Anna Fegi-Brown
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Quotes that Keep Me Going
“Life keeps throwing me curve balls and I don't even own a bat. At least my dodging skills are improving.” ― Jayleigh Cape
I have talked and shared so many things about my past. All of my journeys, celebrations, shows, even my dramas and struggles. And with my life's journey I have learned that in trials, it is best to always consider yourself a survivor, never a victim in all tests in life. There are many people out there who are struggling way more than our own tribulations. I realize we all are swimming in the same body of water trying to just keep our head above it. And I have learned that when we get tired and beaten up and stressed out, instead of holding onto others to survive which will at some point create a struggle to those people around you, it is best to relax, float, admire the great blue skies and just take it easy. When finding the right balance, try to look at everyone around you. Let go and be grateful that our head is still above water. Help others to do the same. Imagine everyone floating, holding hands, relaxing as the current pushes us all ashore. Many will survive. Sometimes, all we need is someone to hold our hand, make us feel they are there for us. And when we do, we only choose to keep going with all lessons learned.
Moving forward.
I am a performer at heart. But at a very young age, many times I used my younger sister Jing and my younger brothers, Karl and Mike, as my students as I acted as their teacher when we were living in Lutopan. We had this blackboard on our front screen door. I pretended to speak English and tried to teach them random things. I remember my brothers would get really frustrated for they both wanted to play outside with the other boys in the neighborhood. Point is, teaching was also a passion of mine. Mama always tells us all that what we all have is not ours to keep but should be shared. "What we are is God's gift to us, what we become is our gift to Him". Mama is always right.
I feel blessed with all that I have and all that I have done in my life. I have explored the world by performing and working with so many passionate musicians and performers around the world. You have the choice to take this as bragging, or it is something that I want to share. For me, I am craving to share everything that I have learned to those who are aspiring to excel in Music. I am not saying I am awesomely successful. What I am saying is that I have been in that position of experiencing Music and it took me around the world and I met and worked with amazing people. And I am only here to share. I teach and I am also a student in life.
I can't please everyone. I have learned that while many people would admire my intentions, others will choose to hate, judge and misunderstand. Lesson: I can't please everyone. Gosh, I think everybody knows that, but it seems like everyone is having a hard time remembering it. So to those who choose the negative side, thank you for taking time reading this blog even up to this paragraph. Don't be hatin'. Just keep sharing what you have. Enjoy life, be grateful and there is nothing wrong when we acknowledge our weaknesses and admiration toward other people's strength and learn from them. At the end of the day, the important thing is we know ourselves and we are happy with what we have become. I always believe that if we choose to judge others wrongly, what we say normally is what we are. So I choose to be careful and mind my own faults and learn from others as well.
As I continue my life's journey, I still have the same passion, the same dream. MUSIC, performing, and teaching are 3 great things I will forever do. I have a wonderful husband who supports me. And we share the exact same dream. We will continue life doing it. It is our purpose. And everything we have is God's gift to us. It is not ours to keep. We only have tomorrow to look forward to.
"Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength."
Sunday, September 8, 2013
"Nais Kong Maging Kasapi ng Katipunan!" - Oryang
I can’t believe it’s been a month since my last update. I apologize, but I do have a very good reason!
In my last post I mentioned that I was rehearsing for a new, original musical titled, “Katipunan: Mga Anak ng Bayan” being produced by Gantimpala Theater Foundation. Well, rehearsals have finished and we have already started touring. This year is the 150th anniversary of the birth of hero Andres Bonifacio, so it is quite fitting for the debut of this show. The show is directed by Joel Lamangan and Jun Pablo. And I feel so grateful and thankful for working with them for the first time.
This is my first time to be involved with an original musical. This makes for a very different experience than the other shows I have done here in Manila. There is no original cast recording you can buy to study the songs. We are the original cast for this musical! Although “Katipunan” (written by Bonifacio Ilagan) was performed and produced by Gantipala 36 years ago, it was not a musical then. When Direk Joel and Direk Jun mentioned that they were part of the original straight play as actors in 1977 (the year I was born!!), I knew they already had a clear vision for this musical version, aside of course from their very long, successful credentials as directors. It’s so exciting to be a part of this living thing that can change from rehearsal to rehearsal. With that comes some added pressure as we would sometimes get a song at the beginning of rehearsal, can listen 2 or 3 times, and then go immediately into blocking on the stage. Keeping everyone on their toes is good professional experience though and I am always up for a challenge.
On a lighter note, the part of the show that always gets great feedback is the love story between Andres and Gregoria. The nervousness as Andres courts Gregoria, the wedding, and even fighting side-by-side. As our audiences are primarily students, they enjoy the love story and it reaches the peak with the big kiss on stage! I am so grateful to share the stage with such a talented, young actor, Sandino Martin, who plays the role of Andres Bonifacio. At our first rehearsal I thought I would look more like his mother than his wife! He is a great sport with the love scenes and is always asking me if my husband is OK with it. And a favorite part of mine is when Gregoria falls in love; there is such a great melody (written by composer and actor RJ Jimenez) in the song “Puso Ko’y Lumilipad.”
The music perfectly matches the
light-hearted mood as I get to float
across the stage in love.
Our tour has been fun but also challenging. Because there is travel to new venues in the province, sometimes our call time to travel on the bus is at 3am. And our first show is usually at 9am, so our call time is 5:30am with a sound check at 7am!!!! That part definitely takes a toll on the body and voice. Singing and belting at 9am! But we get to perform for great audiences of students who have really enjoyed the show. The show is very intense and physical throughout so by the time we are finished we are dripping with sweat and I feel like I just finished doing an Insanity workout ten times. The benefit is that I think most of us lost weight, but we always find ourselves hungry from working so hard. One thing we found as a cast is that we really enjoy peanut butter, from the times we started rehearsing, then touring. I definitely always make sure to pack those for snacks- good source of protein.
I am so honored to have been able to be a part of this production with Gantimpala Theater Foundation. I would personally like to thank Direk Joel Lamangan, Sir Jun Pablo, Cicey (stage/production manager, cast manager, and so much more), and my fellow cast and the hardworking production staff. And also thank you to the students and teachers from the schools in Dagupan, Tarlac, and Pampanga who came to watch the show. I made several new friends and this project definitely came along at just the right time for me. Thank you all for the journey, you all don’t even know that you are saving me from insanity! I can’t explain further but I can surely say that MUSIC and performing have always saved me from getting lost in all life’s challenges. God is constantly great! He orchestrates everything so perfectly! So I must say, thank you to the many blessings, and even the challenges, in life!
In my last post I mentioned that I was rehearsing for a new, original musical titled, “Katipunan: Mga Anak ng Bayan” being produced by Gantimpala Theater Foundation. Well, rehearsals have finished and we have already started touring. This year is the 150th anniversary of the birth of hero Andres Bonifacio, so it is quite fitting for the debut of this show. The show is directed by Joel Lamangan and Jun Pablo. And I feel so grateful and thankful for working with them for the first time.
This is my first time to be involved with an original musical. This makes for a very different experience than the other shows I have done here in Manila. There is no original cast recording you can buy to study the songs. We are the original cast for this musical! Although “Katipunan” (written by Bonifacio Ilagan) was performed and produced by Gantipala 36 years ago, it was not a musical then. When Direk Joel and Direk Jun mentioned that they were part of the original straight play as actors in 1977 (the year I was born!!), I knew they already had a clear vision for this musical version, aside of course from their very long, successful credentials as directors. It’s so exciting to be a part of this living thing that can change from rehearsal to rehearsal. With that comes some added pressure as we would sometimes get a song at the beginning of rehearsal, can listen 2 or 3 times, and then go immediately into blocking on the stage. Keeping everyone on their toes is good professional experience though and I am always up for a challenge.
Upper left: opening scene; Upper right: Bows at the end of the show Lower left: Full cast number; Lower right: Andres courting Oryang |
On a lighter note, the part of the show that always gets great feedback is the love story between Andres and Gregoria. The nervousness as Andres courts Gregoria, the wedding, and even fighting side-by-side. As our audiences are primarily students, they enjoy the love story and it reaches the peak with the big kiss on stage! I am so grateful to share the stage with such a talented, young actor, Sandino Martin, who plays the role of Andres Bonifacio. At our first rehearsal I thought I would look more like his mother than his wife! He is a great sport with the love scenes and is always asking me if my husband is OK with it. And a favorite part of mine is when Gregoria falls in love; there is such a great melody (written by composer and actor RJ Jimenez) in the song “Puso Ko’y Lumilipad.”
The music perfectly matches the
light-hearted mood as I get to float
across the stage in love.
Poster for Katipunan Mga Anak ng Bayan |
Various shots of the cast during our rehearsals. We became one big, happy family. Sugod mga kapatid! |
Thank you Sandino for this artwork, honored to play Gregoria de Jesus (Oryang) |
Friday, August 9, 2013
Coming Back to Manila
I have to start by apologizing that I am long overdue to
write, but I have a good reason.
Since my last post, I have moved to Manila and started rehearsals for a
new project. I am working with
Gantimpala Theater in Manila on an original musical titled, “Katipunan” which is
the story of Andres Bonifacio. The
show is being directed by the legendary Direk Joel Lamangan. I was cast as Gregoria de Jesus
(Oriang), the wife of Bonifacio.
The role is about a strong, rebellious woman who stood up with her
husband for what they believe in.
I feel like I can relate a little!
During a rehearsal break |
I will start by saying that every project has its ups and
downs. The major up with this
project is getting to work with Direk Joel and learning from him. This show is also an original show, so
it’s exciting to be a part of something new and being with that process. But the downside is that it’s an
original show and the creative process can sometimes be quite a long and
winding road with a few detours along the way. But all in all I am learning a lot and excited and honored
to be a part of it.
Rehearsals are always interesting with Direk Joel. He definitely is very strict and disciplined
as a director. Some might take it
the wrong way, but for me it pushes me beyond my comfort zone in a good way. The process is different than any of my
previous theater experience, but in this I feel like I am more a part of the
creative process. Direk Joel
creates a perfect picture in his mind, he dictates, we make it happen.. I am
excited to memorize every experience, savor it so I can share this in the
future. There is just so much to learn and so much to share.
The show will be playing later this month and throughout
September as a part of a tour around the provinces of Manila. It’s no surprise as the show is about
Andres Bonifacio and will be playing during the celebration of the 150th
anniversary of his birth.
One of the best things in this new journey is that Adam and
I get to stay in Eastwood. Thanks to Kakki. I love that everything is only a 5
minute walk away: coffee, shopping, restaurants, laundry, and even church! The downside though, is that the
rehearsals are located in Luneta at Rizal Park. The drive to the rehearsal
venue is long. My car is still in
Cebu so I am taking a taxi to and from rehearsal. Some nights it’s a struggle just to get a taxi driver to
take me back to where I am staying, others demand a surcharge, and then others
demand a large tip. This makes me miss Cebu. If the fare is 195, in Cebu you
get 5 pesos change, in Manila you give 250, the cab driver still gets mad. But
recently I have been sharing the cab with Sandino Martin- the Andres Bonifacio!
So all is good.
Having fun during lunch |
I wasn’t really looking forward to being long distance from
my husband. We are approaching our
one year wedding anniversary (August 21) and didn’t want to be away from each
other. When we were dating, we had
to spend almost a year in long distance, so going through it again is not
something we look forward to. But
last week he was able to fly here.
He has to go back to Cebu at the end of this week but will come back
again soon.
The reason he has to go back to Cebu is to pick up our new puppy. We now have a 2 month old American Akita puppy named August. We are already looking at bringing August to Manila while I am here. I’m sure I will flood you all with photos very soon!
Another positive is that I am in Manila, which is a better
location and access for work. I
enjoy being based in Cebu because that has always been home for me no matter where
in the world I am working. But
Cebu has its limitations as a singer and performer. Most of the time I would fly to Manila for work or appearances
so this is making that part a lot easier.
And it allows me to see events that I otherwise wouldn’t see.
Gary V during his show at Teatrino |
Genesis Family (with Jungee Marcelo and Martin Nievera) |
With Tito Ryan Cayabyab |
Tonight was another great event, the Philpop 2013 mall
tour. Since we are staying in
Eastwood, the concert was literally a 5 minute walk away. My husband and I enjoyed dinner outside
and listened to some of the finalists.
I got to see Tito Ryan Cayabyab again after the show. The last time I saw him was when I was
on the screening panel for Philpop a few months ago. And this was the first time my husband got to meet Tito
Ryan. It was also great to see
Quest there!
Now this next week is the big push to get the show ready
to open. It’s that pressure that every theater company knows. I think as performers, we are
perfectionists and always want “one more rehearsal” to fix this or fix that.
The reality of a performer is that the product is never truly done, it can
always be better. But no matter
what, I think we all will feel a little more comfortable having our first show
done and then then we can enjoy performing this new show for the next 2 months.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Music is the Window to the Soul
Noel, me, and Adam: the 3 judges for the competition in 2012. |
“Music is the window to the soul.” This is an often-used quote I hear when people are trying to
say how important music is to them.
But there is an event that I have been fortunate to be a part of that
clearly shows how true this is. Last
week my husband and I had the chance to serve as judges for the annual Mandaue
Persons with Disabilities (PWD) Talent Show. This was the second year for us and both times have left us
feeling inspired and wanting to do more with music in the community. Thank you so much to Noel Seno (a
schoolmate of mine from USJ-R, a colleague of the Dramatics guild, and now
counselor of Talamban) and his sister for inviting us to judge. It really has become one of my favorite
events of the year. Kuya Noel has
always been promoting music and dance events in the city as well as many other
community events and awareness seminars.
