A Happy New Year to all! We are filled with the hope that we are stronger in facing life’s challenges and resolutely to be in a constant state of gratitude for the wonderful blessings that come our way each day in the past and tomorrow.
The disappearance of the AirAsia plane and the unexpected fury of tropical depression “Seniang” did put a damper on the festive atmosphere days before the year 2014 ended. We pray for the families of those who lost their loved ones from the tragedies. It must have been very painful to begin the new year without them.
The heartbreaking happenings reminded us once more of the fragility of life and to value the shared moments with our families and dear ones. Each day is indeed a gift.
We hope that the glow, fun and togetherness during the New Year festivities would last forever, but then reality forces us to accept that each of us has our own life to live. What would remain will be the beautiful memories that the celebration brings and the unbreakable bond that links families together.
As surely was being done in households all over, most of our clan’s grandchildren and great grandchildren from various parts of the country and the globe converged to share happy moments with family members during the holiday season. Some were among those who encountered the dreaded long wait at the airport due to delayed flights. Others, however, could not make it because of personal commitments elsewhere.
The family event last December 31 could be counted as one of the most cherished of our year-ender celebrations. It had all the drama, fun, glamor and surprise that could only happen if each one participates to make it so. So much like governance, participation is key to successful attainment of common goals.
As part of the yearly tradition, the getting-younger generation took the lead in planning and executing the program to welcome the new year. The preparations are getting better each year. We are amazed at the tremendous talent of the production team. Technology played a key role in enhancing presentations, interviews and films but could never replace the skills, creativity and high spirit behind each performance.
Every one contributed in various ways – through funds, talent, sense of fun and joie de vivre, and with the golden ladies and our beautiful niece, with their much admired Japanese make over. The youngest of the siblings exhibited the same agility and gracefulness that were there years ago in her dance performance. The gentlemen, who have carved their own niche in their respective fields of endeavor, brought shrieks of delight from the avid spectators, now correlating “Frozen” to their superb showmanship. The combined and well-orchestrated act of our much-loved ballerina and the best choreographer-dancer in the clan was easily the highlight of the night, bringing tears in the eyes, “ohs” and “ahs” and touched the hearts of everyone, especially the proudest grandparents, our perennial hosts, and the parents in town.
We reminisce the time decades back when the siblings and supportive in-laws would willingly volunteer our young kids to sing, dance and even do catwalks. Those were the times when it was easier to cajole children to entertain and please the parents. It would be capped by the much-awaited parody of recognition of “outstanding” values of family members, all in the spirit of fun and camaraderie.
The annual event evolved to having a shared color scheme and became a time for gathering the growing number of members to pose for posterity.
Little did we realize then that those yearly get together would pave the way for the kids, now adults, to assume leadership roles and showcase their ingenuity, talent and commitment to continue the joyous tradition.
In family gatherings such as the ones we just had, we imagine our much-missed Papa Nono and Mama Coring who would have stood proud and happy witnessing the merriment and the fact that it has become a yearly family event. We remember our Mama, used to making speeches during events in school in her role as principal and later as district supervisor, who would always share with us precious words of wisdom and wishes for the incoming year, with Papa showing his support by her side, always.
We miss those days. Yet, we are comforted by the thought that their priceless legacy to value one’s family, come what may, lives on. Family is everything.
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