Jandrea...so far

     For my sister , Ling, who always provides me the biggest pieces in this evolving thing... Many of us go through life looking for that single, perfect person who will make us happy, make us whole. We go around looking vulnerable, showing the gaping hole in our hearts, thinking that someone special out there has the power to stop the bleeding. Maybe it will be a guru who will provide all the answers to our life questions. Or a soul-mate who will always be in sync with our thoughts and will rejoice in our shared idiosyncracies. Or the love of one's life who will feed our desires and provide the reasons for bliss and contentment. And of course, many of us, if not all, end up disappointed in this impossible quest. In my fading years, I can say with utmost certainty that we can never rely on any one person to make us complete. Aside from holes in our heart and spirit which call for mending, parts of us were never with us to begin with.  I think that one purpose of l

  I was in a rush that morning so I forgot to take my multi-vitamin right after breakfast. Coming out of the bathroom, I found a glass of water with the pill on the counter near our bed, courtesy of my hubby. Touched by his gesture, I saw once again that his kind of love comes in quiet, unspoken moments. Vitamin L(ove) really kept me going that day!

Plainly said, I like sentimental songs. I like melodies that touch my very core that I find it hard not to shed tears when I listen to them. No words are needed to communicate pain...loneliness... realizations... healing ... beauty. Here's a couple which touch the rawness of my heart, "Gabriel's Oboe" and the theme from "Cinema Paradiso" http://youtu.be/PygPri0-LNA

Day 8, Alcorcon & Madrid: 18 Aug 2011 - Catechesis at San Juan de Mata Parish - Welcome Ceremony for the Pope at Plaza de Cibeles Today was the second day for the Catechesis at the San Juan de Mata Parish in Alcorcon. Before the speaker arrived, animators were in charge of preparing the audience for the session. During the animation, from where we were seated, I could not see the person leading the songs & accompanying movements. I normally am shy about joining such activities but “getting into the groove of things” (betrays my being a “child of the 70s”) was easy as the energy and enthusiasm of the young people around me were infectious. But there was a slight unease as I could not see the animators in the front of the church from where I was standing. So I turned to the hundred others who were imitating their movements. But it was a certain Caucasian girl in the middle of the church who drew my attention. Maybe because she was directly in the line of my astigmatic visio

Day 6, Caceres: 14 August 2011                 The journey continues... so far, it has been both joyous and challenging. My children and I have been blessed by being given the chance to be here, together. It is an opportunity that may never come again and thus, I am determined to make the most out of this pilgrimage to strengthen not only our filial bonds but also our connection to our Catholic faith.                             Today, the Cubao pilgrims joined in the celebration of the Holy Mass with the community and the families from the Parish of Beato Spinola which hosted our group for the Days in the Diocese. We were asked to lead in the singing of some of the mass songs. Thus, we chose to sing “Purihin ang Panginoon” which we had learned to sing with parts in Spanish, English, and Filipino. Other songs were either in Filipino or English and the final song was “Firmes en la Fe” which was of course, in Spanish. The three languages used in song and worship taught me that langua