CHEATING DEATH TWICE IN A ROW

Few days ago, I was on my way to work. Half past midnight and there were still no sign of passenger jeepney. As a last resort, I have to get a taxi cab so I could make it in time for my work. I did got a taxi and at first I felt fine because the driver was not moonlighting in his driving. In fact he was fast. Well, I was in a hurry so I did not complain. But then, when we reached the intersection of Araneta Road and A. Bonifacio Road, traffic lights went red. The driver were going too fast that before we realized it, we were already in the mid of the intersection. Needless to say, because traffic light turned red on our direction, it would go Green to the other direction. Hence, vehicles from our left and our right side were already on motion- pretty fast actually. I was surprised by the sudden predicament we were in. When I looked at the side-window where I was seated, I saw a private vehicle approaching my direction—fast! I became speechless, I knew my eyes grew wide. It is not being late that worries me now. It is how I could get away from this predicament. The taxi driver seemed to have awaken from a slumber that when he realized we were in the middle of the intersection road and he went from fast to slow, stepped into the accelerator. After that, the taxi went so fast I could have sworn we were literally flying. When we went passed the intersection road, I said “I am in a hurry but not that kind of a hurry” That was when I realized, the driver was drunk.

The same day, after my work, I was scheduled to meet Vincent. We were scheduled to do our regular grocery day and I planned to give him a food-treat. It is his birthday, you see! I travelled via LRT. Approaching Doroteo Jose station, the passengers, and myself as well, smelled like a wire burning. As we reached Doroteo Jose station, the burning smell went so strong that the passengers who were seated stood up. We do not know what was happening. The first thing on our mind was to get out of the train. The door opened, actually, and the people panicked. Each making an effort to reach the door and get out. It was like a stampede. I felt my body being swayed by the crowd. The first thing on my mind was that I have to be in time. Vincent is waiting for me. I had never been late in my appointment with my son, never! This is not going to be the first time. When people went into panicked, my mind raced. Are we going out of this? I am not going to go this way. I do not want my son waiting and after wards knowing I went and would not come back any more. I could imagine him waiting for me. Perhaps he would be worried. What if something happen to me here..now!! All hells loose but I refuse to go this way…stampede or not!!! Security personnel went out. LRT people going back and forth to fix the issue while all the passengers got off from the train. We waited as they fixed the problem then as soon as every issue had been cleared, we were allowed to go back inside the train and they resumed to normal operation. After that, the passengers were talking among themselves. What happened? That was the million dollar question. I did not know really but I was already able to breath after that!!!

While eating that day..i went back to the things that happened to me that day. Hard packed action-I say! Not something that would happen every day. Was it not a number of weeks when I had a slim escape from a different accident? I just smiled to my self. My life is not really boring, you see!! I cheated death twice today…twice in one row!!

My son asked me when he saw me smile..why all the smile? You seemed to be thinking of something..I simply told him…It is nothing son.. Maybe later I could tell you a story… and hey.. I love you. Happy Birthday..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MY CHILD!!

It is Vincents’ 19th birthday – June 29. Actually two days ago, the day when I cheated death twice in a row [ let us talk about that on the next few entries, shall we?] we had our pre-celebration. I treated Cen for a food-trip. I would like him to choose the restaurant and indulge all he wants. However, when I asked where he would like to eat, his answer was “ Going to a fancy restaurant would mean real expense!! Let us not go too fancy, ok? Let us save money!” Oh my gosh…I would like him to indulge and he would like to spend thrift. I chose Pizza Hut since he does not want to chose any restaurant. We ordered pizza but he did not chose those big meaty pizza so I ordered Pizza Huts’ latest pizza flavor and settled for the mid-size. I just gave him money for his one and only vices – anime and collecting anime cds. I told my self, it is ok, his birthday is still on the 29th anyway. We will watch a movie that he wants.

