Hibernation

Just came from the province. Stayed there 5 days and though the mosquitoes and relatives always get excited and give me a joyful welcome… full of kisses! They stayed away a bit since my aunt made sure I have OFF Deep Woods on hand. And it actually worked!

I was in a place where the beach and the mountain beckons but I just stayed most time in my aunt’s home. She is sick and I figured I’d just stay around and humor her and keep her company especially so since I promised her I’ll come for her birthday. So except for a quick visit to the cemetery to light candles and offer prayers for our beloved dead on the day I came… and a quick visit to some relatives before the night before I left, I was just there in my aunt’s home… listening to her…talking to her…attending to her… listening to their music… eating… sleeping and reading occasionally (ahhh just able to read one book, would take a peep when free only). I thought I was in hibernation!

I did not get kisses from the mosquitoes (well actually one kiss on my shoulder I could still feel now) but I did get a nice visitor there. A brown butterfly came, Wednesday morning and it hovered around the house even circling me even though there were others in the living room. I followed it trying to get a snap from my celfone but it went out of the door. Then Thursday morning, my aunt’s birthday. It came again! It looked like the same butterfly again. And I remember my papa’s words that butterflies are good omens… the people around said that money was coming when they saw that the butterfly was brown… Ohhh of course I want money to come! But I also wondered if maybe if was papa’s sign that he was happy I visited my aunt. That surely is a nice thought!

All Saints' Day

Today we celebrate All Saints’day and tomorrow All souls’ day. The family (just the older ones since it has been raining) went to the cemetery to light candles, say prayer and share some food. Tomorrow if the weather is better they go back with the kids. Other family members went to visit yesterday.

The children had a Halloween program in school before the break but they cancelled the costume which was good. John-john, my 11 year old nephew still wanted to get a costume though and I asked what for and he said “wala lang, gusto ko lang” (nothing, I just want to) and he said he was going to use his money anyway. I told him not to since it will just be a waste… still could not understand the idea of Halloween in the Philippines but I passed by several plush subdivisions on my way to our mission area the past weekend and I could see several Halloween décor on the entrance gates plus there were children doing trick or treat in their costumes in the mall where I had a quick lunch. Yeah, it was also nice looking at the kids with costumes but still thinking that the candies they were getting would not compensate for the money paid for by their parents for their costumes.

Then last night and today, there were kids banging our gates and it turned out they were saying “trick or treat”… ahhh even in our poor neighborhood the western commercial way of celebrating Halloween is catching up.

Still feel that our tradition is better… ahh not the offering of food (what a waste to see food offered left on the graves) but the family get together and prayer…

Plus of course it is always nice to have one more day away from the office (",)!