This year, my friend Pax invited me to Sinulog, and without checking that the festival is set on the same date as my birthday, I said yes and was booked right away. I was a bit anxious knowing it meant not being home where I usually end this "special occasion" (with family), but on the last minute, I had a crazy "birthday eve" with blog friends I consider as my second family---who all also incidentally booked themselves for the Sinulog weekend. The birthday eve went by where I got too dramatic and then realized, when I checked my watch, that it was minutes past 12 o'clock already.
Morning came, meaning my actual birthday, but people were already busy for the festivities and their flights. Now I realized how far I've come from my younger sensitive self, because if this happened then, I'd be so sentimental with the lack of going-ons on a "special date" (and then blame the sadness on birthday blues). But I actually woke up with a positive outlook, had a great morning with all the online greetings that flooded my Twitter and Facebook, and I also got a bonus never-too-early laughtrip with Pax and Mich over crazy things.
My parents called while I was taking a bath pre-parade, and I jokingly teased dad for the wrong timing. He greeted me with a cheesy but sweet, "The whole Cebu is celebrating with you", while my Mom told me she cooked spaghetti even when I wasn't there with them at home. Spent the rest of the day with just Pax, while Mich went out with her Cebuana friends. We teased each other that even with just the two of us, we can enjoy a party! We are the party! Lol. We met several friends, but most of the time it was just the two of us--high five-ing complete (and cute! haha) strangers, and exchanging "Pit Senyors" with tipsy but adorable conyo boys... Hehehe.
We ended the night with what we jokingly titled as a "Life of Pi" moment, where we (because we can't find a cab and we're both not from Cebu) had to walk from Baseline all the way to the JY Grocery. I wasn't sure of the distance, but I was telling Pax it felt like walking from Makati to Alabang. Summary sha ng buong trip natin Pax! Dinaanan natin LAHAT ng pinuntahan natin the past days, like La Maison and UP!
We were lost, and our only game plan was to follow the jeepneys we were supposed to ride to reach the hotel, but were all overloaded that night with people who came from the street parties. We had more than enough encounters with "drunk manyaks" for just a few hours, but thank God we got in our hotel room safe. And since it was a long walk, we were just talking and talking the whole time. We even had the strength to just laugh and make fun of every crazy encounters that just happened. At the middle of the walkathon, Pax reminded me it was my birthday, and followed with sana nag enjoy ka naman.
And then we passed by this eatery, one of the hundred eateries we've passed by just on that walk, and I feel it wasn't a coincidence that they arranged this full-blast speakers outside their small but homey vicinity to attract the hungry and tired festival goers. And they were playing Coldplay's Yellow. My song. I think in a way it was God telling me to not worry about things. I am 27, but can still be a kid sometimes (especially on my decisions and emotions). But if there's a lesson I got from the 27 years, it's knowing that all things--both good and bad--serve a purpose. And we just have to reconcile with the things we do--again both good and bad--because your every step or the every choice you make creates you.
..."And everything you do,
Yeah they were all yellow."
Cheers to 27!
PS: Thank you Pax! I love you!!!
13 Comments
Happy Birthday Ana! belated :) More blessings to come and may God always guide you and give you strength para sa mga ganaps mo this year! I HE will let you shine so that you can inspire others too :) Hope you had a blast on your birthday :D
ReplyDeleteMaraming maraming salamat! This means a lot to me. :) Thank you Kath!
Deletehappy birthday babe, still feel bad i wasn't there, bawi nalang soon. miss you <3
ReplyDeleteTHank you Sarah! Sobrang miss nadin kita!!!! :( Catch up soooon pls!!!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE YOU SIS!!! :-* I miss you!!!! I'm glad you were able to enjoy your cray birthday >:D< Hope to see you this week!
ReplyDeleteThank you sis!!!! Hope to see you toooo and I love you toooooo!
Deletebelated happy birthday!!! teary eyed reading this..realizations of life ang lalim and mukhang nagenjoy ka sa cebu.. God Bless!!
ReplyDelete<3 Caycee
thank you so much caycee! thanks for reading! :)
Deleteawww, sayang naman di tayo nagkita. di na ako naka-abot sa david's eh. next time! and, happy birthday ana!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday Ms. Ana - yan talaga ang essence ng Sinulog alay lakad to the max. Btw, di pa masyado malayo ang nilakad ninyo eh, medya lang yun! hehehe. Glad you enjoy ur birthday here! More blessings and keep inspiring!
ReplyDeleteWow! It really looked like you had a blast on your birthday and celebrating Sinulog!
ReplyDeleteSayang at hindi ko kayo nakita on the streets during the festivities itself. My friends from out of town were here din kasi. But I'm happy that you had a memorable time during Sinulog. Memorable din siya for me kasi first time kong gumala after almost a decade of being a homebody. Hehe! The muscle pains the day after were worth it!
ReplyDeleteBelated Happy Birthday!!! :)) diba sobrang late na hahahahahah
ReplyDeletewish you all the best this year and more more kwento sa blog! hahha XD
Michael Macalos
http://michaelmacalos.com
Your turn! Always excited to read your comments! :)