Good Monday, everyone! Here we are, again, sharing with you something from life. Hope and pray you're doing well, by the way.
Yesterday is gone. But I can still recall something good that my family and I did. We attended church services. As one faith family, I believe, we try our best to put God first into our lives. Nowadays, I do try to praise and pray to our Almighty God thanking Him for all the goodness and blessings he showered me each moment of my life. As a sinner, I always make it a point to ask His forgiveness and be sorry for my sins, and to thank Him that no matter what He always pardons and loves me. No matter how my life's journey turns out to be, He won't allow me to go bad. That's my belief. He knows that I am a good human being, despite my flaws and imperfections. That's why I put my full trust in Him, no matter what happens to me. As the Holy Bible states, specifically Proverbs3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not into thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy path."
As scheduled for us, church volunteer Extraordinary Ministers for Holy Communion, my wife and I did distribute the Host or the Eucharist (the consecrated Body of Jesus Christ) to fellow parishioners at St. Paul's Catholic Church. Celebrating with us in yesterday's (Sunday) Mass was our parochial vicar, Rev. Fr. Chris H. Our young adult son Andrew was with us to Mass since the day, 14 August 2012, we all left temporarily The Old Dominion (Virginia) for a week's summer vacation to The Golden State (California) and back. But after Mass and luncheon at a Seafood Restaurant, in Chesapeake, he left for The Capitol/Capital in the late afternoon because of his work there.
Last night, I did spend hours doing captioning to a lot of uploaded photos in my FB page. Those are personal photos I've taken while on summer vacation to California with my family. I still have some (captioning) left to do. Not done yet, completely. But, at least, I've done the bulk of it.
Now, this morning, my wife and I visited the naval hospital where I used to work and eventually retired. I'm glad and thankful that she took a half-day sick leave from her work so she can take care of minor "itchy" skin problem (on her hands) that has been bothering her on and off for months. By the way, she and her co-teachers have started reporting to work in school since Wednesday, 22 August 2012. But their students won't be back to school til after Labor Day, a federal holiday on September 3rd).
Actually, both of us have had an appointment, first time, in the Dermatology Department (from a consultation referral from our doctor in Internal Medicine). I have something on my face (below my right eye) that is itchy, at times. And a couple of small tucks on my neck that need to be removed.
After we've seen a nurse practitioner in the above-mentioned department (he applied liquid nitrogen on the parts of my body I mentioned, and, for my wife, he prescribed her ointment that we got from the pharmacy), we went home. I'd like to drop by at a bank but we agreed to just go home because she has to report to her school by noon or lunchtime.
As soon as my wife left for work/school, past ten this morning, I left out, too, to pay my bill personally at a local bank that financed my (oldie but goodie) Avalon, almost two years ago. Also, I have to go to the post office to drop a mail/bill and to buy stamps.
It came to my senses, since they are still serving breakfast at a franchised restaurant, I decided to drop by. I used my coupon for their breakfast platter. I did buy also a copy of the local newspapers.
While I was about to finish my breakfast or "brunch," my cell phone rang. I thought it was my wife. No, it was my sister Betty, from California informing me that she and my brother-in-law Dennis were doing physical conditioning by walking outside, which they normally do. They're both retired now. She also told me that our brother and his wife have arrived back in Washington State (where they reside) after our family get-together at sis Betty's for days. After our long distance sibling conversation, I did continue to read the daily papers. I had the urge or inspiration to scribble a short poem, original in Filipino. Here's what I've written on that receipt from the cashier at that restaurant. I titled it Pantay-pantay (Equally the Same). Here's the Ilokano translation, too, (Pare-pareho).
Pantay-pantay, kung totoosin/// pare-pareho, no pampanunoten
walang mahirap, walang mayaman/// awan napanglaw, awan nabaknang
ang mga kumakain sa Restaurant/// kadagiti mangmangan diay Restaurant
sa umaga, hapon o gabi/// iti bigat, malem, wenno rabii
nag-iisa ang pakay o layunin nila/// maymaysa ti ranta wenno panggepda
ang mga taong ginugutom/// dagiti tao a mabisinan
may pinsala man o wala/// adda man sagubanitda wenno awan
may pinag-aralan o mangmang/// adda adalda wenno gagoda
may trabaho o pensionado/// addaan trabaho wenno pensionadoda
retirado na o aktibo pa sa serbisio/// retiradon wenno add pay laeng ti serbisio.
Pantay-pantay, kung totoosin/// pare-pareho, no pampanunoten
ang mga taong nagsisikain/// dagiti tao a mangmangan
at mga taong nagsisilbi o taga-luto/// ken dagiti tao nga agserserbi wenno aglutluto
lahat sa kainang Restaurant/// amin-aminda diay panganan a Restaurant
at iba pang kainan o restaurant sa America./// ken no aniad'ta pay a panganan ditoy America.
Below is the English translation: Equally the Same
Equally the same, if you think about it
no impoverished, no affluent
those people eating, dining at Restaurant
in the morning, afternoon or night
with only one aim or purpose
those people are hungry
with or without disability
educated or not
employed or pensioner
retired or still active in Service.
Equally the same, if you think about it
those people eating, dining
and those serving and preparing food
all of them at Restaurant
and other eateries or dining facilities in America.
After breakfast, I did what I've planned to do: went to the bank, to the post office, and filled up our van's gas tank. And, even did grocery at Farm Fresh where I bought two cases of bottled water, a loaf of bread, steamed and seasoned shrimps, watermelon, potato chips/crisps.
That's all, folks, for now. Until next time around. Take care and Have a wonderful day, everyone!-chris a. quilpa, 27August2012
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