A circle of thanks
It’s just three days to go before Dec. 25. For most Filipinos, the “besperas” or the eve of Dec. 24 is celebrated with a bang. At the stroke of midnight, people give a cry of joy and begin the annual Christmas meal. This is followed by the distribution of gifts.
As if this were not enough, many households play loud music or hold karaoke contests till the break of dawn.
The following day, Christmas Day itself, starts slowly. People wake up late in the morning. Most of the time, breakfast consists of reheated Christmas meal leftovers.
Many people love Christmas. It is the perfect time to give special gifts to friends and loved ones. As for me, it is the ideal time to thank people and to tell them how much I appreciate their support of any of my undertakings.
This year, my Aunt Tita Blitte suggested we give more meaning to the Christmas meal. “Before we eat our midnight meal, let’s have a circle of thanks.” It is “a circle” because we have a round table.
”What a splendid idea, Blitte,” my Uncle Gustave said.
My young nephew, Pannon, came over to me to say: “Uncle, I want to thank you for making me laugh. I enjoy your corny jokes. Thanks for buying me small gifts throughout the year. I like the small chocolate bars a lot.”
He said he had more things to tell me later when we sit down to dinner on the eve of Christmas. “Thanks, Pannon. I think I will give Tita Blitte a preview of what I want to thank her for.”
Before I do so, let me invite you to take part in my aunt’s idea. Before you dig into the steamy mound of spaghetti or thinly slice the baked ham, pray before the meal. When you look up to start eating, stop for a minute to give one another at least five things you like in them or want to thank them for.
In closing, I want my aunt to know I admire her tremendously. She is a woman of courage and a survivor of many heartaches. She lost several loved ones, enough to break an ordinary person. However, each time Fate tried to hurt her, she would rise up from her fall. She stood up to go on with life.
My aunt never lost her sense of humor and sympathy for others. Her faith in God even grew stronger the harder Fate tried to topple her down.
“When we feel trapped by problems and there seems to be no escape, our best ladder out is prayer, prayer, prayer,” she once told me.
Even in her personal sorrow, she found time to pray for me. She encouraged me when I felt I was a useless, third rate columnist. Thank you, Tita Blitte. You are my ultimate Miss Universe forever.