28/06/2026
63rd Birthday Celebration of my mother in a luxury hotel. Staycation + Full board meals (buffet) + jammin' with live band.
I'm just so grateful to be able to make it happen. Its not me who is celebrating a birthday but I felt so happy celebrating the birthday of the woman who brought me into this world.
FLASHBACK.
I once dreamt of celebrating my birthday with family and friends when I was a child, tay agpadaya nga kunkunada. Coz I never had one.. (or I just cannot remember it) ti lang malagip ko talaga ket when I reached my 18th birthday.. my mother was already working that time and had extra money to provide for my birthday. I remember she gave me 2,000 pesos as budget. Just a simple celebration with food cooked by my uncle Bobot plus adda nagited ti paala idi. But there was no cake. No balloon. No decoration. Nothing fancy.
There were times when my friends/classmates greet me "Birthday mo gayam, anat paalam?" I just answer them back, "haan nga uso dagitan".. but at the back of my mind, I don't have any means to have "paala" kasi igatang mi langen ti sidaen ah. Until I get used to it. My birthdays were just ordinary days.
When I was already working and earning money, still manmano ak latta nga agpapaalan.. kasi nasanay nakon nga lumipas ti aldaw nga awan ganap.
Lately, I realized.. celebrating a birthday is like thanking God that you're still alive, that you still have the chance to share your life with people especially your family.
This year, I gave my mom a birthday celebration that is simple but memorable.
Happy Happy Birthday ma.. may you have more birthdays to come para maiparanas pa namin sayo ang mga hindi natin naranasan dati.. Kahit tuwing may okasyon lang magfeeling maykaya naman tayo :) atleast hindi galing sa maleta ang ginastos natin :D
