Radigonda

Mamot,

How are you doing today? I may have not recovered after your departure yet, but I am coping up so that you who are now in your truest form will also be okay in your journey to a new world. However, I still could not believe you are dead, that you are not coming back. You are very much alive in my thoughts, in my vision, in my dreams.  Reality these days is so painful that I only find solace in sleeping, where I watch you still with us.

And who would not? I still see you staying with me in my room chatting. I still see you riding beside me in the car. I still see you laughing at my jokes – healthy and alive. I still see us both eating outside. I want to get angry, but I don’t know to whom. Ah, I need to get angry with God, but you know that cannot be done.

Why do we have to face life’s tragedy, one day? And my share of that day is today. I may be emotionally strong, but I am not ready. I know you are not immortal, but I refuse to accept your being mortal till now. Not in our solid family.

When you got sick, I witnessed how fragile the human body is; that it can suddenly turn from a living form into a dead object. That it can become as hard as steel, very quickly. That a person can stop breathing any time and with what seems like a computer mouse’ click, one can be dead. Just like you. I was in denial the whole time. I was hoping you will overcome your health issues. You fought. We fought. And I was very hopeful, just like how I witnessed other ailing people recovered from the verge of deterioration to becoming healthy again, as fortunately as Papot.  I still am grateful for the graces of health bestowed on our family, and it was my conviction God was having a great project with your health issue - that you will soon recover and be healthy again. However, you did not, and the painful truth is still stabbing me every now and then.

Of all the people, why should you Mamot? I know I can live now because your death has not sunk in me yet. I tried not to let it as it will only break me apart. Thinking about those days, when you were with me all along, and that those days cannot be here again, is enough to make me go crazy.

I wish you are doing well now - you, of all the people, who were not ready to die. I saw the peace in your face during the last days when you called grandma. Yes, I miss Yoya too and her departure two decades ago was the first tragedy I have encountered in my entire life. I even asked myself so many times, when can I see her again.

Just the thought of you seeing Yoya again lightens the pain. As I know you missed her dearly, with your Uncle Canor, Aunt Inciang, Uncle Felix and Grandma Paula. They might have reveled seeing you joining them as you are the closest one they have been waiting for. Are you having a happy reunion now? So happy that you do not plan on returning to us? Is your journey to another world going smoothly? Were you not afraid?

I hope you wear the smile on your face, as you always did, when you see your mom, your dad, aunt, uncles and the grandma who nurtured you. And when I leave this world, will you fetch me too? Or will you recognize me and call my name? As excited as you were to see your mother and loved ones again, I am sure I will be as well, when that time comes.

Happy Birthday Mamot and Hasta la vista!

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Saint Dominic Savio School’s “Mulan” Presentation An Amazing Success

Time and the weather cooperated with Saint Dominic Savio School as they staged the play “Mulan” at SM Cinema 1 last Saturday December 10. I missed the opening part as I was late for a few minutes. It was already of my knowledge that Saint Dominic had been staging a lot of plays in the past at different centers in Cebu to showcase the acting, dancing and singing skills of its students. This one is the first time I have seen them on stage.

First - the venue. Of course, it is SM Cinema I. What else can you ask for? The cool dark ambiance was excellently conducive to the play which directed all the audience attention to the stage – the only part of the area that was lighted with added features of spotlights to emphasize a character or a part.

Second – the costumes. The casts’ relevant costumes shimmered against the light making them more glaringly attractive in the contrasting dark area. I supposed the costs being invested on those attires were rocketing. Later, I found out that their price were not at all unreasonable.

Third – the production. The overall production was good and the choice of the story, perfect. It gave a huge platform for featuring not just acting but dancing and singing knacks as well.

Fourth – the background music. Whoever the musical director is, I salute him/her. I was very much impressed with the choice and timing of the music. It added life to the play.

I love the singing voices of the choir and of Mulan herself which was not far from the real singer of Reflections – Lea Salonga. My most favorite performance is the white soldiers who performed their dances in unison. I was impressed with the main characters like Mulan’s family, the emperor, emperor’s secretary, soothsayer, Captain Shang, Mushu, hunts and many more.

The little performers whom I know are from the pre-school and elementary departments, looked like unwinged angels who went down from heaven for a while for that day alone. The young ladies and gentlemen from the high school department were very lovely and handsome. They took the helm of the most performances. I know their parents should be very proud of them.

Though there were areas for improvement which I know can be credited to the less frequency of rehearsals, it was understandable for the level of the performers but I still wish they can go far more than expected in the future. Part of my expectation is for them to perform outside Cebu, or even outside the country.

I commend the teachers for being responsible of the overall success of the stage play; more so to the SDS Management for creating an arena on which the artistic ingenuity of its teachers and students are expressed in the most exquisite way.