OF ROOTS AND GROWTH Things in this world are interrelated. Like Life and Love as well as death. Like Root and Growth which could easily be interpreted with the help of the three Ss, the SEED, the SOWER and the SOIL. In truth we are all SOWERS of sort (planters of lessons, ideas, inspirations, etc.) We choose the best SEED to plant while at the same time we hope for a good harvest. That is, after first finding the best SOIL (the environment, the school, the company, the neighbors). There is interrelation too between roots and growth. It is very important first to be a good SOWER to plant the SEED to a well cultivated SOIL for the ROOTS to anchor strongly to be able to hold a good GROWTH, after all a good and beneficial growth is all we aim to achieve while we all try our best to pass all the trials and errors that we encounter on our journey through life.

RUBY-LEATHER ANNIVERSARY It is our 43rd year of Marital bliss. We have travelled a long rocky road together. A Marital Inventory is in order. It all started as a Whirlwind Wedding quickly followed by one child after another until we successfully contributed five healthy and intelligent offspring to the world. Our business minded eldest son is now happily married and gainfully employed in Sydney, Australia with his Architect wife and four very heal thy and active children. The second, a daughter, is married to a good politician. They now have two healthy, scholarly smart and pretty daughters whose growth are closely monitored by their mother while doing business of her on the side. The middle daughter, a Psychologist based in Toronto, Canada with her hunk, no non-sense Banker husband together with their three daughters and a son who are all in good health and are very active at home and in the school The Third daughter, married to an international school Director is happily staying in the Philippines. She gave up her job to be with her disciplined daughter and son, plus an expected another one soon. Our youngest son is still a bachelor gratefully enjoying his wild freedom and very interesting present status. My wife and I are both very proud of all our children. They are all college graduates, thoughtful and law-abiding. We are grateful that they are our children, our best contribution to the world. What started as a Whirlwind Wedding popularly predicted to last only for a few months is kindly gifted by God with a whirlwind of blessings. That is why every day we thank, praise adore and glorify God for the countless blessings He is continuously showering us . Last night, our youngest daughter’s family treated us to an impromptu dinner. jett e. avinante, m.d. (1-13-13)

THE DAY AFTER I woke up blankly wondering what hit me the other day. Well, it was my birthday, so what? It happens every year. But this birthday was entirely different. I was alone since my wife was in Manila to attend a Rubi Wedding Anniversary. I quickly dressed up to attend the early Mass just to discover that there was no early Mass as it was a Wednesday and the Mass was in the afternoon after Mother of Perpetual Help Novena. The next best thing I thought was to open the TV until a found a channel were Mass was being said. It fulfilled my first Birthday wish. I took my breakfast all by myself then proceeded to my favorite Netcafe to do my routine. I discovered many greeters as well as in my cell phone. Back to the house I instructed my gardener to buy one chicken and cook ‘arroz caldo’ just in case anybody comes around for whatever reason. It was somewhat ironic that for the first time our former housemate failed to gift me with live chicken to be killed in exchange for my life. Since my wife was far away she wasn’t able to cook ‘pancit’ for ‘my long life’. Smilingly I wondered if this would be my last birthday as no chicken was killed to exchange for my life and no pancit was cooked to stimulate the extension of my life. But of course I don’t believe in superstition. Surprisingly, not even one greeted me verbally, a sign that machine can someday substitute for human actions. No one but no one even accidentally happened to pass by our house, so, come lunchtime my helper and me celebrated my birthday with a bowl each of ‘arroz caldo’. After going to my daily siesta, my gardener and I took another bowl of our afternoon snack at around 3:00p.m. I had the chance of my life to read the whole newspaper but the stories were as boring as my birthday. It was 10:00p.m. when my wife arrived from Manila quite tired to take a taste of my especial ‘arroz caldo’ until breakfast time the following morning. Now do you understand why I woke up feeling blank? And don’t argue that what I experienced was just another senior moment. Here in the Philippines it is fun to grow old.

