SENIORa Artz: Not Too Late

I was deeply moved by the sermon of our Church Pastor this morning. It was all about FAMILY. Actually, the topic has been running for three weeks already and it will still be his topic until the end of the month of February.

He said, for the Church to be strong, the families that comprise the Church must be strong. That's why, there is a need to strengthen the family if we aim to strengthen the Church.

Of all the many remarkable statements that he (Bro. Gerwin, our Church Pastor ) has made, the one that struck me the most was about God's command to honor our parents. He said that God's command to honor our parents is UNCONDITIONAL just like God's unconditional love for us. There should be no IFs and BUTs if we are to obey it.

As I reflected on these statements, I somehow felt guilty. I knew that there were so many times in the past that I tried to set my own personal conditions to show my love and respect for my parents. There were so many instances in the past that I tried to withhold the joy that they should have enjoyed because of my own personal whims and standards. Sometimes, because of my own misgivings, I tried to look at their faults. I tried to blame them for something that they should have done but they didn't do it. I tried to look for their imperfections.

Now, I've come to my senses and I'm thankful that it has not been too late. Though my mother has passed away already ( and I am pretty sure that she died happily and peacefully ), at least, my father is still alive and I could still make amends of all my shortcomings. I may not be able to sustain all his needs materially but I know I can show my love and respect for him by being there on his side at the time when he needs it the most.

Earlier this afternoon, I had a chance to have a lunch date with my Papa. It was actually one of the cheapest lunch I have ever had with him. We met at Jollibee SM North, maybe that's the most convenient place for him and for me to meet, and he wanted to eat there too. He enjoyed the 2-piece chicken joy and a glass of pineapple juice while I had my chicken spaghetti and pineapple drinks, too. We had a short chat about his life ~ what he eats, how he spends his day and his week, his laundry activities and many more. He tells the story with a smile but deep within me, I hope i won't have the kind of life he has at the moment. It is lonesome. He lives by himself most of the time. He enjoys his friends at the SM Nova Mall if his budget is enough. At times, he meets his girlfriends, which all of us ( my sisters and I ) abhor. hahaha . But now, I've come to realized that he needs those girls to keep him going and add color to his grayish life.

After an hour and a half, we separated ways. It was a very short meeting but I knew he was happy and I was happy, too.

On my way home, I have decided to regularly meet with him every Sunday. I would rather spend my money on having lunch date or even having an eat-all-you-can merienda with him rather than buying him flowers when he's 6 feet under the ground and he wouldn't know it.

It is not too late, my dear brother and sisters. What do you think? I believe that now is the time for all of us to enjoy each other's company ~ while we can still walk and appreciate life.