BIRTHDAY

BIRTHDAY
January 9, 1994 – 8:00 a.m.

“Time markers – such as birthdays (anniversaries or the onset of a new yea) – a re gifts of an eternal and infinite God to mortal and finite man. These occasions allow us to – or make us – pause and take stock of the past, know where we stand at the moment and plan for the future.
This is important because, in he fast-paced world, we might be rushing along without realizing that wee veered off the path; looking back, we could get our bearing right again. Or we might be burdened that we become discouraged; looking back we can see what we have achieved and b e encouraged by it”. – Dr. L. Pantoja
Today is my fifty-ninth birthday. I woke up early, or rather I was subconsciously awakened as early as 1:00 a.m. by I don’t know what force.
During the previous years I used to go to Quiapo Church to celebrate my birthday with the Black Nazarene but since Mercedes Building (where my office clinic used to be located) was burned down recently, I didn’t plan to go to Quiapo this time. Instead I made a visit to the Blessed Sacrament at 6 :00 a.m. at the Madrigal Center’s Prayer Room. Then I proceeded to St. Gerome Church where I heard the 6:30 Mass.
Aside from Paul who drive me t o St. Gerome Church, others in the house were still sleeping. There were no early greetings and kisses even from my wife, who is always tired anyway to wake up early just to greet an aging husband.
When I arrived home from the Church the telephone was ringing, I was excited that someone must have remembered my birthday… but no, the long distance call was from a friend of Paul. The next phone call was also for him.
I graciously accepted the fact that I am old enough to be remembered on my birthday. After all I am not a celebrity of sort. Somehow I could enjoy my privacy.
After breakfast Paul greeted me Happy Birthday, then Jonathan then Brinna, then Beth, then Bel, not one after the other but just casually as if only forced by circumstances because they happen to see me or because they needed to talk to me about other things.
Noontime I enjoyed listening to my tape-recorded birthday in Lagos , Nigeria in 1979.
At around 11:00 a.m. Mrs. Severino (Nana , the ever thoughtful sweet old lady) greeted me by phone. She made my day! Thanks NANA.