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little angels, little time |
last sunday, me and the scuba junkies went up to tagaytay. now its not something really new to the gang because we usually pass by there (to eat bfast/dinner before/after anilao or to just literally “pass by”). but this weekend was no dive trip. no getting high with excess nitrogen swimming in the blood vessels. this weekend was all natural high. from the the innocent smiles to the joy of them lil kids eyes.
a few days back, cris told us that she would be going back to visit Little Angels in tagaytay, an orphanage managed by nuns, which i never heard of before nor do i have any experience of visiting such place. (ive joined a couple of outreach programs before though back in my mountaineering days but it was more on helping families on remote areas near them mountains).
she said it was something she wanted to do for her birthday, to bring goodies to them cute lil kids and spend the day with them. and since it was something positive, the gang was all up for it. and while she was busy briefing us about what we can bring on one ym conference window, there was another window open without her and the topic what we can do for her birthday. the plan was made.
D-day. jocs, pax and i met up early to buy her a big cake (which was actually more planned for the kids) and the goodies/food supplies. then headed up to tagaytay an hour before the other group leave makati. of course we told cris we werent coming hehe. after pax zooomed (literally, again) our asses there, we looked for the orphanage. found. talked to the nice sisters there and gave them the heads up about the plan. since they already know cris, they excitedly agreed 
the cake hidden and them kids ready to sing the bday tune, we waited til the other junkies arrive.
and when they did, she got into a surprise. we went out from hiding (in the kitchen) and brought her the cake and sang her the bday thing. the kids later on put on a lil show and we all watched. the rest of the afternoon we played with the kids like we were young again hehehe. bumalik kami ni fhay sa roots namin, yung tumakbo takbo ng walang sense pero tumatawa hahahaha. sayang nasa loob lang kami ng compound, mas masaya sana if pwede sa may field sa labas hehe.
im no saint and i know i havent done much for others since i spawned here on earth (im one selfish muthafucker, yes), but theres something in them kids that (as cheesy as this may sound) touched my soul. my parents went away when i was in third grade. but they would come and visit every few years until they decided to come home permanently. theirs is a different story. their parents went away but they cant really hope for them to come back. i saw and felt how they long for family.
its really nice to be able to make them smile even for just a while but it kinda felt frustrating to know that i cant do anything for them that is permanent and long term. realistically speaking, im not capable yet of doing any big stuff for them or any other people who needs help. im still trying to save my own ass in my own war hehehe. still though, im thankful i went there. (thanks cris and happy birthday ulet)
so there, not really the most typical of birthdays. nobody got drunk. no ledge dancing (hello iva and haze!). no unlimited pulutan and bottomless cocktails. no karaoke-drunk-babble singing. no hip-hop or house music to dance to. no tipsy photo ops. it was just the junkies, the kids and a whole afternoon of kiddie fun. hehehe, and for the first time i felt… damn, i wish it was my birthday 
…sweet…