A 2017 Year Ender Reflection

Where did time go? Sounds a cliche, yet this question keeps on  popping in people's minds. Every time! And it does on mine. As I struggle to bring back the memories, both the good and  not-so-good, to  the surface, the events that unfolded this year before it slips away, I needed to close my eyes, then look back and scan every byte of the files archived  in my brain over the past months. I could hardly believe, the bit of difficulty I encountered in retrieving some of them. And so, I may just have to indulge with a few, which clearly stood out and provided the colorful tapestry of 2017!

I welcomed the year in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with my family, in a vacation treat trip. Since our kids started leading their own lives,  seldom it happens that we are altogether in one place to usher in the new year. And so this one was so memorable for us! With a chef now in our family, it was almost impossible not to go on food trip, sampling on the diverse culinary cuisines Vancouver has to offer. And so we did, driving through the snowy roads, or queuing under the subzero temperature outside a not-so-fancy restaurant, just to enjoy what was considered the best ramen in town. One thing I noticed myself, this could very well be part of midlife crisis, is developing a little passion to explore new things, ones  I missed doing in my youth! Climbing up to the snow-capped Mt. Seymour in Victoria (British Columbia) with my kids, presented that rare opportunity for me to try snow skiing. What an experience it was, to conquer one of my life's greatest enemies - fear!

Time really flies so fast, that this year marks our three decades (yes - 30 years!) of marital bliss. Daughter Alison and her hubby Nathan, and with son Zaldy - planned and hosted our wedding anniversary celebration. A simple backyard ceremony, complete with entourage, was held under the Cathedral of the  Skies, to renew the marriage vows we made and  promised to keep and cherish 30 years ago. A church pastor officiated the traditional Filipino rites, which was witnessed by close family friends.  With social media, a live coverage of the ceremony allowed some relatives and friends to join us virtually!

Who could forget Harvey? Not Harvey Weinstein!., although this guy is equally unforgettable as hurricane Harvey (and which can be an interesting topic for another blog).  Truth to tell, the moment wife and I decided to leave Corpus Christi to seek shelter to a safer place following mandatory evacuation advisory due to the magnanimous catastrophic threat posed by Harvey, I was grappling with the greatest fear I ever have in my life. News about catastrophic devastation caused by hurricanes are, to me, horrendous. And here I was, in a predicament which sent chills down to my spine. While navigating through the intermittent sluggish traffic in the highway, my mind was out wandering and wondering about the hows, the whys and what ifs, if the threat of extensive damage delivered by a category 4 hurricane in the forecast came to fruition. The unthinkably horrible pictures of the destruction left by Katrina and catapulted New Orleans on edge, came rushing back to me.  Confusion overcast my mind, as I kept hoping against hope, at this time of hopelessness and uncertainty. Then, I recalled, 'I'll cross the bridge when I get there', one of my life's mantra. This roused me up to my senses,  kept my sanity, calmed me down and brought me inner peace, and made me conquer my greatest enemy - fear! And  sure,  Harvey made a catastrophic landfall with historic proportion as predicted, however, in nearby areas but not in Corpus Christi!

Snow in Corpus Christi? Nature, if not, the mineralogists must be kidding! And so I thought. I have this love-hate-relationship with snow, if not winter weather in particular. Having lived in Corpus for years now, where people still wear shorts in winter, and in our household, we don't even turn our heat on, makes me miss playing with snow. A few years back, when we drove to our old hometown in Kansas to usher in the new year , I was amazingly thrilled watching the snowflakes falling down from the skies blanketing the land. The level of excitement was almost comparable to the first time I had with snow. Then, last year's trip to Vancouver got us the chance to play with snow again! Thirteen years ago, in Christmas eve of 2004, people in Corpus Christi were treated and joyfully celebrated their white Christmas, the event was dubbed as Christmas miracle. I have not heard of any history of snowfall prior to this. And so recently, when the forecast consistently point snowing in our place, I was a hardcore doubting Thomas! And to give credit to the forecast, I gave it a benefit of a doubt, and I succeeded in convincing myself that utmost, snow would only come in flurries. I was absolutely wrong! Waking up, my eyes glowed in total excitement seeing the almost-always parched land blanketed with immaculately white snow! It was incredible but it happened!

Life is in itself a drama. Its saga is continuously serendipitous, and the story is entirely dependent on what tomorrow brings. Actors are unrehearsed, as they reveal their core of who they are in the ways they react to the life's daily grind. No script. No directors. No stage. And as the year 2017 is almost behind us, we  are inching towards the curtain call of this year's episode.

What a wonderful year 2017 has been! To friends and all, let's celebrate for great year!