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From Cradle to Cross: A Mother’s Joy and Pain

jesus_dies_on_cross

Every Good Friday was just like any other day for me. The streets are empty. Everything is still. At 3:00 PM, I’d bow my head in prayer and reflect on Jesus’ death. That is before the death of my son. I never knew what it felt to be the mother of Jesus, losing a son until of course, I lost my precious son 8 years ago. Even if Mother Mary knew that Jesus died to save us, she was just as inconsolable as any mother who lost a child. My son was “clinically dead” when I got to him and I did not see him suffer. Not that I am diminishing my own pain but I bet Mother Mary suffered one thousand times more than I did for every nail and insult given to her beloved son.

How does this pain feel? Imagine…

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Hope Inside the Box

I first met Bill on December 20, 2006 through his blog entries of Anne Sherina. His pain is all too familiar. For most bereaved parents I know, not being able to touch, to hold, to embrace our child is the most painful reality we have to face. The emptiness of our arms, the indescribable longing to have those arms filled again with our precious child, are almost more than we can bear.

An exchange of text messages, emails and instant messaging kept us in touch for the past year until a few days ago, a pleasant surprise through a scanned newspaper clipping awaited in my inbox.

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The Bucket List

bucket-list-promo-pic.jpgImagine two terminally ill men, a billionaire and a mechanic, realizing that they both share a passion to accomplish unfulfilled dreams until they ““kick the bucket.” “The Bucket List” refers to a wish list that these two men try to fulfill before each kicks the bucket. After they break out of a cancer ward, they head off on the road trip of a lifetime with an itinerary that includes racing cars, eating giant plates of caviar and slinging poker chips in Monte Carlo, becoming friends along the way and learning to live life to the fullest. Each goal that is accomplished is ticked off the “bucket list”, and they realize that this adventure is what defines them as human beings and gives them the joy that had been quite elusive in the past.

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The Victim Trap Part 2

I truly feel sorry for Tim, the British guy. I also feel sorry for the young Filipina, the hospital doctors and lawyer, the British Embassy staff, the real estate company and many others involved in the “group of scam artists”. They were all victims one way or the other. It has gotten to the point an accusation is hurled against one of the suspected scammer who Tim believes is using my name. Oh please, I am not part of this scam-internet-drama. I have better things to do. It’s not the alleged grand-scale scam that concerns me right now because my opinion does not matter. One thing that caught my attention in the moderated comment section was his claim to be the “innocent victim”. It’s true we can be victims in any situation but it doesn’t have to be permanent.

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The Absent-Minded Mom

You know how it is at the start of the New Year. If one is in business, you have to get permits and other papers from the City Hall. One of these paper requirements is the NBI clearance. I cannot forget the incredulous look of the NBI data personnel when he asked me “What’s your address?” I stated my address but he pointed to what I wrote down on the data sheet.

“Let me take a look” as I turned the paper around. What was I thinking?

greenthumb.gif(For privacy reasons, I am modifying parts of my complete home address). Horrified, I saw the words Green Thumb instead of Green Village.

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The Candle Lighting

At 7:00 PM, The Compassionate Friends held the 11th Worldwide Candle Lighting event at the Ateneo Loyola Schools.

meandbutchcandle.jpgOur Candle Lighting Service is done with love,
A tribute to our children who have gone on above.
We light our candles so others will know,
We remember our children and we still love them so.

We will continue to cherish our children so dear,
Through this service of remembrance we have every year.
We validate the high place of honor our children still claim,
As with acclamations of pride we honor their names.

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