The Phenomenal Women in My Life

A few months from now, I will be breaching the fourth decade of my blessed – at times tumultuous – life. There are so many people, events and memories that made my journey worth traveling. And many of them have been given by the phenomenal women in my life…

My mother – Teacher Puring – the only mother I will ever have in my lifetime… my confidante… my “bestest” of best friends… my shopping partner… propagator of my faith… my perfect model of what a mother should be.

My grandmothers – Inang Ebiang and Inang Narda – who were doting and protective second mommies to me and my brothers when Teacher was busy helping my Daddy work for our family’s sustenance.

My cousin-friends – Mae, Raquel, Yayit, Dhine, Pinky, Lalaine, and Olive (bless her soul in heaven) – who have been my true-blooded sisters through and through.

My grade school best friend – Janet Sanchez (now German)– who shared the bittersweet joys and pains of childhood love and admirations.

My high school friends – Lele (high school best friend), Milmar, Espie, Carla, Fortune, Mavic, and Marie – (we named our barkada “Crazy 8” because we were all wacky and happy girls way back then). They made my high school days the most memorable episode of my life as a Paulinian student.

My college friends – Marietta, Ionice, Agnes, Jane and Gail – (we humored ourselves as “Gorillas in the Mist”, a take-off from the popular movie of Sigourney Weaver way back our College days in UST). They taught me priceless lessons on having fun, responsibility, patience, endurance, “time management” (yes Mayet, that and you know what I mean…), and maturity. Special mention also goes to Ethoinx, my soul sister who will always be that way to me forever…

My girl friends from Bulacan – Vhes, Rina, Joan, and Tita Delia – who were also my choir mates, gang mates, laughing and crying mates…

My true girl friends in the work place – PRIME days with bestwayne Elay, Mareng Lea, Mareng Illie Pie, Mamu Thelma, and the love of my life Imee… Marketing days with my one and only Sunshine Me-Anne, Ingrid, Lorena, and my forever sister, Lj. They are the reasons why I broke my vow to retire from the company after a decade of stress, have fun at work and still love and be passionate about what I do.

These extraordinary women shared bits and pieces of their precious life with me… helped me come full circle… be the woman I am today.

To these phenomenal women, I share a beautiful poem by Maya Angelou…

Phenomenal Woman


Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Memories In My Treasure Box

“Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.” ~ The Wonder Years

What we remember from childhood we remember - forever.

My memories of childhood are all about being family… doing things together… going places together… playing together… messing up together… learning together… laughing and crying together… always together…

My fondest childhood memories and the lessons I learned from these are countless… for how can I ever forget:

…Tatang Domeng’s daily afternoon snack treats of “lugaw”, pandesal with peanut butter and other delicious munchies, to his more than 15 grandchildren all at the same time… (lesson: eating can be fun when food is equally shared.)

…Endless plays of jolens, “tumbang preso”, “luksong tinik”, and Chinese garter with my cousins and other playmates under the scorching heat of the sun… (lesson: the best games are those that make you sweat.)

…Tree climbing adventures (lesson: I had fear of heights when I was a kid. I learned the best way to conquer your fear is to do the things that scare you the most. The harder you fall, the more you are able to rise above your fears.)

…Trips to Antipolo every month of May to hear mass and thereafter have a sumptuous lunch at Hinulugang Taktak … (lesson: Family traditions should be anchored on faith. And the classic lesson there is a family that prays together, stays together. Family time is always quality time.)

…Summer vacations with the De Guzman and Delos Santos clans in different faraway places- Pogpog in Angat River, Hot Springs of Laguna, the cool waters of Mount Makiling, the summer capital city of Baguio… (lesson: Explore, explore and explore. Go places, experience a different world.)

…Compulsory afternoon siestas beside Inang Ebiang or else… (lesson: early on I was trained for power naps and yes they are beneficial… they make you more alert, help take out stress, and reenergize your body.)

…Unexpected visits of my Inang Ebiang to Sister Marina (Principal of the Elementary Department of St. Paul’s College of Bocaue) to complain about my Kindergarten teacher who gives confusing instructions to her students.(lesson: fight for what is right. In other words: “kapag may katwiran ipaglaban mo!”)

I can go on and on with the millions of beautiful childhood memories in my treasure box. And now that I have my own son to raise, I hope and pray he will collect the same happy memories I did when I was growing up.

Who I am now, what I have become as a person, are all because of the priceless lessons my childhood adventures and misadventures taught me. Growing up was fun and I will always treasure that in my heart.