My grandma?s celebrating her 80th birthday on Saturday. I thank God for giving her more strength, together with my grandpa who?s already 83 years old. Although we?re town apart, I?m sure that they are well taken care of by our relatives. But sometimes, we?re unable to visit them every week because of work. But during my high school class reunion last December, I realized I should spend more time with them.
December 23, 2006? I went to Starbucks at SM City Pampanga to meet my high school classmates, St. Peter 2k of Univ. of the Assumption. For three consecutive years now, we would have our annual reunion at Bahay Pag-ibig located at Holy Angel Village. I wasn?t able to attend our 2005 reunion because it coincided with my former company?s Christmas Party, and I opted to attend the latter. So last year, I really made it to the point to attend the reunion no matter what. And I didn?t regret it, not a bit. Not only because I got to mingle with my former classmates but also because I was able to help the Foundation. With the money we shared, we were able to buy grocery items for the residents of Bahay Pag-ibig. By the way, Bahay Pag-ibig is a foundation taking care of elderly citizens, men and women alike.
Being terrible with names, I forgot the names of the two senior women who had interesting stories. The first one got our attention because when we greeted them, she started to speak English, very fluently. Though old, bout the age of 65-70, it?s still apparent that she has a mestiza feature. I learned that she lived at San Francisco, on how she came to Bahay Pag-ibig, no one dared to ask. The other one is very intelligent also; she was a professor with multi-lingual knowledge. She has been to many parts of the world, but again, no one initiated to ask why she was there. Well, obviously because it?s too awkward, we were afraid that we might hurt them.
I still recognized some of them from the first time we visited Bahay Pag-ibig-the very loud old woman, the snob, and the ?makakalimutin?. I?m happy to see them again but then I?m also sadden by the fact that they were abandoned by their loved ones. Though the Bahay Pag-ibig Foundation provides everything they need, no one compares to the love and care that they ought to deserve from their loved ones. I hope the people who had abandoned would realize this or by those who have plans of abandoning their parents or grandparents ? where would you be without them?
I?d like to thank Jo Mau, Rich and others who initiated the activity, Kirs for informing me and to my other classmates who went to our charity-reunion. See you again next year! J