A life story told in songs

Her life story makes hot copy for news and tear-jerking TV programs like GMA 7’s 24 Oras and Magpakailanman.

Fil-Am Imelda Roberts, however, prefers to encapsulize her life’s triumphs and defeats in a book titled Barefooted Soul with a CD of 14 original compositions she wrote and produced herself. It also carries a Spanish version of Imelda’s favorite children ditty, We are the Children of the World.

The songs help the listener digest every story and memoir in the book better.

Other tracks in the CD album are My Barefooted Soul, We are the Children of the World, Secret Lies, Secret Stories, America, Land of Liberty, Land of Opportunity, You Are Our Hero, Fly Away, Soar Like an Eagle, The Gift of Songs Story, What on Earth Would I Leave Behind?, With All My Heart and Soul, Forever, No Perfect World, Only a Perfect State of Mind, The Spirit of Ellis Island, Pinoy Boomer and Kami’y Anak ng Mundo.

Roxanne Barcelo performs My Barefooted Soul and No Perfect World, Only A Perfect State of Mind, while Pinky Amador sings Pinoy Boomer.

Barefooted Soul is Imelda’s version of The Purpose Driven Life, the author says. The book talks about Imelda’s joys, pain and even tragedies and how she surpassed them.

“What have I done at 50?” Imelda asks herself.  “What have I gone through?” These  questions  inspired her to write the book to heal herself and others from past wounds.

It took Imelda 40 days to finish all 40 stories that comprise Barefooted Soul.

The book is like a film narrative, taking one from the slums of Tondo to the posh estates of the Western world.

In the book, the reader sees a scholar who struggled to finish her studies and give her family a decent life.

Like anyone out there who looks for greener pastures, Imelda migrated to the US and did odd jobs. Imelda considered them challenges and sources of inspiration.  She worked hard and her patience paid off as her American bosses noticed her knack for managing people.

As expected, the 2006 Ellis Island Medal of Honor awardee rose from the ranks and started holding key positions.

The struggles she went through are in the book. Her experiences as a mother and a lover further spruce up the pages.

Barefooted Soul reminds you of movies like Merika and American Adobo which show how Pinoys in a foreign land try to fit in an environment alien to them.

In her book, Imelda shows us that the road is never easy, although there are convenient detours along the way.

What’s next for the Fil-Am author after Barefooted Soul? Imelda hopes her story will be made into a movie to reach the masses. Many also suggest that Imelda translate Barefooted Soul in the vernacular and make its price more affordable.