A Mom and More

Today, 9 November 2007, I turned 50. Unlike my past milestone birthdays at 18, 30, and 40 when I wished for, planned minute details and held big parties attended by relatives from different sides and friends from school, work and business – months back, I told my siblings that I will just have a quiet, [...]

My 50th birthday prayer Inspired by the familial love I felt all around me and in thanksgiving for God’s gift of a half-century of life on earth, I prayed before our usual graces: Lord, thank you – For your gift of life and love for the past 50 years; For my beautiful and loving family [...]

Does it matter if you have a room full of flowers, candles burning whole night long, visitors complimenting you for your unforgettable good deeds, hearing about how you’ve touched people’s lives, and perpetual mass offerings — when you are already dead? Oftentimes, when a close relative or friend passes away unexpectedly, we feel sad and [...]

Do you talk to your dead relatives when you visit them in the cemetery on All Saints’ Day? My mom does as if our dear departed hear her. All Saints’ Day has been one of the occasions when my mom expects all of us to be together to remember the dead in the family: my [...]

Shopping is a great de-stresser and getting good finds at a fraction of their real value is a big bonus. For me and my daughter Aei, going to second hand shops has an extra benefit — it is a good bonding time for us since we are both thrifty (or rather, we have a small [...]