Homecoming: A Day to Remember

Many years since graduation from high school, I had the chance to meet classmates and schoolmates yesterday. Aside from the yearly grand alumni homecoming, or GAH, it was also our founding father's 20th death anniversary.

Not to mention all of us advancing in years and experience, a lot has changed since the day we bade each other goodbye, but one thing remained: gratitude for the selfless soul who made it all happen, Fr. Al Schwartz, the man who dedicated his life to serving the lowly, the neglected, the poorest of the poor.

Fr. Al, as he is fondly called, recognized his calling very early in life - the priesthood, that is. 

And I think it's fair to say, Fr. Al, the priest, accomplished more than any ordinary priest ever did. He founded the Brothers of Christ and the Sisters of Mary, congregations of religious men and women who, just like himself, dedicated their lives to the service of the poor. 

Girlstown and boystown schools for underprivileged children in South Korea, the Philippines, Mexico, Brazil and Guatemala were established through his untiring efforts. And today, thousands and thousands had been able to graduate.

Along with three other fellow graduates, we were one of the earliest to register for the event. As the hours ticked away, more graduates arrived. After which, it was time for the cameras to start flashing. 

It wasn't everyday that we got to congregate and reminisce those days when life was much simpler.

The blessing of Fr. Al's final resting place came next.

But just before the blessing commenced, it drizzled a bit, a clear signal that up to this day, Fr. Al is looking down from heaven to watch over his children.

The celebration of the Holy Mass happened thereafter, officiated by a Korean Brother of Christ who reminded everyone that Fr. Al's motto had been "To live is Christ; to die is gain."

And then came the program. Talented musicians and dancers from the Sisters of Mary in Korea performed heartwarming and lively performances that left their Filipino audience clapping their hearts out. But of course, there was no stopping the homegrown talents, too. 

After the program, it was lunch time, not to mention, chat time, joke time, laugh time, bonding time. A short meeting ensued, and then, it was time to go.

But before we actually went, I got the chance to visit Fr. Al's museum where memorabilia of some of his personal belongings and written works were on display for public viewing. On my way out, I bumped into a former teacher of mine, Ms. Roa, who, up to this time, is still the idealistic, advocacy-driven teacher I've always known.

Despite the lack of sleep and the long travel, the experience had been a meaningful one. Going back to the place where I've spent four years of my young life had been something I've always wanted to do but never gotten around to actually doing. 

Going back, looking back, thinking of things that once were, in my opinion, somehow, some way, keeps a person rooted to the ground. And despite one thousand and one reasons I can come up with for not going, I sure am glad I made that trip.

Mama, Can The Brain Be Cleansed?

“Mama, can the brain be cleansed? Like when you take a bath, you clean the germs off your body?” asked my youngest last night, right in the middle of Mass proceedings.

That made me step back for a moment. In my mind, why this line of questioning? Why did my kid, all of a sudden, wonder whether the brain was like a piece of garment that could be washed off and left in the sun to dry? Having been a parent for 13 years and counting, you’d think I should have known this was coming. 

But no, I just had no idea where questions such as these were coming from.

So as simply as I could manage, I whispered in his ear, “The brain is dirty if a person always thinks bad thoughts. The brain is clean if a person thinks only of good thoughts.” I have a feeling this kid of mine is going to grow up brainier than I ever could be, I genuinely hope I just gave him the answer he needs.

He nodded. And for a while there, there were no more questions.

Minutes later, while standing up for the Our Father, he said, "Mama, I'm too tired to keep standing already."

My daughter overheard his remark and whispered to him, "Do you see Jesus on the cross right there up front? He'd been hanging there for some time already, but he's not complaining. Do you want me to put you up there and see for yourself how that might feel?"

"Only if you go first," came the stubborn reply.

I couldn't help but smile. With these kids around, no day can ever be that dull.

Inside the Warrior Gene

Very early yesterday morning, I was wide awake and watching a documentary on the National Geographic channel, entitled “Inside the Warrior Gene.” 

