honchos

coffee, but no cigarettes
in the inner sanctum
of the top honcho' s office.
documents given, perused.
few words, glances all 'round
scribbles, lo, request granted.
a piece of paper next slipped,
penned by the ex-honcho.
leaving, money did change hands.

Indeed one of the tragedies in life is having no goal to reach. But who are we to say that a particular person has no goal? What if that particular person is wallowing abject poverty?

All have goals, I believe. But to the majority, it is simply looking for the next food on the table. To us who do view the world, and life, in a broader perspective, know that that can never be enough. But what if that is only what their minds can grasp? Who are we to judge then, especially when we do not help in alleviating their poverty or raising their level of consciousness and awareness?

But then, that is a large-scale view. The barrio setting provides a smaller view. They do have goals, too. To finally 'finish' their house. To have their kids finish even just the elementary level. To have their daughter go to Japan or marry a foreigner. To have their elder children get work so they could help in raising their younger siblings.

Goals. But not the right set that will truly better their condition raise their level of awareness. Just plain survival.

not a special day

Then the clock struck the midnight hour.

Another year survived.

This time around, it caught me on a contest of will and guessing game with a relatively new friend. Win some, lose some.

The second hour saw me driving on a deserted stretch of road with my sister and her partner. Then my first meal of the day - goto and tokwa't baboy on a hole in the wall. i finally saw my bed just before dawn broke.

Just a few hours after, work mates woke me up. It was work for the rest of the day and evening. Even during the mini-celebration.

Highlight of the day? Got a lot of greetings posted on my facebook timeline. It took me more than a day to thank them individually.

celebrating - should be.

celebrating - must i?
just another year.

valentine's coming up,
just another day.
ordinary days.

nothing special at all.

Yes, nothing special at all.

But some good friends did give me some smiles. Like my gypsy friend.

"now is the anniversary of your rebirth...may you have more lives to live evolving towards perfection,until no need to be reborn again. truly...life begins at 40...ing hanggang kamuritan,meaning ning bie, kamutingan abalu mu ngan...i should say it will change your view and understanding what life is all about...awesome and indescribable beauty,crazy but sacred..."

Problem though, I still have to wait for another year. :)

My Coia.

Masayang kebaitan keka J*** ***** ****o

Sana maging masaya ya ining kekang aldo,

Dagdagan na pa sana ning Guinung atyu babo

Ing grasyang atyu keka, ita sanang lalapo.

.

Ipangadi ku mu rin ing ingatan na ka

Ing dakal a pagsubuk, alampasan mu sana,

Deng kekang kaluguran pagtumayla da ka

Ngeni, kapilanman, angga king alang angga.

This from my amigo.

"happy birthday.....sana'y lagi kng masaya di lng sa iyong kaarawan kundi maging sa araw araw,,,

at nawa'y

sampalin,

suntukin,

tadyak

sikaran,at

bagyuhin

at lindulin

ng maraming

mga swerte at mga

pagpapala ng panginoon,,,

MALIGAYANG KAARAWAN-:[][][] 0(^______^)0"

This on my inbox from another friend.

Happy Birthday

_()()()()()
_ | | | | |
{ . _ . _ . _ . _ . }
_ _{ . _ . _ . _ . _ . }__
`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

Aldo kebaitan iti emu akalingwan
Binye ni Igpa at iti mu pakamalan
Kareng masanting biyaya mung dadalanan
King ablas ning kekang pipagalan.

Masanting ya regalu king bie mu
Na ika atin ka pamilyang pahinturu
Kabud buri mulang igapang at itikdu
Para eda dalanan itang kruz pisanan mu

Ing aldo ayni aldo ika matula
Uling aldo ning kekang kaybaytan
Nanu karin sisimbulu king kekang katatagan
At kekang harapan ing unus a daratang

Ing cake a ine kekaming bibye
Ini simbulu miya king kekang ganaka
Ikaming pamilya mu king Buclud matula
Sasabing kaluguran daka

King Igpa tamu ming adwan
King kekang sarili, obra at pamilya
Yabe mune ing darandaman
Atin ka sana king masanting kabilyan

At emi kakalingwan pa kang Igpa

Na kekaming adwan

Na sana dakal ka pang

Kandilang labulan

Masayang aldo kebaytan

This was a surprise.

"Mamugue queca, aldó mu ngeni,

Ing anggáng pangarap mu sana mipaltutû,
Ding caluguran at quecang milulugúd,
Ara ngang agnán-agnán:
"Mayap a aldó ning quebaitán!""

Oh well. These among others may be construed as special. Make no mistake, am truly thankful for the nuggets. But as a whole, it really wasn't special.