Ang Sampaguita

Kahapon, bumili ako ng sampaguita para isabit sa  holy family crucific namin...
Yung cucifix, nakalagay siya sa ibabaw ng TV stand na sobrang taas.  Kahit tumuntong pa ko sa upuan, hindi ko pa rin maabot.  Triny kong gamitin ang sword at ibang mahabang toys ni Yuan para maisabit yung sampaguita sa crucifix pero hindi ko mailagay....  After several tries, I gave up.  Inisip ko, kay Paul ko na lang ipalalagay, malamang effortless sa kanya yun.

After magbreakfast ni Paul, I said "Daddy, patulong naman palagay ng sampaguita sa crucifix"... at pagturo ko sa crucifix, nakita ko may nakasabit na isang string lang ng sampaguita (6 kasi yung tinatry kong isabit)... Natuwa ako kasi naisip ko na kusang inilagay ni Paul  yun kaya nakangiting sabi ko "Ay Daddy, nilagyan mo na?"
Sabi ni Paul:  Hindi ...
Beng:  Weh, eh hindi ko nga mailagay yan kanina kasi lumulusot dun sa sword...
Paul: Swear honey, hindi talaga ako ang naglagay niyan.

I'm not sure kung hindi ko lang ba napansin na may nailagay akong isa out of 6 na ilalagay ko, pero 99% I'm sure wala kasi otherwise, matatandaan ko yun kasi matutuwa ako sa achievement ko.  Deep inside, I knew dinalaw ako ni Lord, hindi ako kinilabutan or natakot or namangha.  Natuwa ako... at sa sabi ko kay Paul..."Siguro sabi ni Lord, gusto niya isa lang"  Pero pinalagay ko pa rin kay Paul yung iba kasi sayang naman tsaka parang kulang yung isa lang.

Kinagabihan, habang nakahinto ang Montero sa Ayala cor Edsa, may lumapit na nagbebenta ng sampaguita sa side ko.  Siguro mga 20-30 yrs old yung mama, hindi naman gusgusin, hindi mukhang kawawa.  Sabi niya, "ma'am bilhin niyo na to 50pesos lang".  Sumenyas ako ng hindi.  Usually, pag ganun, umaalis na yung nagtitinda. Pero sya persistent.  Kumuha siya ng 3 strings nun sampaguita at sinabi "Eto na lang ma'am, 20pesos, pangkain lang."  Medyo hindi ko nafeel yung sincerity, siguro kasi nga hindi siya bata or matanda or mukhang kawawa...kaya tumanggi pa rin ako.. tsaka kabibili ko lang nga ng sampaguita nung umaga, tapos kandong ko pa si Yuro so mahihirapan akong kumuha ng pera eh baka mag-go na, magcause pa kami ng traffic.  The man tried to convince me for a few more seconds then he gave up na rin.

The moment he left, bigla akong nagsisi... inisip ko, hindi kaya si Lord yun?  Nun lang may nagtinda ng sampaguita sa akin habang nasa sasakyan, kadalasan nakikita kong nagtitinda sa daan eh pagkain, tubig or franella cloth.  Usually, sa mga driver ng jeep inaalok yung sampaguita.  Tsaka ang tagal nya kong triny iconvince.  Tumingin ako sa likod para tingnan kung inaalok niya pa rin ba yung iba, pero di ko na siya nakita... Lalo akong nagsisi...

Lord, kung ikaw yun,  sorry po ....

God Bless Japan

I was watching GMA News TV this morning and I was touched by the news delivered by Chino Gaston on how Japanese were coping with the current crisis in their country.

* There's an abandoned food stall inside the Sendai airport where some people are taking shelter.  They're running out of food, but not one dared to take food from the abandoned food stall.

*One grocery marked down the prices of the commodities they are selling.  They limit the number of items a customer can buy so that there will be enough for many people.

*Students on the streets offer free rice balls.

*People line-up for hours but remained calm, followed social order and patiently waited for their turn.

*Most don't want to leave Sendai because they want to help rebuild their community.

*Chino suggested to their driver that since they're running out of fuel, why don't they just take the fuel of damaged vehicles but his driver declined, saying he doesn't want to go to hell...

As one televiewer has texted, God truly knows who to test.... God knows the Japanese can overcome this trial...

To Japan, we learned a lot from you, we salute you and we will continue to pray for you....


Here's a link to Chino Gaston's Journey.
Here's another story on Japanese Resilience during this crisis.