Six days after the inevitable happened... it is slowly sinking in. Little by little, reality is peeping thru that velvet curtain clad window. Like rays of the sun, pinching at first, blinding my very sight. As if I was Count Dracula. Having woken up mistakenly, abruptly. I had no choice but to let the sunshine in. It's not as if I could hide behind the black divan we bought at Libertad, or the green-red Orocan I tricked my sister into buying. I just let my cold, white (okay, brown :) ) skin bask in the sun's glory. Just like Edward - glistening, glowing. As if there's an invisible spotlight pointed right at me. I close my eyes. For a second. For a minute.
How about that for an intro to my post-birthday, er, post?
Just as I have posted in my social media accounts (i.e. Instagram and Facebook,) I feel so overwhelmed by the love of the people around me. Really, I did not expect it to be such a big deal. It was just an ordinary Wednesday afterall.
I decided not to go home on my birthday so as to save up on plane fare, since I would be going home on Holy Week anyway. Also, I knew I could not avail my leave yet because I just got back from a 4-day vacation during the last week of March. (I just remembered, I NEED to write about that.) Moreover still, I'm way behind my drawings schedule, that's why I was kinda in a bad mood because my boss scolded me on Monday due to my delay (!!!) . Grr! Moving on...
Sewang, her siblings, her Mom, and aunts- eight of them, stayed in my 1-bedroom apartment after coming from Jibrael's (her younger brother) graduation from the PNPA. She would be going back to Kuwait that Thursday (April 3), and the rest of her family will be going home to Zamboanga on that same day.
Tired and exhausted, I went home at around 9:30 on Tuesday after rendering overtime. They were surprised/shocked that I came home earlier than what the guard on-duty said my usual time of arrival was. As I entered the apartment, they immediately locked the door to my bedroom and said Jibrael was naked. Em-em (another younger brother) was the one who "distracted" me. After a few minutes, and after Em-em running out of questions to ask, they opened the door and invited to play their newly bought board game, Monopoly.
I just laid on the bed to rest while the rest of them played. At around 11:30, I took a shower then prepared for sleep.
At the stroke of midnight, the Baiddin Siblings came up to the room with a chocolate birthday cake with a single blue lighted candle and their individual gifts- as I call, "pangkabuhayan showcase," since mostly are what I lack in the apartment. That was what they were concealing from me the moment I arrived that evening. I felt so touched because each one of them, even the boys, were excited to give me their gifts. (will post pics soon.)
Mommie also called me up at midnight, sang Happy Birthday to me, with Bembu listening in the background.
Little did I know that that was only the beginning of a very long, surprise-filled day.
I almost did not go to the office since I wanted to spend the rest of day with Sewang and her siblings. She was taking them to UP Diliman to try out Rodik's Tapsilog and visit the campus. But I remembered Nicole telling me to show up, so even though it was already late, I still went to the office.
When I arrived at the office, I saw a large box-like object on my table. I was ecstatic! I knew what was inside! It was a cajon beatbox that I have been planning to buy since forever. I opened the case immediately, excitedly, and what I saw was even more touching than the actual gift itself. Handwritten messages from my closest friends in the office. I felt so overjoyed that they would give me such an expensive gift, and something I REALLY wanted. ^___^
Come lunch time, I got a call from Mommie and said that she and Daddie deposited some cash in my atm. That was such a blessing since I did not have extra money to treat my friends (payday was still so far away!) We ate at Jollibee, and like school kids, enjoyed the chicken joy to our heart and palate's content. I bought three Dairy Queens for my boss, a teammate, and for her, since they did not have lunch with us.
At dinner, I treated Sewang and her siblings to a boodle feast at Seafood Island at SM By the Bay. A college friend who works in Makati, Roel, also joined us. He brought a Tiramisu Cake.
Aside from friends who made sure I was not alone on my 29th birthday, my facebook wall was flooded with messages from all over the world. From colleagues, acquaintances, former classmates, former lovers (I wish..haha.) My eldest sister, Lia, also made "pahabol" with her birthday card and cash which I picked up at LBC the day after.
I feel so thankful and grateful for the day that was. For my family, who was always been supportive of me, for their love and care that transcend beyond distance and time. For my friends, old and new, who accept me for the 'whole package,' who made an ordinary Wednesday special.
I am in awe for the ways God has manifested himself to me. Through the smile and laughters of my nephews and niece when I play with them, thru "accidental" saved-by-the-bell moments, thru the much needed hugs I receive unexpectedly. Through nature and its beauty (yeah, well I love nature.) Thru the people I meet and will meet. I feel so much blessed with this life with which I am given...though far from perfect, with glitches here and there, yet an amazing one, nonetheless.
Aside from the material gifts I received on this day, I think the most special, most important one I got was the gift of forgiveness and letting go. Letting go of the bitterness, and looking forward to the sweeter things this life has to offer.
My wish for my 29th birthday, is to, also, be a blessing to others. In whatever way possible, in my own little way.
Thank you, God, for keeping me alive. Thank you, Jesus! :)
#medyonapahabaatato #feelingsoblessed #OMGimtwentynine #crunchtime #ehmergherd
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