Drawing strength from each other

"You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth." These words, taken from Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, aptly describe a parent…and in this case, a father’s role to his children.

The bow and the arrows in focus are Hajji Alejandro, the Original Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala and his talented brood: Rachel, Barni, and Ali.

Hajji remains a timeless singer and performer.

The spotlight on Hajji as a regular father has never dimmed. In fact, it continues to shine bright in the face of his celebrity. His legacy and example of hard work, professionalism and love for craft is evident in the lives his children are currently leading for themselves:

Rachel, whose career has spanned more than a decade of musical awards and accolades in the recording and theater industry, is looking at an international career in America. Shuttling back and forth from New York (where she has her own place) and Manila, she is still the whirling dervish out to carve her place on international shores, booked with shows in Dubai, Dusseldorf, Rome, Milan, Geneva and Amsterdam, all for The Filipino Channel (TFC).

Barni, Rachel’s younger sister, is every inch a looker and a savvy businesswoman. Her South Beach diet meals and catering/delivery service are gaining popularity among businesswomen and showbiz clientele. Out to give the South Beach diet recipes a twist, she (along with Rachel and her pastry chef friend Nina Navarro) will come up with a café that caters to healthy eating and living a healthy lifestyle. The sisters just launched a new line of low-fat, sugarfree desserts called Sweet Tooth by The Sexy Chef for the figure-conscious and diabetic. Perfect for those who crave sweets but don’t want to break their diet.

Twenty-two-year-old Ali is quickly showing signs of being a Kilabot ng mga Kolehiyala like his dad. As Mojofly’s resident drummer, he is touring provinces and doing gigs with the band promoting their unique brand of OPM with hits like Mata, Minamalas and a new Mojofly album Mojofly Now. Ali was also recently featured among The Boys of Summer in the April 2005 issue of Chalk. A Kilabot indeed.

It was evident in the little nuances the family demonstrated that their love for each other has bound them and kept them safe. From the moment Hajji gave the last slice of pizza to Ali, to the way he listened with interest as Rachel shared a family anecdote, it is clear to the kids that Hajji is just "Dad." And how he loves playing the part!

The Alejandro family is bound by a love for music (of course!), books and food. They are all Mac powder users, too! Rachel even buys Mac powder for her dad in the States, and laughingly shares that when the saleslady asked her for whom she was buying it for, she said "It’s for…my dad."

Hajji points out that their family shares many fun times eating together.

Unknown to many, they are hefty eaters. "Mabagal ako kumain, but I eat a lot," Hajji shares. Asked what his favorite food is, he answers without batting an eyelash, "My mom’s cooking." It is the common answer in this family. "Paminsan, mawawala ako, pinakamatagal na yung two-and-a-half months doing shows, and I’d be fantasizing dishes na…" They all cite Chicken Pork Adobo, Nilagang Baka, Sinigang, and lasagna as his mom’s specialties, and swear by these dishes.

Where music is concerned, the family still has their personal favorites, even though they have listened to a wide range of music. Hajji likes revivals, remakes by Josh Groban and Michael Bublé. Rachel can listen to pretty much anything, from R&B to rock. She can dance to rap and R&B for five hours straight! Surprisingly, it is Barni who collects music in the brood. Hajji says, "Barney should be the singer in the family." Rachel chimes in, "Ayaw lang niya talaga, but she could have been a singer, she could’ve given me a run for my money…She’s a better dancer than me!"

Their proud father attests to how Rachel and Barni even have the same voice quality, and it just so happened that Rachel was the one more motivated to pursue an entertainment career. Barni’s passion for food can be equated to Rachel’s passion for music. Rachel points out that they just chose different things, but could have been a chef if she put her mind to it, in the same way that Barni could have been a singer if she chose to be. Hajji elaborates that he couldn’t imagine himself being anything else than a singer. Theater is another interest Hajji and Rachel share, but he did it for the love of it, for the discipline it instills. He admits having dabbled in theater, but nothing comes first to singing.

According to Barni, she would be sobbing into the phone about a heartbreak, and her friends would wonder, asking her who she was talking to, spilling details between sobs. She would answer matter-of-factly, "I’m talking to my dad!" Such openness, which is few and far between among some father-daughter relationships, is touching to discover.

Hajji soon turns to Ali, quiet and smiling, and refers to his son as "the reluctant star." Hajji sees maturity in Ali, and wants to tap him to play guitar and drums for his upcoming recording projects. Rachel is quick to point out Ali’s quiet strength in facing trials, his most recent being the passing of his mother, Rio. They are each other’s kakampi, each other’s support group and barkada.

The Alejandros’ ultimate bonding activities are movies, DVDs, books (sharing the 24 series and The O.C.), and going to the beach.

They do not hesitate taking the front rows when they have shows or performances, and Hajji says he proudly acknowledges them whenever he sees them watch his shows and gives the family the best seats, as it should be.

This family is closely-knit, with the ropes tied together and evident in the deepest, simplest circumstances.

Rachel elaborates: "The fact that Barni and I don’t look anything alike doesn’t diminish our closeness and our connection. For instance, we’d be sitting in a restaurant, studying the menu. She’d stand up to go to the restroom. So I’d order soup, appetizer, entrée, dessert and the drink. She’ll come back from the restroom, look at the menu, and order the same thing! It’s freaky."

Barni even talks about buying the same clothes, down to the same shade of lipstick on the same day as Rachel. Rachel couldn’t have put it better when she said, "We’re the same person, just wrapped differently."

The sisters even sound alike! And they both share a deep love for their dad and how his presence has molded them in being who they are now.

Ali shares a beautiful albeit surreal story about family connections: "Her (Rachel’s) CD was playing, and I put up the pitch down. I was surprised to hear my dad’s voice. When we put up my dad’s voice, it would sound exactly like Rachel’s!"

Two and a half notes lower, it becomes Hajji’s voice, and it was discovered by accident. He has learned a lot from watching his dad and older sis Rachel. All these, plus Ali’s experience in bands, have inspired him to simply "become."

Just as the kids have picked up valuable lessons from their dad about patience, encouragement, and professionalism, Hajji points out that he, too, is learning from his kids. He himself is reminded of being professional, prompt and uncompromising in his craft, and Rachel, Barni, and Ali are in turn, armed with the legacy their dad has ingrained in them, a love for work and each other.

So wherever they may go, whether it’s abroad doing recording, or expanding an amazing diet meal delivery business (The Sexy Chef, indeed!), or playing in one of the most sought-after bands in Manila, this family knows where their roots remain, and where their wings come from.

The Alejandro children are taking aim at the "bull’s-eye" of their dreams. And Hajji, their proud dad, remains the sturdy bow anchoring and steadying their arms. The Greater Hand has bestowed much blessings on this family. As Kahlil Gibran would say, "For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable."