Pope Francis in my heart

His Excellency Pope Francis

Today, 18 January 2015, is the last day of Pope Francis' papal visit to the Philippines. Since day one, I have been following his activities in my native country and have been in awe and truly inspired by his genuine acts and words of love and compassion. His smile is infectious. His humour affable and adorable. His is the kind of company one would like to keep close. His positivity and strength shines through his persona like a cloak to protect you from all things harmful, bad and evil. You know you are safe and sound in his arms and comfort your pain.

Twenty years ago, I had the privilege to be among those who welcomed Pope John Paul II during his papal visit to my Alma Mater, the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas - the oldest Catholic University of the Philippines. This year, His Excellency Pope Francis came for yet another visit to inspire and rekindle the hearts and souls of the Catholic faithfuls. Pope John Paul's visit was a memorable one, of me being there in the midst of all the preparations in welcoming him and bear witness to his inspirational talks as a young adult back in 1995. This time around, it is no different. Thanks to the internet, I was able to follow the preparation and activities surrounding Pope Francis' papal visit to the Philippines - and yet again, as Pope Francis sets foot to the University of Santo Tomas. I take pride in being a part of the Catholic institution which has helped developed me as an individual - as a faithful and as a compassionate person I believe I have become.

Pope Francis and his flock of faithfuls

I have tirelessly browsed every single videos and picture galleries available documenting Pope Francis' visit and itineraries around Manila and Tacloban. I can't help shed a tear each time he offers great and genuine sensitivity and prayers to the plight of the common people ravaged by the storm, poverty and social hardships. His were words of heartfelt hope and compassion, that our pain is his pain, as well as his faith and belief in God and His mercy and blessings should also be part of our lives in each and every day.

Audience at the University of Santo Tomas

During his audience at the University of Santo Tomas, I was, again, moved to tears as I read the translation of his impromptu and spontaneous speech. Discarding the written address prepared beforehand, he chose to speak from his heart as brought by what has transpired during the short program presented to him where street children were given an audience with him asking "why God allowed for children to suffer so much" and "why God allowed drugs and prostitution to exist" and even offered a minute of prayer in remembrance of the death of Kristel, the young volunteer in Tacloban who helped prepare in the activities for his visit there.

I am in awe and will always be inspired by his calm, kindness and words of compassion. I will try my best to remember, to act and put into good use his advice - To think. To feel. To do. All in perfect harmony.

Mabuhay, Papa Francesco!

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie n’ Oreo Fudge Brownie Bar

Photo courtesy of www.kevinandamanda.com  

What a sinful, sinful sweet treat!

I know! I know it ain't healthy. But it's sooooo good!

This brownie recipe is worth trying - especially for very chocolate lover out there.

Follow this link and enjoy your treat!

Holiday under the sun

Clearwater Beach, Florida, USA

Sun. Sand. Seas. These are my recipe for a great holiday adventure. This year, we spent it in Florida, USA.

Four (4) weeks touring Florida with my boys … what a bliss!

This holiday is, of course, well chronicled in pictures.

Visit my FB page

So, where have you been this summer?

The accident happened for a reason

Sore. That is how my whole body feels right now. My scooter accident last Thursday, 17 July 2014 left me with a fracture in my right hand,bruised and swollen knees, chest and left arm. Yes, you bet I’m in a lot of pain but I’m thankful just the same I am able to walk, albeit slow, and that myfunctional faculties, mental and psychological, are intact. Isn’t that pure miracle?

While I may be battered and bruised physically, the accident has strengthened my faith for things happening for a reason and somehow made me accept what has happened. Someone up there truly loves me and is watching, notonly me but the other driver being a minor, for us surviving all that with “just” fractures and bruises. Truth is, I felt calm through it all, full of profuse thanks to the powerful intervention of someone up there, acknowledging the accident to happen the way HE wanted it to be. How ever so, you may ask. Well, let me walk you through my day before the accident happened.

17 July 2014

Lunchtime. My work for the day has progressed with speed and as I have planned it to be and have ample of time to tie up a few things and finish an hour earlier. My son then called reminding me of things to buy on my way home, as he’s been busy preparing his pack and gears for his summer camp the following day. He’s all too excited to even ask me if he could come by my office so he could join me in getting the items he needed, and that he’ll take the bus and join me in my scooter on our way home or he’s bike to my workplace since the shop is right next to my office. I thought it was a good idea, but towards the end of our conversation, I decided against him coming to my office. I told him we’d get his stuff on our way to the airport tomorrow. He pleaded and begged, but I said no. He was, of course, disappointed – and in the same breadth rambled on the list of items he want to bring with him and he sent mean email requesting a colour-print of a picture he wanted me to bring home. Well past 15.00 hrs, I wrapped up work for the day and headed for home. The accident then took place at around 15.45 hrs.

