bet he was near my age or even more. He went forward and approached a woman, asking for alms. He stretched out his hand with a slipper. Yes, a slipper. Instead of his feet wearing a pair of slippers, his hands were the ones using them. Luckily, the woman gave him a penny of an amount which I don't know. Then he went back to the side of our pew and asked the old-aged couple for any amount of money. Again, he was given. At that time I was thinking that he will soon come to me for I was just a few centimeters away from the couple ( actually my sister was nearer to them ). As expected, he came to me crawling. I wasn't surprised, but terrified, like the last time I entered that place, when there was a girl also came to us. He stretched his hand to me, yet I looked straight at the altar. I can say some people at my back saw him and what I did. Then my mom poked my dad telling to give the boy money. My dad immediately gave a five-peso coin. Then, that was the time I looked at him. He balanced the coin on the slipper and used his other hand to get it and placed it inside his pocket. I looked at his eyes. After that, I refused to look straight at him again. In his eyes I saw the pain and the burden he has been experiencing. Those pitiful eyes touched me. If only I brought with me my coins, I would never ever hesitate to give him some. There, I caught myself not concentrating to the Mass.

            After receiving the coin, I thought he will leave and proceed to other Mass-goers. But no. He didn't. The old woman tapped his shoulder and whispered something to him. Of course I didn't hear a thing, but I can infer that the woman told him to stop going around and stay in one place for awhile. That is because that boy sat at the side of the pew in front of us. And that disturbed me more from listening to the readings. He has a wound near his left eye because he has a makeshift bandage using a white cloth. His feet were like of the Chinese women having lotus feet. They were small and I am sure they had stopped growing. My sister told me that there's a term for the act of the 'sindikato' making the feet of the children turn like the ones of the boy. The priest who I knew and met a year ago was having his homily already when I saw the boy gazing from side to side. He looked at one of the flat screens hung on the pillars of the cathedral. He was resting for a while when he decided to leave. I did not see him after he left. I thought he will come back, but he didn't. The Mass has ended and so we went out. I looked around and saw no sign of him. There were no more beggars outside. Perhaps because it was already past six. I was really eager to know where he went. Maybe he has some friends with him and they searched for shelter. Or maybe he has a family. Or maybe... I hope not... he went to the 'sindikato' to give the money he earned from begging. I hope he didn't. And I hope what my sister said about those 'sindikato' is not true at all. We already reached home after eating in a restaurant, yet his eyes kept on flashing back in my mind. Those pitiful eyes.

            My last day being a thirteen year old girl has left a memory in me. And I am sure that this will not just vanish in my mind nor in my heart right away. The, in fact, will leave a scar in my heart. It was just an instant where my eyes meet the ones of a poor boy, probably of my age. That was all. An instance common to all. An instance where one ignores a hand of the poor. " Love the least, the last, and the lost," that's what Fr. Nathaniel ( the celebrant) mentioned in his homily. Now, I always think of him... of his condition and his future. I hope to see him again the next time I go to the Cathedral. And I hope to see him better than yesterday.

Be Like Water If You Must

What are you staring at?

Those teary eyes... they are shameful.

Don't you dare show them how weak you are, you're strong...

You should be.

Don't bow your head down... be tough!

Don't let them know you are close to giving up.

Never show them you are grieving when you know you can still stand.

When you fall, don't stay long being low... rise!

When you have a wound,

Don't expect it to totally vanish away... it will always leave a scar in you...

In your heart.

Do your best... your all.

Let sincerity conquer you.

Let courage dominate you.

Be simple in anything you do.

Keep still in a while... don't rush things,

For they have their own time of arrival.

Be like water... which goes with the flow of everything... of life.

Be like water... which peace is visible in one's personality.

Be like water... which do things selflessly.

Be like water... and eternal joy will be yours.