Another Year Older: A Piece of Gratitude

Enough of grief over past unfortunate birthdays, it's time to celebrate this year. Since it’s my birthday, allow me to make some sort of “thanking the sponsors post”. J This time, it should really be a happy birthday.


1. Thank you to my Mama who has remained supportive of whatever venture I invest it. She keeps on backing me up (emotionally and financially) in all my endeavors. Despite the old age, she continues to work in order to sustain our family's daily needs.

2. Many thanks to my Father for serving as a great challenger -- intellectual and emotional (patience is a virtue). I hope that you believe I was never a communist. It just happened that I had some friends from that chunk of the society.

3. Ultimate thank you goes to my Mommy who's giving away her services to me 100%. To wake me up early in the morning is more than enough sacrifice. I just wish the problem of old-age wouldn't easily hurdle our relationship. Memory enhancers should help!

4. Thanks go to my sisters for making me believe, (still) that I was, am, will forever be a good daughter (hehehe). Thank you for trusting that I can manage to answer all your queries as regards your school works (matakot kayo kasi madalas nagmamagaling lang ako!).

5. To my great buddies in High School:


· MOI -- thank you for sharing with me your life and for letting me share my life with you. I am grateful that even if CP is there (a boyfriend and a best friend) you never fail to consider me as a good friend.

· HOPE -- Thank you for being there when I thought I was living my last days. (kapag pala malapit ng mamatay ang tao, magpapakita ka na hehehehe) Do I need to be hospitalized again (tipong 50-50 na naman) for us to meet? I hope not! But I am still thankful, because I know you’re one of the persons I can count on.

· JENICA -- Thank you for trusting me. It’s good to know (it makes me feel proud) whenever a friend entrusts secrets and or essential issues to me.

· JENNY -- I am grateful that I am able to share my stories almost everyday (on-line) with a good listener. Thanks for being there during my daydreaming moments – dreaming about having our own business (kung totoo lang siguro iyon, mayaman na tayo oh, well… soon, it takes time talaga). Oh, and thanks for believing that I could be a good Ninang to your panganay. Yehey! Lalaki ang first child mo (wala lang)!

6. To my one and only dearest friend in college, CLEOVI, thank you for being my anxiety-absorber. I badly miss those days when we were just sitting along SJ Walk and sharing each others dreams and stories. I know that even if we’re apart, even if we don’t text each other everyday, in our hearts, we still wish whatever the other person wishes for. I know we will support each other in whatever venture we have. Thanks for the letter – it’s very much appreciated because I rarely receive letters from friends (ako naman kasi iyong makulit na sulat ng sulat hehe). Thanks again.

7. To Joy and Kiko, I would always be thankful to you guys (though we’ve parted our ways). I owe you a part of what I’ve become. I just wish that you guys would consider having kids. I guess marriage is worth keeping if you’d have children to nurture. Aside from that, sayang ang genes… Our country needs intelligent (and good) people. I am really thankful!

8. To Flower Power (Ate Shawie and Ate Julie), thanks for sharing me your experiences in life and letting me learn from it. You’re the older sisters I’d never have in the ‘real sense’.

9. Of course, I am grateful for Irish. If not for her, I won’t be experiencing the life of a PR Writer (feeling PR Writer). Now, I get my works published (though I don’t have my name in every article released). Also, I wouldn’t know how it is like to handle accounts (though I don’t enjoy that part of the work) if not for her. We will always be partner in crimes – beyond our “defunct” (you know what I mean) graduate studies venture.

10. Gratitude also goes to people who give their time to read my blog. I very much treasure this blog as it holds almost all of my emotions, opinions, and experiences. To know that there are people giving time to read my blog (may be hogwash for some) makes me feel its worth keeping. Special thanks to Jenny (thanks for being supportive of my positions and for spending time reading my kung anek-anek insights) and Patrick (you’re free to critique my works anytime should I miss a point.) for their comments. Thanks also go to those people who link my blog to theirs – Dindin, Allan, and Darwin (for Aksyon Para sa Edukasyon) – and to those who drop by and post hi’s and hello’s in the tagboard. Thanks again.


Whenever I’ve friends or acquaintances celebrating their birthdays, I send a standard message. This time, I am dedicating the message to myself.

“Happy Birthday to me! 525, 600 minutes of Love I should have to continue life’s struggles. Measure life in Love as Life is short.”

23 years is not much. I know that there are a lot of things I’d be confronting – challenges, surprises, problems, or whatnots. I guess the only way to battle / conquer all these is through Love. Loving myself, loving the people around me, loving what I do – simply loving all the things about life (except of course the unlovable). I would never know up to when I can enjoy the life in this world. Heck, there’s no day but today to strive in fulfilling my dreams and confronting my responsibilities. Life is short!

--I am always inspired by Rent’s moral and the idea of Vita Brevis. --