Happy na, Birthday pa! (SingleD and BlesseD)

 By Nancy David Galang, M.A.

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." - Oprah

Birthday ko na naman pala in a few days, mga Nan-sis! How time flies and how years keep adding to my age just like that!

Also, it's my second pandemic birthday - just like some of you na nakadalawa na ring quarantined celebrations sa bahay. Hindi ba, parang kailan lang nang nabalitang magla-lockdown, then naging totoo. Tapos we all thought sandali lang, 'yun pala lalagpas pa ng isang taon! How much longer, none of us know.

Nasaan nga ba ako nung ilang birthdays ko? 2017, I think my dad treated us (whole family with my siblings and their kids plus mine) for dinner at Saisaki. This was my first singleD birthday. I did not want to celebrate. But Dad said treat niya. I guess alam n'ya I would probably just choose na magmukmok sa bahay habang umaasa pa na may isang tao na babati sa akin (char!) and then everything will be alright again.

Unang birthday na walang asawa sa tabi ko in so many years. Malungkot, I have to admit. So I made sure, next year would be different.

My 48th: Birthday dinner treat by my Dad. 

First "solo flight" birthday.

2018, I held a dinner party at Blake's Katipunan and invited around 30 of my close friends. Masasabi ko, this was my way of embracing my being singleD.  If I was not separated, walang party-party o pa-dinner na magaganap. Never been fond of parties anyway. Simple lang siguro at kasama ko lang si ex at ang kids. But that time, I just did what I wanted to do, ma-experience lang ba. It was my 49th, and sabi ko pag-50 na kasi ako, ayoko na mag-celebrate. (Nung 40th birthday ko pa sana ito gusto gawin, kaso wala ako enough budget. Nalista ko mga bisita, pero hanggang dun lang, hehe.) 

49th at Blake's Katipunan with good friends
and family

Pero siyempre, sa ayaw at gusto ko, nag-turn 50 pa rin ako and that time, nagyaya naman ang mga bata na mag-beach. 

So, 2019, I spent a few days of birthday vacation with the G Skwad at Pico de Loro. 

50th at Pico de Loro with the G Skwad

My first time to ride the Banana boat. Sabi
ko sa sarili ko, kailan pa ako magiging 
adventurous? I then instantly found out at
that very moment, that was my first and last!

Then came my first pandemic birthday, 2020. Hindi  makakalabas. Bawal ang social gatherings. So hindi makaka-celebrate with family, maliban na lang with my children.

So bawi ako sa bonggang cake.  Yes, I bought myself a cake that I really wanted. Medyo pricey, pero worth it sa ganda and above all, sa sarap. Higit pa sa above all pala, e gawa 'yun ng former student ko who now is a very successful... hmmm ano ang tawag... cake baker? Ay, businesswoman na lang.

We had a nice, quiet dinner at home. Just me and my kids. Masaya. Simple. Kumpleto. 

My 51st: Simple dinner at home with the
G Skwad.

I realized, this was still the way I want to celebrate my birthdays. Simple. Quiet. 'Yung may oras manahimik at mag-reflect. 'Yung you can look back at your past years - what you have done, what God has given you, then you start thinking about your plans now that God has blessed you with another year. 

51st birthday cake by my student
 Aileen Lara: Cakes by Alyanna

So ngayong 2021, ano pa nga ba ang gusto ko gawin on my birthday? I have decided to spend it with my mom at Villa Anita, Lipa, Batangas. Of course, kasama ang G Skwad na matagal na ring hindi nakakalabas ng bahay. 

Again, simpleng celebration kasama ang mga taong mahal ko at mahalaga sa akin.  And to be able to do this is such a blessing. 

My 52nd: Looking forward to this. 

Looking back again, I had wonderful birthday celebrations. 

For instance, although 2017 was a challenging year because nga of what happened in my marriage, there was my dad who tried to fill up the void. He knew what I was feeling so he made sure I would celebrate my birthday with them. And as I write this, ngayon ko lang na-appreciate ang gesture niya na 'yun. (I miss you so much Dad!)

Then, 2018 was a financially blessed year, making that dinner celebration with my friends and family possible.

In 2019,  I was finally able to experience yung lagi kong nakikita na posts ng friends ko sa Pico de Loro.  Blessed to experience one of God's nice creations. (Of course there was the thrill of the banana boat and jet skiing! I was so stressed when Nadja fell off the banana boat!)