LEARNING EXPERIENCES It has been agreed upon. Our two daughters who were with their families here in the Philippines would spend Christmas Eve with us in the province, together with our Bachelor son who, again surprised us direct from Australia. Came New Years Eve my wife and I were ready to meet the New Year alone together. Our Bachelor son was expected to be with his friends then to my daughters family at BF Homes. After having been loaded with heavy foods during the Christmas gathering and not expecting any coming visitors, we decided to hide inside the refrigerator all the untouched left-over foods and fruits after agreeing with each other that nothing but plain rice and fried dried ‘danggit’ fish which that time was a gustatory treasure after the Christmas extravagance, would be on the table. On display were only two melons and one ripe pineapple. We started our lunch without any special expectation when suddenly our Bachelor son again surprised us from nowhere. (He has been surprising us every now and then, possibly preparing us for bigger and more pleasant surprise). The setting he saw with my wife and I sharing plain rice and fried ‘danggit’ fish must have touched my son so much that for a moment he was speechless. We told him we reserved our roasted chicken to go with red wine for the Midnight dinner. All our helpers were on vacation too with their own families so my wife and I divided the work between us. I realized how tired our helpers got while doing their daily chores. I also got a firsthand picture of the clear panorama filling our inner vision as we continue aging away from our offspring. I attended the anticipated New Year’s Eve Mass while my wife stayed at home to to have good rest as she also ‘guarded’ the house. After the Mass I lighted a big candle plus seven colorful little ones for prosperity. When the Church bells signaled the coming of the New Year I opened the gate to welcome it as I lighted several ‘luces’ alone, one after another while my wife also lighted the others at the open terrace where she stayed alone to guard the foods against the hungry cats. Then, with red wine, roasted chicken and some other goodies we ate together both contemplating silently the tragedy and fun of senior moments. I told my wife the so many things we must Thank God. Five healthy grown-up children, four children-in-law, one bachelor son who were all college graduates and were gainfully employed plus twelve normal and healthy grandchildren growing happily like little angels, we couldn’t ask for more, although an additional daughter-in-law and endless number of grandchildren coming our way were all welcome. We can leave this world with smile. (January 4, 2013)

A-L-O-N-E…Again? This was not the first time that I was being left alone. This time I no longer wonder why. Just like other normal people, our helpers enjoy vacation during holidays. More so during Christmas Season and so they were all gone to their own hometowns. It was ok if it was not the time when many members of my family came to celebrate the event with us. The Celebration wasn’t diminished in anyway. So, the day after the big event of the Incarnation of Jesus I was left alone, as usual. My bed felt so caring I didn’t want to leave it too soon as I still enjoyed caressing my long pillow, but I was more excited in acquainting myself with the new Apple Ipad gifted to me by my children. I just heated the left-over food for my breakfast. Though I was pretty used to being left alone after the holidays I now realized that having to attend to so many things wasn’t actually that easy and fun. I had to reply to many greeters, look at my NEW Ipad to discover that I wasn’t that computer literate after all. I met many words quite Greek to me and just to avoid disaster by doing something I was not acquainted with, I decided to go to my favorite Netcafe for assistance in using my NEW Ipad. Good that someone patient enough tutored me in dealing with my NEW gadget. Again I heated the still remaining left-over food for my lunch and afterwards excitedly opened my NEW Ipad to practice until I gathered little confidence to use it while gradually learning finer details of the amazing technology that only very few grandfathers have the nerve to try using. Mild rain shower made the situation a bit gloomy and very ‘unchristmassy’. I was beginning to focus my attention to my senior moments saved by the non fulfilment of the prophesized end of the world. My first aid when gloom is hovering and loneliness is inviting me to panic with myself, I started singing a happy tune and all was well again. Who cared if I was alone?

