Skip to main content

Flowers

It is May again. It is when flowers abloom and the faithful flocks to the church to offer them to Mama Mary. This is how May is, the month of flowers. Mama Mary, the Queen of Flowers.

When I was young, I would always join night prayers in tuklong (a sort of an improvised prayer chapel where people in a small community gather to pray especially in May) with other kids. Of course, the old folks would lead us to prayer. Then, there were singing and flower offering. But the most awaited part of the night is after the prayer. Sponsor for the night would offer food to eat for everyone in attendance. Young people, mostly kids, would queue up for arroz caldo, sopas, keleroy, pansit, what have you. Everyone would savor the little that we have and match it with lots of stories and laughters. The night would sleep late for young ones, while the older ones would brag them to go home after some time.

That is how I used to remember my young life every time May is here. It is how I spent my nights with friends and neighbors. Life was so simple then.

I do not go to a tuklong anymore. Instead I join the prayers in the church. But I still love to see what I grew up with. Yes, tuklong is is still there. The prayers and the food also. Yet, attendance seems to exclusively belong to some.

It is a tradition I love to penetrate the very lives of the people. It is when people get together and enjoy each other company. It is what prayer is all about - a gathering of people in love and joy.

At the end of the month, a procession is held in honor of Mama Mary adorned with lots of flowers and escorted by beautiful women and gorgeous men. It is truly a picture of a community coming together to venerate the most beautiful Flower of all.

As I grow older, I envy the kids who would enjoy the delicacies at night after the prayer. Not exactly what to eat I am craving about, but the joy of their company. It is at this time that I am reminded of the days I used to have and the friends I used to be with.

Life is like a flower. In the morning, it blooms with perfect glow for everyone to appreciate. At night, it withers to remind us that its existence has done its share.

How about us?
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Course Starts

Today the course of which I am the superviosr started. I had 15 participants. There was no one from Myanmar, 4 paying participants from Thailand and one from Kenya. This afternoon, I gave them the briefing and it turned out to be wonderful. Though there were those who could not communicate well with English, it should not deter them in fully participating in every session. When I was one of the particpants back in 2004, I felt the difficulty of having them as co-participants. It is as if asking them why were they here in the first place. Now that I am the supervisor, I see it in different perspectives. Language is important but should not be a barrier to communication. I told them if they could not say it, then write down. If they could not put it on papers, then make use of sign language. If still it is not possible, then use facial expressions. The thingi would like to get across at is that we have to find ways and means to express ourselves. In our first session this afternoo, I enc...
Post a Comment
Read more

Moment

Stupid! That was how my mathematics teacher called me once during my senior year in high school. I was in front of the class, on the board, having answered incorrectly a math problem he said was easy. Stunned and stupefied, I could not remember how long have I stood there. I thought my legs kept me from moving, when so many eyes were upon me, I was enveloped with embarrassment and numbness. After the class, I declined to have my lunch, afraid that my classmates would poke fun at me. And yes they did, behind me (which i would learn later). That was the turning point of my life with mathematics. I really could not blame my teacher. Mathematics was something I detest then, and it was my waterloo. But that unfortunate incident, it dawned upon me that I better put myself together and redeem myself. Not to prove to my teacher that I am what he thinks I am, I embarked on a journey. And this I did with mathematics as company. Years later, I earned my degree in mathematics. When it came to my t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Discovery

The more I study the more I realize how much I do not know. The more I learn the more I become aware of my ignorance.
Post a Comment
Read more