Jet skiing at Pico De Loro, Nasugbu, Batangas.
(hindi ko po talaga kaya i-drive 'yan, picture-
picture lang para maka-japorms)

Pero birthday ko man o hindi, ang dami kong blessings! Ang tendency kasi natin,  mga Nan-sis, pag birthdays lang natin that we look back at the past year and say: I had another good year. 

But what about the blessings I receive on a daily basis? 'Yung pagkalipas ng isang araw and at the end of the day, you look back simula umaga, hanggang gabi, ano nga ba blessings ko? And you will say, "Thank you Lord, I had another good day." Tapos,kinabukasan paggising mo, "Thank you Lord, nagising ako at okay ako."

Napakahirap kasi minsan tingnan when we are faced with seemingly big, insurmountable problems. Lalo na ngayon. May pandemya. 

Ang dami kong mga kaibigan na apektado. Nakakalungkot because I can only talk with them, reassure them, and pray with them. 

There's this friend who became singleD because her husband passed away, and now struggling financially to support herself and her children. 

Then there are my friends whose businesses were adversely affected that they practically lost their monthly income. 

Worst, friends who lost their loved ones to Covid-19.  But even if the virus was not the case (just like with my dad), it is more difficult to deal with the pain of losing someone - whether because of death or breakup - because we are also facing the loss while facing the isolation that this pandemic has imposed. 

One of my most valuable intangibles: 
My G Skwad

Kaya ngayong taon na ito, I just want to cherish moments with my loved ones. Gusto ko rin imbes na isang taon ang pag-flashback ko, araw-araw na buhay ako, I will appreciate it to the full. Kasi this pandemic opened our eyes to what truly matters. 

Precious: Video calls with
my eldest Nix. 

Kahapon ano'ng blessing ko? Bukod sa nagising ako na wala akong sakit and I had the energy to do my daily routine (health) kumain kami ng champorado at tuyo, at tocilog for breakfast (provision). I left at 12pm for my presentation at SM Aura (for work, another blessing) and came home happy kasi it went well (answered prayer). Tapos pag-uwi ko, eat late lunch na sweet and sour pork (one of my favorites), tapos nag-chill sa room  and turned on the AC (provision again, kahit grabe ang init, di ba, mga Nan-sis? I get headaches and take a bath 3 times a day!). 

My student on Motherhood 101:Nastassia.
Glad I am around to teach her the whats,
whys, whens and hows. 

Another valuable intangible: time to take
care of my cute and super bait na apo,
Amara Catrice, now 6 months.

Higit sa lahat, ang blessing ng time. 

Pagkakaroon ng oras na mag-APOstolic duties, 'yung being able to play with Amara,  cuddle her, carry her and sleep beside her. 'Yung oras to mentor Nastassia to be a very good mom (kasama panenermon). 'Yung oras na maihatid-sundo si Nadja sa dance trainings niya. 'Yung oras na makinig kay Rocky about his endless plans in his young life. 'Yung oras na maka-chat at video call si Nix from time to time. 'Yung oras para sa sarili. Minsan maging PLANTita lang, minsan Netflix addict, minsan maka-relax at makapag-isip sa balcony. 'Yung oras makapagsulat. And on top of it all, oras to earn our keep while being able to do all these (may chores pa in between at matagal na po kaming walang helper). 

"A time to plant."

My latest addition to my babies.

God has indeed blessed me with more than just material things, but also those that I really call my cherished and valuable intangibles. 

So what can I ask pa on my birthday? 

I wish for everything to go back to the old normal of being able to move around - face people (mask-less and shield-less), be with people, go anywhere we want. Ang matapos na ang pandemya. Makabangon na lahat ng apektado.  Na ang lahat ng dumadaan sa hirap ng buhay dahil sa krisis will manage to hang on and survive, because this will definitely come to pass. At sana wala nang buhay na masayang.

But I also hope we will not cease to appreciate the basic things in life which we learned in the new normal as more important: health, family, and living a less worldy life; instead, a more meaningful one.

Kaya, mga Nan-sis, may I ask that we all say a prayer for this pandemic to end. 'Yun na lang ang birthday gift n'yo sa akin para di lang ako ang ma-bless, kundi lahat tayo! (Of course aasahan ko ang greetings sa FB wall ko!)

At bago ko tapusin ang blog na ito,
let me leave you with my 18th birthday
picture! Haha! Nope, hindi po 'yan 
araw ng kasal ko. 
(Manila Garden Hotel, 1987)

Until then, mga Nan-sis! Catch you later.

Nancy Mommy