A very special day today, Aunt Felip’s 105th birth anniversary. “”Happy Birthday Aunt Felip’’, Adna said. Just a simple family celebration with the children Lex, Azia and Al the second and most of all Al who had served Aunt Felip when she was bedridden for almost three years. There is a birthday cake today. People always asked, ‘’what is the relevance of celebrating birthdays? What makes it very important when in fact year after year the one celebrating gets older and older.’’ Why does the celebrant spent much money to let other people join the celebration most likely having a sumptuous dinner? That is a question heard by Azia and relayed to her mom. Adna explained to her, birthday celebration is very important not only to the person celebrating but to the persons who raised her and loved her so much. It is a way of thanksgiving that year after year is a joyous one because you are such a beautiful person in the hearts of your love ones. Only very few are so blessed to have that kind of priority because in some families, they are individualistic, there is competition and sibling rivalry and parents are so busy with their careers and circle of friends who never sees what is really important above all to never miss every joyful celebration of each family member. It is also the burning love which sparks and always connect with those already have long time departed in this lifetime, but still this becomes a burning flame which could not be put off because the connection is so strong in the heart and mind of those who love her/him. The joyous memories is never ending it continuous to go on and on and will be passed on to the generations to come because it has long been observed and practiced. Connectedness in the heart and mind called the BURNING LOVE is the second secret of life. First you were grateful with the one who took care of you when you were still an infant, until become a child, an adolescent, a young lady, and then a mother to good children. The burning love is the fruit of GRATITUDE. Adna remembered a young priest who was assigned to work with her in her first and biggest free medical clinic. He said, ‘’the child is the father of the man.’’ Who were you when you were a child, that is who you become when you grow up. Good people are those who belong to the one who took care of them who gave their best to give the most beautiful upbringing. There are ups and downs in life, there are good times and bad times, success and failures, from being a well to do to being poor and with everything to nothing but these all does not make sense. What matters the most is the time being together full of laughter against all odds. It is just like picking up the flowers, where the thorns must be thrown and only keep the roses. Others say, life is like a bed of roses with thorns, God has given us the gift of intellect and free will, so never lie down on the thorns. Make time to remove all the thorns and throw them and keep a bed of roses free from its thorns.

Adna told Azia, what we experienced since you were young we would still continue to do joyfully. Counting the years makes us happy, ‘’Adna said.’’ Tomorrow is also the birthday of the retired judge. Adna could not cook for his birthday being so tired yet with her week long work preparing the feast in their chapel near the house. Climbing up to the mountain after a very long journey also makes her not having a good condition to make delicious foods. For sure Adna would meet the judge to greet him. The retired judge like and hope Azia would become a good judge. He assessed Azia as logical and kind. Azia also is very inquisitive, always willing to learn just like Adna. When the head priest came to their garden, Adna told him ‘’monsignor, what is the difference between a Canon lawyer and a Canon expert? Adna named two priests she knew as Canon lawyers, while recently there are three Canon experts including him, the Monsignor.’’ The head priest very well explained to Adna that being a Canon expert is just that he is knowledgeable about the Canon laws, just like a medical doctor. While being a Canon lawyer is that they all know the Canon laws. Azia also when she has questions in her mind, she would also asked the answers. Al the second has the same character with Azia but he never stops asking. He has many questions in his mind. Adna sometimes would say, ‘’we would discuss about it next time’’. Lex who is very studious would just learn about new things from her own research but there are times when it is about legal matters she would ask her mom as her mother was exposed to the three lawyers, Uncle Rom and his two sons who were also lawyers. Adna was with them in her University years. The three children of Adna have one thing in common, they like so much Adna’s salad made of jelly and ripe mangoes. When they consumed two small salad cups, Al already consumed more than five cups. Another food they also like is the mango float made of crushed Graham biscuits with ripe mangoes then filled with cream. Al the second who is the only son loves to cook. He wanted to become a chef, but since it is not a Bachelor course, Adna told him that he could learn cooking through experience. Adna told him, ‘’I just watched Aunt Felip cooking beef steak, and sweet and sour fish and I learned and can cook perfectly the taste like Aunt Felip’s cooking. Al the second became passionate with cooking and there are times when he would just experiment, at first he would not get the right taste then the next time he cooks, it is already good. Another hobby of Al the second is gardening. Last year, his grapes had already fruits, then when he learned that the grape plant bought by Adna and Al during the plant exhibits at the mall were not seedless, Al the second ordered from another province, variety of grapes. These grapes are still young and hopefully after a year there will be lots of fruits, this time seedless grapes. One time Adna discovered, Al the second sent money to a man who has a garden in another province and it was not a small amount of money. He did not tell his mom that from his savings, he trusted the man and sent him advance payment for all his orders. When Adna had the chance to clean the back pack of Al the second, she saw the receipt of the money he sent. Adna was doubtful of the transaction, the money was sent many months already and those packages which are local would take only a week but it has been three months but no single plant nor seed that Al the second received. She asked Al the second about it but Al the second defended the man who received his money, he told Adna. ‘’it took him long time because the plants died and he needs to plant again.’’ Adna said to Al the second, ‘’that is not good, you give too much trust to a stranger. He always make alibis, forget about the money but never do it again, you can still order but must be cash on delivery’’. Al the second just listened to his mom. Al who also learned just told Al the second, ‘’don’t worry, it’s just money.’’ Adna tried to contact the man, and he promised he would return the money a week later, but almost a month no refund was received. Adna sent him a message that it was not fair and just to her son Al the second, and Adna would already find remedy may it be in a legal way. Al the second slowly talked to his mom Adna, ‘’mom, the man sent me a message, he will just replace another plant.’’ Adna just forgot about being mad to the man, to her mind she would already inform and ask help from the city legal head who later worked with her in the free legal clinic. A month later, Al the second received, three small branches of grape plants. Al the second tried to at peace with her mom and said, ‘’mom these grapes are very expensive’’ Adna just smiled to her son Al the second. She knew he would learn from his experience.

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