NURSING HOME When a became a senior citizen a good several years ago, I started looking for a Nursing Home, just in case I would be needing to enter one. Feeling that all my children would go abroad and no one would be left to take care of me and my wife I decided to scout for a good Home for the Aged. I volunteered my services to a private Nursing Home, the Haven of Peace Foundation, on condition that when I turn too old to offer my services I would be freely accepted as one of the boarders. The Board of Trustees liked my idea but how to implement fully my many suggestions would take a lot of brainstorming to be realized. So I went to the Golden Acres, the Government’s Home for the Aged to inquire if my suggestions would find ways in the institution. In the course of my conversation with the Chief she was somehow amused when I told her that I have five children, all professionals and were all doing good. But her amusement turned serious when I asked her if she was sure her own children would decide to take care of her when she reach her ripe age. Anyway she suggested to me about a good Nursing Home called Mama’s Care, run by Belgian Nuns, somewhere in Tanza Cavite. I forgot all about it until last week when me and my wife was discussing the fate of a relative who was beginning to show signs of Alzheimer’s disease and might be needing a Nursing Home soon. We decided to go to Tanza to find and inquire at Mama’s care. Not knowing the exact location, we started inquiring here and there until we were shown many places none of them Mama’s Care. At one point a talkative woman heard us inquiring and volunteered herself to accompany us to the place which according to her was not in Tanza but at next town, General Trias. After tolerating all the traffics and other obstacles along the way, we reached a placed with beautiful building and a well cared surrounding. But it was not Mama’s Care and wasn’t run by Belgian Nuns. Instead we discovered Mama’s Hope Haven, a private Foundation run by the Born Again Christians catering to lost and abandoned senior citizens and youth. It seemed to be a very good place to stay but they only accept the lost and abandoned individuals. Realizing that is was not that easy to find a Nursing Home nearby I finally ended up googling just to discover hundreds of Nursing Homes offering all kinds of services that now I wasn’t sure if it was my senior limitations that made me confused as to which was which among the Homes for the Elderly. My wife and I agreed to scout further until we find the one Home for the Elder that offers the best bargain, just in case we need to stay in one.

GRAND SANGHIYANG FESTIVAL 2012 I like it, to begin with, all because for the first time it was intentionally presented for its true meaning – A Thanksgiving. Immediately I want to congratulate the Alfonso Council of Tourism for bringing out a truly relevant celebration for the town of Alfonso. The First Day was instantly impressive with all the Municipal Officials and Employees parading in colorful uniforms. However, since it was supposed to be a Parangal ( not Papuri) to PIRITAY who was known in Alfonso as the Fairy protecting the environment, always wearing red attire whether she appeared as an old woman, a beautiful lady or a pretty little girl. It would have been more symbolic and appropriate if all the participants wore red attire in different designs and presentations. Pritiya’s float should have been the grandest since she was the honoree and the little Piriritays all wearing red too. Her Alagad, KURINGO, who was capable of appearing as human or animal and could multiply itself, according to the legend, in any number could have participated as several costumed animals. The floats of Ginang Sanghiyang candidates needed more improvement with simplicity and symbolisms. Participation of Cut Flower Farms was not felt by the community. It could have added more color and freshness to the celebration. The Tingkoraw Art Exhibits could be filled with more antique collections and should be labeled properly, while KAINANG BAYAN was totally missed by many. KAUNAN rites with its conceptualized HARANA wasn’t corrected by a hurriedly built tent acting as the grandstand. Day 2, the Street Dancing Competition was somehow disappointing. I was expecting a colorful costumed-flowers and vegetable dancers showing the environmental products of Alfonso’s farms and backyards but instead, onlookers were treated with the usual colorful and jumpy painted tribes not found anywhere in Alfonso since time immemorial. The actual Sanghiyang Ritual of Thanksgiving was touchy enough but the lack of Temple Altar and proper offerings on the Dulang was not given emphasis as the Sayaw sa Apoy. But anyway Alfonseños enjoyed enough and that was worth it all. I did not have a chance to watch the Gng. Sanghiyang coronation night. But I was told by someone who attended that it was in fact a grand memorable Pageantry. I give the whole event and average grade of 70%. There were defects that are manageable and could easily be corrected. Mabuhay kayong lahat.