normally on a bright sunny day like today, i bundle up my sunshine and go to a park – somewhere outdoors where we can enjoy the flawless blue. but today, i didn’t want to do anything. hahaha. i still woke up at 8 a.m., though. i was rewarded with someone asking if i’ll be writing again for the filipino-american community builder. i told her, yes, especially now that i know when the real deadline is, hahaha.
i was able to produce 12 poems in six hours last night at SenDong All Our Love tribute and fundraiser – no small feat as i’ve never done on-the-spot poetry before. plenty other types of writing, yes. i’m very glad i got to do that kind of writing last night!
maraming salamat to the ramos family for waiting, despite them all dressed up and ready to leave, until i got done with their poems! maraming salamat to dr. casambre for ordering four (4!!!). maraming salamat for martin for giving me the most detailed, honest request of the evening. maraming salamat to fabie and joselle, who bought the first two poems of the evening! maraming salamat to raven who gave me the most challenging prompt of the evening (“this isn’t haiku!” he said. “you wanted haiku?!?!!” hahaha!). maraming salamat to noelle who responded to my query for advance orders and asked for her poem weeks earlier! ❤
i am also grateful to lou of samasama project who had reached out to me to volunteer. maraming salamat, lou, for sharing your brainchild with all of us! all the good last night will outweigh the bad, i promise. la salle academy already thanked us before we even did the evening. they thanked us for just thinking of them, for trying to put something together to lift more than just their spirits up.
in the short video la salle academy sent a day before yesterday, i’ll never forget the kids the most – one had a temporary tattoo of a star, the other was a baby sleeping. the people just grateful for a day’s food. they were crying for having received a day’s meal. and all the flimsy shelters by the roadside that replaced their homes. the traditional medicine. but throughout, gratitude.
i don’t think pictures of the school gym or other, more urban parts of iligan city could have told the story of need more effectively than those shown in the video.
i hope to get another bright, sunny blue sky tomorrow. it doesn’t look like it – an uncommon weekend of sunshine in winter isn’t all that uncommon, but this is the season of snow and ice, so the rare blue skies two days in a row on a weekend were a treat. my daughter and i traded time in the blue for work on the fundraiser. lucky me she got to sleep in, but there were nights when i know i’ve come short of my duties as her mom.
but i know, someday, when i show her pictures of “this is what i did when you just turned four,” she’ll understand. i am grateful for my friend josh for entertaining my daughter so my mom could have a night’s entertainment. she was worn out at the end of the evening, but she was very happy to see filipino talent on stage. josh also entertained my daughter so i can “hustle” my poems as he called it, and write them. but without his help, my daughter couldn’t have found friends her age and i couldn’t have done anything.
i am grateful to the buni family for helping out defensor method and the other booths. i am grateful for the other volunteers who participated not just for the community service hours, but also for learning more about their culture. i am grateful for their owning their filipino roots.
what an awesome night. i love the emceeing, hahaha, ginger, ari, jovie, dj stealth, and lou make an awesome, hilarious team. i am grateful for the silvas and fred for donating their art for an important cause. i am grateful for ginger for bringing me her yummy perfect vegan arroscaldo still hot and garnished with the yummyest tortillas, fried garlic and green onions – it was such a welcome interruption; without her, i would not have eaten at all that night. hahaha. i am grateful for all the conversations that sprung up around my booth, i heard all of them, and happy i got to participate.
did i say i was grateful to lou for sharing her brainchild with me and the rest of the volunteers? yes.
my little one i need to thank as well – for patience and understanding that mommy cannot hug or dance or play or check something out right now, but i will, later. ❤
Cafe Ysabella 