So, yesterday, we went out for some food tripping – again [ since he did not chose the restaurant the last time we went out] and I asked him for a great movie to watch. He chose “Blood – The Last Vampire” He said it resembles one of the anime shows. Again-anime. It is about a girl who hunts blood-sucking demon {hunting demon...sounds Supernatural..hmmm}. Vincent said that the main character, Saya, is the same as the main character on one of his enime movies. In fact the story is based on this anime film – Blood. It was a good watch. We both enjoyed the movie. It was good that we came early because we were noisy inside the cinema, exchanging views and observation about the movie. At least, there are very few viewers. I liked the scene when Saya was surrounded by blood-sucking demons and she had no alternative but to fight using her katana. Obviously, fighting style is Japanese style, with all those flying and every thing. The only thing i was not comfortable with was that there are scenes when characters spoke in Japanese language and there were no translation so Vincent had to translate them for me so I could finally understand. It is good that Vincent can under stand and speak Nihongo. Over all, Vincent was happy with the movie and I am glad he is..

From Inay, Happy Birthday to my one and only, Vincent

WHERE ARE YOU, GOD??!!!

In one of my encounter with a good parish chaplain, one issue raised was the question that had been challenging my faith. “Why is it that most of the time, God seemed so far away?” You will see evil prospering and good people being a doormat. Why is there chaos and most often than not, concerned and good people seemend to be in the losing end when facing great misfortune. I pointed out to the good priest that perhaps God is not really concerned on the basic needs of his creation. His area of interest is focused solely on the spiritual aspect of His creations -our soul. After all, when He created us, he already gave us the wit and common sense to deal with challenges. After giving these gifts, His part is already finished. It is now entirely up to us, and us alone, to meet those challenges.

Isnt it that these had been one of the controversies during Jesus’ time? People was waiting for a king. A misconception indeed because Jesus came to free His people but not accorded to the “freedom” that the Jews had in mind. The jews expected a king who would free them from heavy burden of taxes and political oppression. However, Jesus came to save souls, not to unburden their earthly concerns. Maybe God seemed so far specially in dire needs because His concern is not to help us have a secured, safe or decent life while we are here on earth. It is outside His service parameter, so to speak!

After a minute of silence, the priest said “You know, when ever I needed money but have none, I pray! After which, I felt so light-hearted. In fact, I felt better. My problem is still there though! I will just have to wait. Then somehow, something will happen. My financial problem would be resolved. The faith that God is there for our souls’ well being is the same as with our physical well being. They are one. That faith is the totality of us as His children!

So, would one say that after God gave us the wit and common sense to deal with life, our journey begins….challenges begins…….Free will begins! How we use these wits and common sense will define us in the process and will ultimately determine whose side we really are. If we are “for” or “against” our creators' will. Is that how it works? Or is it the other way around? That he never leaves us since day one. Like a loving Father who stays with us every minute of our lives, guiding, giving cue, hoping that we would listen. Is He really near? Or is he far, watching, testing whose side we will prove to be?

Through the writing of this soul, yearning that in the corners and bumps that goes ahead in this long, winding road, answers would come before this soul reaches the terminal of this journey called LIFE

ENDURANCE ATHLETES

Endurance sports is one of the challenging activity. It teaches us discipline and enhances our stamina as well. Dneero ignites the spirit of Endurance Sports in this conversation:

FEELING MY SITE........AND THANKING A FRIEND!!!!!!

For months, I had been unhappy about my blog template. I would like it personalized. Like in a house, the house speaks for its owner, right? I suppose that goes with our site as well. I uploaded a different template. It was successful but because I lost all my widgets and had been dumb-founded by unfamiliar lay-out, I felt compelled to go back to my previous settings and thus, previous template. After a number of weeks I tried uploading a template-again! Unfortunately for me, I had been confronted by numerous error messages. Needless to say, I have to go back to the available template available from my host. What I can do at the time was to edit the colors of my blog. I felt frustrated, actually! For a while I had been stagnant. It somehow affected my drive to write. I did not have the feel for my own site.

Then came a computer genius who stood as the knight in the shining armor for my blog. A friend and a co-worker actually helped me. He helped me acquire a three-column template. Well, still a design from my host so not really personalized but I liked it anyway. It looked cleaner. Simple and nice enough. I could go with that!! Perhaps in the future, there will be changes in width, if I could insert a design or so, that would be great. The important thing is that I like it better. I am gradually getting the feel for my site and this I owe to a friend who helped a lot. He refused to have his name stated but I would like to extend my simple thanks to such a nice person. Thanks for his help, really!

