What we were born with is God’s gift to us; what we have made of His gifts is our gift to ourselves. And when we have made ourselves blessings to others — that is our ultimate gift to God.
Pangasinan Rep. Gina de Venecia had a fairy-tale childhood growing up in a tree-shaded compound where her father Doc Perez wove dreams for the silver screen. According to her sister Marichu Maceda, Gina was the most shy of all the siblings when they were growing up, but she was also the most entrepreneurial.
But this Sampaguita princess didn’t live happily ever, at least, not right away. Her first marriage crumbled but it gave her two wonderful children. Her second marriage brought out the best in her, and she was blissful. But then she lost her youngest child in a fire that almost gutted her as well.
Through it all, despite it all, Gina, wife of former five-time Speaker Joe de Venecia, has made a better person of herself. As to whether she has turned her gifts into blessings for others — you only had to see the people who attended her recent birthday party at the Sampaguita Gardens, the very place where she grew up climbing trees and selling brownies to movie stars.
The gathering was one galaxy of different worlds — politics, business, show business, society and civil society. There were princes of the Church as well as crown princes of politics. A total of 147 barangay captains from Pangasinan trooped to Quezon City for Gina’s birthday lunch.
“All of you,” she said, “helped define me as a person.”
Quoting from a poem, she said, “Thank you for the good times, the days you filled with pleasure. Thank you for the fond memories and for feelings I will always treasure.”
Gina said her friends from showbiz, “brought spice to my life.”
She said her sisters in the Inang Naulila sa Anak (INA) Foundation “share a special bond” with her. They all went through the aberration of burying a child.
She cited her classmates from the Assumption Convent, because of the happy memories they gave and still continue to give her.
Unknown to many, Gina has a group called the “Silvers,” some of whom are old enough to be her aunts. They go to Mass together almost every day. She calls the “Silvers” her “spiritual anchor.”
Gina made special mention of her beloved mother, Mama Nene Vera Perez, who passed away last year, and her daughter KC, “our angel and our guide, neither distance nor death can sever our loving ties.”
* **
Gina’s eldest daughter Carissa sang her mother’s favorite song, the Sharon Cuneta hit Bituing Walang Ningning. Her two granddaughters Bella and Gab danced to the theme of the movie Frozen. Truly like little Sampaguita stars.
The proud “Mamita” also thanked her other children Carissa and Juju, Philip, Christopher; Vivian and Dennis, Joey and Karen, Sandra and Mark and Leslie.
Most of all, she thanked her husband of almost 30 years, Joe de Venecia, “who has always been the wind beneath my wings; the eagle who taught this little sparrow to fly.”
Joe gave Gina, who used to be terrified of the microphone, the confidence to address international fora abroad — from China to Sri Lanka.
Gina thanked Joe for watching her “soar into the sky, to launch her into flight once again if by chance she slips.”
In lieu of gifts, she requested guests to contribute to the fund for the orphans of the 44 Special Action Force commandos who were killed in action in Mamasapano.
Her birthday prayer? “Unity in this country. Recent incidents have caused so much confusion and distrust amongst us.”
This little sparrow continues to soar for others.
(You may e-mail me at joanneraeramirez@yahoo.com.)