This documentary, in my opinion, is an eye-opener because prior to this breakthrough discovery, we have been led to believe that the behavior and/or temperament of a person is solely influenced by his environment and upbringing.

Amazingly, as per the study conducted by researchers, geneticists and forensic scientists, people who had a tendency for violence may not just be acting and/or reacting based on the temperament ingrained in them by the way they were brought up, but on their genetic predisposition as well.

The Warrior Gene link and violence was first discovered after a study in 1990 of a very violent family in Holland. Majority of the male members of this family have committed rapes, arsons and assaults, and people, women especially, were afraid to be anywhere near them. 

Such being the case, somebody in the family thought the violence didn't have anything to do with their upbringing but something else entirely. Tests showed that the male members of the family lacked the MAOA gene. The MAOA gene is the gene that distributes calming drugs like serotonin and dopamine to the brain.

Now knowing who does and doesn't have the Warrior Gene is not easy as people might think it is. One look at a person, violent or otherwise, doesn't do the trick.

In the documentary, several people were enlisted to see if they might have the Warrior Gene – prizefighters, Buddhist monks, bikers, former gang members, even a very successful ex-Navy Seal. 

All of the prizefighters thought they might have it in them. The leader of a biker group was believed to have it, if his violent background was to be the gauge. 

Guess what? Neither of these people had the Warrior Gene. But the former gang members who had now chosen the peaceful life, all three of the Buddhist monks and the ex-Navy Seal who now owns a multimillion dollar business had the Warrior Gene.

Indeed, the human body is something man may not claim full knowledge to, as there might still be secrets lurking from within. 

The Buddhist monks had a natural tendency for violence but chose not to unleash the demon. The ex-Navy Seal, with the help of a good education, loving parents, a supportive environment and his Navy Seal training on self-mastery and discipline, found himself at the top of his game.

The Week That Was

For the whole of yesterday, Sunday, we were without Internet. Remember that time when I thought it might be the modem malfunctioning? Turned out it was some connector somewhere along the way. We got rid of the connector and got the Internet up and running again.

Problem was my newly replaced, brand-new router from this store with amazing customer service in Quezon City found itself bricked again. I am so disappointed.

But on the brighter side, my router is still within warranty and they owe me another replacement if they are unable to fix this one that’s staring at me with dead eyes. For a while there, I thought I had it all covered. But geez, the way technology works nowadays, you can’t be so sure.

I’m beginning to dread the day I listened to an officemate who recommended this brand of router. Then again, there’s no use crying over spilled milk. The best I can do is make full use of the remaining months I have with the store that sold me this router. If a trip to the store and/or a replacement is what I need every month for the next 11 months, so be it. 

Not as much my loss as theirs, in my opinion.

On a different note, the verdict is out. My son, the youngest, six years old and in Grade 1 emerged on top of his class again for the third quarter in a row this year. 

One proud mama I sure am. 

For his part, my eight-year old, the little guy who wanted to become a dentist – for years, he himself couldn’t properly smile because of a missing tooth here and there – managed to stay in the top 10 for the third time in a row, too. Last quarter, he was at number 6. This time, he found himself one notch below at number 7. 

That was fine by me, if you ask me. Whatever they can bring home, I’ll wholeheartedly accept.

The weather around here is getting all unpredictable. One moment, it’s a cloudy day, best for strolling and spending time outdoors. The next, it’s so hot you’d think it’s the peak of summer. They don’t call it weather without rhyme or reason, I guess.

Peak season at work is finally over. It had been an exhausting week of work for me last week, topping it off with Saturday being another work day. Not that I was coerced to do so, I volunteered to render over time. It was one day less to spend with my family, I know. But it’s still farming time for me nowadays. 

One day, when this is all over, I’ll get to spend as much time as I would want with them. The sacrifices we are doing now will all be worth it by then. 

Besides, quality outpaces quantity every step of the way, right?

How about you? How did your week go?