WEEKEND REFLECTION

by Alwyn B. Cruz

I think today in 2003, I first attended my 'fellowship' at Tandang Sora. My classmate Paul (Dantes) texted me if I wanted to come over for the fellowship - wala lang daw - no agenda - just come over. I asked if I have to bring anything, he said - 'wala, basta pumunta ka lang'. Ang dami kong tanong 'sino ang mga nandun at anung gagawin?', he said - 'familiar faces, Fr. Nonong will be there'. Ah ok - at least I know Fr. Nonong. 'Eh anong fellowship ito...prayer meeting?! Paul baka mamaya i-pray over ako dun at gawin nila akong lalake...ayaw ko!'. 'Gaga' was the immediate text reply of Paul. 'Basta go ka - I'll see you there at 6pm, provincial house, there's a gazebo before you enter, ayun ang venue.'


And so I did. When I got to the place - nakita ko si Kiko (Ocampo) - na nagtataga ng what seems to be a 'liempo' (I was telling myself 'siya ba yung cook?'). Obviously, hindi ko kilala si Kiko kasi very senior siya sa akin. 'Pare tuloy ka!' was his opening line. Aru diyos ko! I can't recall the last time I was called 'pare' (so huminga ako ng malalim and with my naturally low voice) 'Hi pare I'm Alwyn, classmate ako ni Paul' (isusumpa ako ng federasyon I swear with my reply!). And the usual conversation went on, what do I do, where I live, which batch etc. etc. etc. Tapos dahan dahan nang dumadating ang mga peeps. Si Atty. Galvez, Fr. Nonong, may isa pang gurangga hindi ko na maalala kung sino then Paul arrived. Later on I think Vernon and Jeff ata dumating din.

We started to eat and walang katapusan kwentuhan - and most of the topic ay tungkol sa buhay namin sa seminaryo. Kahit hindi kami ang mga batch na magkakasama noon parang instant glue ang usapang buhay seminaryo. It leveled everything - hindi ko na naramdamang matatanda sila Kiko, Fr. Nonong & Atty. Galvez. Masaya. May bonding agad. And for a moment it felt like... 'home'.

Then Fr. Nonong invited all of us to proceed to the chapel sa Provincial House for the mass.

After the reading of the gospel Fr. Nonong asked me if I can share something (super flashback ang feeling ko of the seminary days when he asked me this, I can't even recall kailan ako huling nag share!). And I obliged - I shared my hesitation of coming over sa 'fellowship' kasi nga clueless ako of what's going to happen and I said I am just glad I that I did attend - it was refreshing to see people, who in my past life shared the same experiences sa seminary.

Natapos na ang misa.

So there we were ulet sa gazebo chatting away. It was such a fun first 'fellowship' . Little did I know that that one evening would change the course of my life.

Since then I with Paul, have been attending the 'fellowship' - and the circle grew slowly fellowship after fellowship, and through this fellowship I got to meet many wonderful people na minsan naging bahagi ng buhay ko that I now consider my family - at diyan na nabuo na ang ACM.

Now, 6 years after that fateful first ‘fellowship’, nandito ako sa place ko, typing this email. Being alone here somehow gives me the chance of being very clear of mind, of appreciating the beginnings of lifelong friendships I now enjoy. Thanks to all of you for being a source of love and support. I remember numerous times when life was made better for me because of you guys.

So to all of you, (to end my 'Weekend Reflection') I dedicate the following song, especially these lines: (from the song For Good, Wicked the musical)

I’ve heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true

But I know I’m who I am today

Because I knew you¦

To more years of togetherness, to lifelong friendships CHEERS! ENJOY THE WEEKEND!