Fridays

Growing up, I spent most of my weekends traveling to Manila with my Mama and my little brother, about an hour drive from where we lived San Francisco Homes Bulacan. It was only really the 3 of us my Mama, Allan and me, that’s not entirely true, we also had living with us Lolo & Lola at home. My dad was an overseas worker in Kuwait and we’d only see him once every two years. We’d be with him through the letters we send every week; through the voice tapes we send every month and the greeting cards we send every year. That void of only having one parent to bring you up was filled by my Fridays.


Fridays as a child would be like Christmas. “Ma 2 more days”, “Lola tomorrow comes Friday”. That was I counting the days till my Christmas. Friday meant staying over my cousin’s place. Friday meant I get to play patintero, tumbang presso, bahay cubo, chasey, barbie dolls, kick ball, scrabble, hide n seek, singing, and our most favorite past time, climbing the aratelis tree in the backyard! Friday only meant one exciting thing FUN FUN FUN!!! Friday’s meant learning to appreciate the most special feeling second to being in love, the love from a family. My cousins and I shared everything growing up, our innocence, our dreams, aspirations, and our love for life. . It was one for all and all for one. Every Friday meant something magical.


You could imagine how devastating it was for me when we migrated here in Australia. It meant no more Fridays!! I managed my loneliness by writing my cousins letters everyday, and I mean everyday for as long as I can remember including weekends until the habit finally outgrew me. Up till now that we have all grown up and others have already had their own families, we are closer than ever. We are there for each other in times of needs, desperation, in times of joy and times of success. My cousins, my whole extended family means the world to me then and now and for this joy we are forever indebted to our precious Lola for having brought us up with so much love and care for one another. Most of all thank you Father God for having blessed me with many special Fridays that I hold very dear to my heart.