FOR A GREAT FATHER, ATTY. AGUAS

Papa was a speaker in a convention.

Papa in his office in Greenhills

Papa was on his law proper on this picture

June 21 was dedicated for fathers. I thought Fathers’ Day was a week before that. It was only when Vincent greeted me that I realized Fathers Day was actually on the 21st of June. I do not have any gifts for my father except a simple kiss in the forehead, a hug and a greeting “Happy Birthday, Papa”

This entry is dedicated to my father and all fathers out there. We are all familiar with maternal love. As one said to me, it is different when a child is near her mother because a mom is more supportive, more amenable, more understanding. Unlike a man who is tough and emotionally unyielding, a mother has more of that soft spot. If that is so, how does a father love? Let me count the ways thru my experience;

-1. My father is very strict. He had house rules that should be followed per letter. For him, rules are law and law can never be broken. I remembered when he said “Once my children marries, they have to live on their own. They can not live in this house anymore. They have to build their own family! A law that was broken during one of the lowest stages of my life. Upon separation, I begged my mama to allow me to come back to our house. I knew my chances of coming back was very slim, knowing how my father stood by his words. I even remembered him saying during my teen years “If my children can not follow rules, they should not be in this house!” Separated and with a child in my hand. Can I work and tend to my child at the same time? Can I leave my month old baby to a stranger while I work? My senses succumb by unspeakable fear just by the thought that I will leave my month old baby in the hands of a stranger, if not an untrained baby sitter. I want to be there to take care of Vincent but if I do not work, how are we going to eat? How will I be able to buy my childs’ needs? To my surprise, my father accepted me and my baby with open arms. Right after that, I hired a baby sitter so that my mama will not be burdened and focused on being a mom and a dad. The rest is history. If my father did not open his arms for me and my son, what could have happened to me and my son? I do not know but I know one thing, my father broke his own law to accommodate me and his grand child!! His childs’ welfare above his own imposed law.

-2. Just recently, my sister requested a favor to my parents. While her family migrates in a western country, my parents have to tend her house in Pasig. What will happen is that my papa and mama will be travelling from Pasig to Quezon City and back and forth every day! My father does not want to. For one, he can not sleep in a different house and his work is near our house in QC. More than this, papa was already confined in the hospital twice because of a stroke. The doctor says that the third stroke could cause him his life. It is not advisable for him to be physically exhausted. However, from Pasig to our place, if going to commute, would take him two and a half hour more or less to travel –one way only. On top of that, papa would have to walk a number of kilometers from the location where he will drop-off from the public vehicle to the exact location of my sisters’ house. Having this kind of activity every day could ignite a third stroke attack. I refused, however despite strong refusal, my father commanded me to halt down. My parents chose to tend to my sisters house in Pasig, including the problem that goes with getting the house have electricity, water and some other issues left for them to solve. For me, it is a suicidal decision. My father does not like it either. However, much as he is irritated, he chose to do it anyway. He conceded for my mama and for my sister. His wife and his child above his own health and his own life.

Shall I say more? My father supports his family. Sure, this is a regular function of a father. But then, does anyone know how it feels to work and work and not being able to spend even one fourth of the money you earned for your self? Not just for a month, not just for a year. For as long as they are needed. For as long as it takes. Probably forever. Some one told me “ I can not buy my sock until I am sure my childs needs are already addressed. A live person told me that and I can relate to him. Functioning as a father for my child, I feel guilty too when I buy something for my self. Vincents needs should be the priority. If there are some money left, that would be the time when I can buy something for myself. That is how my father is as well!!!

Perhaps, there are no dramatic and emotional talk. You will not see tears in those eyes. Maybe not expressive in emotion. Maybe too many rules that can not be bent…but see…those strong arms are meant to protect us…those unyielding emotion and unbend rules designed to discipline us and the fruits of his labor meant to sustain us..

This is for my father,
Atty. Salvador Aguas,
for being always there when his family needs him..

We owe a lot to you, papa!!! and we love you!! And for all the fathers who sacrificed every thing for their family.. For all the fathers out there...

HAPPY FATHERS DAY