At 60, I am still in a cocoon of love and affection

When I rushed into the building for the last General Assembly of 2013, I got my things from my office and then hurriedly aimed for the conference room on the fifth floor. I was surprised to find employees on each floor singing. And giving me red and white roses. It was beautiful! Each floor sang a song I liked. On the top floor, when they sang I Believe I Can Fly, I felt a surge of emotion — feeling the overwhelming love gushing over me.

They had prepared a really funny AVP. I was moved. During the family get-together for Christmas, we were in Coron and I had my birthday dinner on an island. The people came and sang; it was beautiful to be on an island, celebrating my birthday with family.

I thought that was it. So when my brother Gabby told me that he wanted to have a “black tie dog party” on Jan. 8 I truly believed him. Our dogs come from the same litter. Last year we had a dog party, complete with games and party favors. It was a lot of fun. I only wondered why the dog party would be held at night. He said it was because that’s the only time the entertainers were available.

Jan. 7, I got a text saying no dog owners will be allowed in the first half of the dog party from 7 to 8  p.m. Only Jojo Isorena, the dog trainer, would be allowed. Even that I could rationalize, because I presumed the trainer wanted to establish his authority over the dogs.

What didn’t make sense to me was when my sister Berta called me up the day before and said that Gabby wanted to take my mother out to dinner so I should be dressed. (Huh?) Since when did we have to be dressed if it was just family? I figured maybe Gabby wanted something ritzy for Mom’s last dinner before she headed back to San Francisco. I dutifully looked for some old but reasonably dressy attire from my closet. The other thing that didn’t make sense to me was the timing: 7 to 8 p.m. was Jojo’s time with the dogs. Dinner was at 8:30, so the dog party would be only half an hour?

Why rent the whole Rockwell Tent for a half-hour dog party? Berta was saying, “Oh, the dogs are just going to be so tired, maybe we can even come earlier?” I was super busy that day; things didn’t sink in. I had so many greetings that day and I kept wondering why was everyone greeting me? It was not my birthday. Maybe there was a mistake on the Internet. I didn’t even have the time to ask the people greeting me why they were calling when it wasn’t my birthday.

I did wonder why Tina Palma said she was going to a dog party. Tina doesn’t even have a dog! My schedule was so packed I didn’t even have time to dwell on the details that didn’t make sense. I did call the house to make sure that Drake (my dog ) would be in the Tent on time. I was a bit surprised that my sons agreed to go to the dog party at night — and there were classes the next day.

When I arrived in the Tent, I wondered why the place was so lit up and there were tables at the entrance. Was this a new set-up for a dog party? Must be really ritzy, I thought. Gabby greeted me, visibly irked and in angst because he said Drake and Diesel fought again and we really need to do something about it. This time it was really bad! Oh, dear. He said, “You should see what they did.” I imagined the place in shreds and thought oh, dear, oh, dear....

And when I entered the room — surprise!

I was in a daze. So many people that I hadn’t seen in ages. Classmates, relatives, friends. It was unreal.

This had also been done to me on my 16th birthday. I had seen the tables and chairs in the pelota court, but I thought it was for a party for the help and then it turned out all my friends were there, and a band. I was really surprised!

Sometimes life is good, and sometimes life is really good! Well, this life I am so completely blessed with I can’t even begin to measure.

In my remarks  I expressed how, when I was growing up I felt like I was in a cocoon of love and affection. The world was a bed of roses — the only pain being crushes, teenage frustrations, insecurities.

Now at 60, while I try to make a difference, I still feel I am in a cocoon of love and affection. I really cannot ask for more.

The only thing I wish is that I be worthy of all that God has bestowed upon me. If I can make a big difference in the country, then it will all have been worth it.

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I can be reached at regina_lopez@abs-cbn.com.