and all will just fall into its proper place

Exiting the Church, my mind my set for a delicious baby back ribs dinner at Bigby’s. Out of nowhere, my mother told me that they have to get something from the house. Moments later, I noticed something peculiar about my mother. She keeps on texting (which is not so usual since she rarely brings out her phone in the streets). Then my brother seems in a bit of a hurry. All of these things I dismiss as nothing more than part of the birthday rush. Arriving at home, I noticed a bit of a mess in our kitchen. My father then led me to the corridor leading to our living room after I freshened up. In that moment, there is already that growing feeling of “they are up to something”. In an instant, as I turned in sight of the living room, a jolt came rushing at the top of my spine. This is an elaborate conspiracy! Employing my parents and my relatives! There they are, my closest friends sitting in my living room! And turning at my right, I saw the dining table adorned with scrumptious looking food. And the crowning piece of lechon at the center. Within a few seconds, I tried to gather my senses, came to them one by one and awkwardly shook their hands. I felt stupid doing that but that was the only thing I can think of doing in that very unexpected situation! I began to walk back and forth trying to grasp this brewing conspiracy and the sense of excitement grew with it. People began to come to the house. And finally around 7pm, I was told to hide somewhere, a sort of “re-surprise” procedure since I came in too early as I was told. I hid in the CR for quite awhile. I was then asked to close my eyes, my heart started to beat faster and when I was asked to open it with a resounding yell . . . To my complete and utter surprise, to the most unexpected and surprising air – Fr. Jett with Ma’am Lily stood inside my house! And that historic night began.

Surprises are really hard to orchestrate, you have to think of so many scenarios, you have to gain the allegiance of so many conspirators, and you have to keep them from sending any signal that might spill the beans. So many things to consider, so many risks to manage and these things is what I am so deeply grateful about - the great effort (inviting people, coordinating people, convincing the university president to come) that these people employed just to make this peculiar day special. This effort by the people who headed it and supported it, one common denominator fuelled this effort, I believe and this is LOVE. Throughout the night, this idea oscillated around my head. I kept on asking my myself “What did I ever do to you to deserve such effort, attention, and love”. Sounds corny and overrated but It really bothered me. The whole event made me rethink, revaluate and reflect on myself, on others, on how I deal with people, how I “value” people and especially on the idea of grace. This entire chunks of questions surfaced and It took me quite I while to put all of these things together. The 3 things that I can extract from this day is gratitude, friendship and a renewed sense of hope.

For ALL the PEOPLE and the things that have shaped me, in bitterness or in sweetness I thank Thee for it. These 20 years of life is a priceless gift and I can’t expound more that deep sense of gratitude in my heart. I think it is best to pose a question for this. “If God is SO generous to me, why can’t I be generous to Him?” This event made me trace the threads of my life once more and view its elaborate interconnections and fusions from the top – seeing an unfinished, a forming tapestry.

I am the aggregate, the collection of all the people I’ve connected for the past 20 years. I am who I am today because of these people – friends and family that have revealed to me that unyielding love that makes my life worth living.

Lastly, it is a renewed sense of hope – an invigorated sense of mission in life. This celebration also acts as a confirmation of where God is leading me. The outpouring of love and community affirmed the direction I am taking, the people I am with, the values I strive to live by, the dreams I try to achieve, and the voices I try to hear. And it seems like everything is prepared for and is being unfolded every single day. And I guess this is what ma’am Lily said about the magical mysteries of life. Things just come in, and you don’t need to make clear sense of it, you just accept it as it is – a grace, an unmerited favour from above that leads you to a destiny you never imagined before – and all will just fall into its proper place.

THANK ALLLLL THE PEOPLE WHO GRACED THE EVENT! ALLLLL OF YOU! THANK YOU!!!! AMDG