My family does things traditionally and that applies to all aspects. This year, for the holidays, we decided to skip tradition, for a change. First came Christmas. Instead of going to Mass, heading home and having Noche Buena there, we jazzed things up a bit. We made our way to the historic city of Cebu on the 23rd of December. We had to get up really early to catch the first boat of the journey (Dumangas-Bacolod). The next part required a 2-hour drive to San Carlos to catch the boat to Toledo, a town in Cebu. Both boat rides took about an hour and a half each to reach the destination. From there, another 2-hour drive was needed to reach the Cebu City itself. Of course, dear old Dad was the designated driver. The land trips were amazing since there was such exquisite scenery to behold. It made one appreciate the beauty of nature and thus be awed by the work of God.
We heard Christmas Eve Mass at the Cebu Country Club. It was solemn and one could truly feel the spirit of the season. A friend of Dad’s from college lives in Cebu and he asked us to join his family for Noche Buena in their home in Ma. Luisa Hills. The view from the home was breathtaking, the air cool and refreshing, the dinner superb, and most importantly, the company enjoyable and entertaining.
The following day, we went to Mactan, Punta Engaño and Plantation Bay, with Dad’s friend Tom acting as our tour guide. The sights were remarkable, what with the clear waters and the white sand. We capped it off with a hearty lunch at Plantation Bay.
Our New Year celebration for this year was also done a little differently. We had a sumptuous dinner at Amalfi and went over to Plazuela to check things out over there. From 11:00 PM onwards, we watched in fascination as fireworks from various vantage points erupted in bursts of amazing colors and heights. It was the greatest sight and the greatest view one could ask for, and the perfect start to the year. I am so happy that I have my family to have shared it with.
The holiday season is a time for giving, reflecting & caring for God’s creation. As we were passing the beautiful views through the mountains and hills, I was reminded of how blessed we are because we still get to see these places. One of the beatitudes states, “Blessed are they who show mercy: mercy shall be theirs”. There will always be people who will want to ruin beautiful sceneries, maybe because of money or power - who knows what their motive is? It is up to those who love the environment, or at least care enough to see it thrive, to convince and educate the aforementioned persons that what we have left of this earth is not to be tampered with. We have so little natural resources compared to before, and we must do all we can to preserve this – better yet, to grow more of these resources for the future generations.
It is also a season for reaching out to others, just like what my father’s friend did – he and his family opened our home to us and made us feel truly welcome. We should also follow this attitude in dealing with others, especially to our unfortunate brothers & sisters, since we are all children of God. I can be a good disciple of Jesus by appreciating & not taking for granted the things I see around me, by doing everything in my capacity to make this earth a place of glory for God. I can also do little deeds that will make an impact on the lives of others. These little deeds can make a difference in society.
Another beatitude says, “Blessed are they who hunger & thirst for holiness: they shall have their fill”. I also realized at that time that we have to experience & give importance to our country. We have to explore our own country first before we start going to other countries and promoting their wonders. By doing this, we are not only being nationalistic, but also improving our tourism and thus our economy. We have to think of the welfare of our people because we are all children of God. I can be a good disciple of Jesus by being proud that I live in my country, that wherever I go, nothing can compare to my beloved Philippines.
