Si Raqs: Christmas 2011

Wala kaming Christmas decor. Hindi ako nakapag Christmas shopping. Isang Christmas party lang ang napunthan ko (company's). Isang exchange gift lang ang nasalihan ko (team's). Christmas season this year passed by so quickly, before you knew it, 25th na.

Ang plano ko sana sa pasko, nasa bahay kami, magbibihis ako, magpapatugtog ng Christmas songs, tatanggap kami ng mga bisita (mga inaanak at mga namamasko), watch holiday movies in cable, then in the afternoon after all these kanya kanya kami ng lakad. Pupunta sila sa mga friends nila, ako naman manonood ng Disney on Ice with a friend.

Kaso, naabisuhan ako the day before na mag-aanak ako ng binyag on Christmas Day, dalawang magkasunod, magkaibang simbahan. Tapos very good nagkaroon kami ng Christmas drama. At pumatak pala ng Sunday ang pasko ngayong taon, may simba, so walang tao sa bahay kaya wala din kaming bisita. As early as 8am nagbahay-bahay ako sa mga inaanak ko na malapit samin para iabot ang pamasko ko. Kaya pagdating ko sa unang binyag, haggard na ko.

Mga kababata ko ang kumuhang ninang sa 'kin. Hindi na kami close ngayon pero I spent childhood with them. I rarely associate myself with people in the neighborhood, kaya nahiya din ako sa sarili ko when I realized how distant I was. In between shots of Emperador, my kumpare's and I talked about really serious things like raising kids, hard life in Saudi, the work they do now, ano nang nangyari kay ganito and those stuff. I don't have the hard time of family life that they do, but they have blessings in their lives that I don't have. Tapos ang simple simple lang talaga ng buhay nila, I felt a sense of comfort and ease.

I had a few hours to kill, so I decided to attend the church service. Wow, 3 church visits in a day! Methodist, Catholic and that church in the mall. Favorite ko yung huli kasi aircon. Haha. Siguro mukha akong mabait at hindi maarte, kaya ako ang tinabihan ng isang pamilyang recovering ata sa bulutong, seryoso, they have marks all over. I've been a church goer all my life, pero ito lang ata ung time na nagchurch ako on the exact Christmas Day. It was a different feeling, like attending the birthday party of the Celebrator. I got a bit emotional, so I prayed a special prayer. Sabi nga ni Pastor Ferdie sa prayer niya "If You can give us Your Only Son, how much more the things that we are praying for." Pastor Noel even added "If it's good for you, God will move heaven and earth to give it to You."

I headed to Araneta after that for Disney On Ice. I was actually looking forward to this the whole day because I was going to be catching up with a good friend, kaso by this time, pagod na ko, ni hindi namin nakuhang kumain after. Still, it was a great show and a good time with her kahit bitin.

Either at home, or at a relative's house, I was always with family on Christmas. This year is different. Well I was finally with them before the day ends, but I was dead tired. I had a good sleep that night, I woke up at 10am in the morning.