Now, can you imagine if I had my son on the same scooter on my way home? Had he been riding alongside with me in his own bicycle, it would have been him getting struck by the other biker, or us both. These were the instantaneous thought I had in mind as I lay helpless on the road and was equally concerned for the other biker.

Things do happen for a reason. Any which way you look at it, I’m still the luckiest gal on this planet – and I’m feeling all the love andblessings of His grace and is forever grateful. And so should you.

Eye on the prize: A display of courage and accomplishment

Prep-up with Coach Oscar before the heat race

Yesterday, I watched Alexander with great pride as he competed in his swim age group in Freestyle, Backstroke and Breast stroke.

Despite being nervous, he managed to rise above the pressure and delivered a sterling performance - he placed 1st in his backstroke heat at 22,19 sec, 2nd place in freestyle at 24,0 sec and 5th place in breast stroke at 30,0 sec (he was not happy with this finish as he complained of an unfortunate goggle-malfunction during the actual race).

I am so proud of my dear son as I watched him struggle to catch up after the near "fatal" dive drop for his freestyle heat. He dove way too deep and when he resurfaced, he realised he was deadbeat last. This didn't demoralised him at all. Instead, he flung his arms beautifully in quick strides and swam like a fish to nick 2nd place. It was an unbelievable show of courage not to give up. He fought hard and determined to catch up. I was beaming with pride from the sidelines as my video caught all that on film. I saw how his coach ran down the side of the pool to catch up and give him a high-five and told him he'd done a great race. Alexander was all smiles as he looked up to where I was seated and we exchanged a double thumbs up sign.

Equally amazing was his backstroke performance where he finished first. It was one very tight race but halfway through it, Alexander displayed such determination to cut and surge in an even and quick strides. He breezed past and broke through the pack in one comfortable lead to win the heat hands down. I was holding my breath to the very last second until he touched the black plate and cried: "Yes!" He didn't realised he won the heat until he saw his coach clapping and giving him those two thumbs up sign. He broke his delicious and wide grin of satisfaction, looked up and waved at me.

Instilling in his young mind how important it is never to give up makes me so proud of him. Time and again, we have taught Alexander to trust his capacity of doing the best he could and never to fear the prospect of failing. Mistakes and failure are to be treated as challenges to overcome and not feared, we tell him. His performance yesterday convinced him of his strength and capability to make things happen. I can tell how extremely happy he was over his performance and contribution to the team. I know in my heart he's ready to face bigger challenges ahead of him.

And to cap this great display of courage and accomplishment, I would like to proudly announce that Alexander's competition score has earned him a spot in the swim league to start training with the junior level group - this would mean some serious swim training for competitions! Is he ready for it? You bet he is!

Eye on the prize!

The bittersweet meeting of Kap and his apo

Poolside rendezvous with Lolo Kap

Some ten years ago, my father reached out to me extending his wishes to see me and my son. Estranged as I have been for a good many years, I was overjoyed with the thought of the two meeting up for the first time. 

Their first meeting was bittersweet, because it would also be their last. Short of two years later, my father died from illness. 

Frail and ill as he may have been when they met the first time, they bonded like no other grandfather and grandson. They sat and talked like they have known each other for the longest time. My father looked at his apo with that twinkle in his eyes - full of love and warmth and adoration for this little man. Simply enthralled, mesmerised even. "I wish I could live longer to see him grow up as a young man", he said. My heart broke inside knowing though his heart meant it, his body was too weak to see this through. My son and I did the best we could to savour this meeting and I know for a fact it had a lasting imprint on my son - he remembers my father with great fondness and memory. He remembers his grayling white hair, white beard and white eyebrows - and his sad smiling eyes. At one point my son told me, "He hugged me so tight I couldn't breathe." I smiled and cried inside. 

My father's memory will always live - in me and that of my son. 

All systems go!

Finally! Summer activities identified and logistics have been taken care of. The flight tickets are booked! The hotel accommodations final and booked! And I am broke!

Where to? Take a  wild guess!

Going through the process of debating where to go, what to do this summer took some time before we all agree on our final summer destination. With passports renewed, the travel preparations begun without delay in getting the reasonable flight tickets, setting up detailed itineraries and identifying hotels along the road trip route. What a task to put together! I'm all too happy to get all these into its place and can now sit back and look forward to the day we all go away on a long and much deserved holiday.

Sun, sand and sea, here we come!