He is always concerned with the youth of our city and want to give them
positive venues for them.
The inspiring young couple. She is holding his lunch as he plays |
Last year, Adam and I were a month from our wedding day and
stressed out with getting everything done. Every day was full of errands and meetings. Judging the talent show was exactly
what we needed. Aside from the
music, we witnessed a young teenage couple who were both blind. The boyfriend played piano for nearly
every singing contestant. He would
plunk a few notes to find the right key and then accompany the contestants with
amazing accuracy. A special moment
was when he got to accompany his girlfriend, as she was one of the
contestants. She was amazing and
went on to win the competition (even beating the boyfriend’s brother!). The whole day we watched as they
supported each other, the girl even held her boyfriend’s lunch as he has to
play for an unscheduled contestant.
The whole time they were smiling and you could see true love. Definitely inspiring to us as we were about
to be married.
They taught me how to clap in sign language! |
There is something special about watching a person with
disabilities sing. It is a pure
and natural expression. Music has
a way of transcending life’s problems.
There is no pretense, no underlying motive; it is about the performer and
the music. There were some
contestants who were not able to hold a conversation, but their face lit up
while singing and they memorized the entire song. My heart was touched watching all of the contestants cheer
for each other. When the winners
were announced, there was no crying, no pouting, no complaining. It was all smiles and congratulations
to all the winners. In my mind
they were all winners!
I couldn’t help but compare this competition with many of
the others I have attended. In the
usual singing competitions, the contestants who don’t win complain about the
results and give a fake smile to the winner. At this competition, you could hardly tell the winner apart
from the rest as they were all happy to compete and proud of their accomplishments,
winners or not.
No matter disability of not, people express what’s in their
heart through music. The lyrics
are what’s in your heart and the melody draws our attention and makes us want
to listen closer. A good song
tells a story and a good singer brings that story to life. The disconnect between the lyrics and
the performance are usually what makes the difference between a good singer and
a great singer.
One lesson I learned is that life is what you make of
it. You have the choice everyday
to wake up and realize your blessings or you can also choose to look at everything
in life that you don’t have. I was
so amazed at this event both years, I see nothing but smiles from the
contestants, the family and friends, and the organizers. I learned it is physically impossible
not to smile along. They are so
happy and content with their lives, I have no reason to not be the same!
At this year's competition held at J Centre Mall in Mandaue |
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Where Words Fail, Music Speaks
This post is actually something of a request. Even though we’ve only been married for
10 months, my husband and I have been through a lot together. We have faced life-threatening
disasters, business issues, and more.
I know that in the end all of the challenges make us stronger. You can never really know how strong
you are until you've been stretched and tested. One thing we’ve learned is that no matter what situation we
are put in, we have used music to bring people together and create peace and
unity. When we might be used and
abused and taken advantage of, the more we rely on music.
In March 2012, my husband (we were engaged at the time),
Adam, and I were working onboard the Azamara Quest, a luxury cruise ship. Adam was the drummer in the ship’s orchestra,
and I was a featured singer in the production shows in the ship’s theater. It led to great opportunities to travel
the world together. But even
onboard a world-class luxury ship, problems can arise.
The cruise started in Hong Kong, which was the last time we
were to visit during our contract.
We were able to have lunch one last time with my brother Reymond, his
wife Aissa, and their daughter Reese.
It was an exciting cruise because we were going to be docked in Manila
for two days. As with most cruise
ships around the world, a majority of the crew was from the Philippines. Seamen are gone from home for months at
a time and the families only get a small glimpse into their loved one’s world
through pictures. This was a
chance for family and friends to see the ship in person and even sign up to go
onboard while the guests were off exploring the city. My 2 bestfriends, Adrian and Jenny, and my sister Ate Maye
flew from Cebu to see us. It was Adam’s
first time to visit the Philippines, even if for only 48 hours.
To make a long story short (ok, maybe just shorter), the day
after we left Manila we were headed to Sandakan, a city on the Malaysian side
of the island of Borneo. But as we
were at sea, a fire broke out in the engine room. After performing a show that evening, we were relaxing when
the emergency alarms were sounded.
We decided to head downstairs and already began to see this was
potentially a huge problem. Each
step down the stairs led to a stronger small of smoke and we could see people
being helped up the stairs to safety.
Shortly after the general alarm was sounded and everybody
onboard the ship was ordered to go to their emergency stations. This was like a scene from the movie
Titanic. My husband’s station was
in the front of the ship and mine was in the back. We had just spent nearly a year in long distance as we
worked on different ships and I couldn’t hold back the tears as we had to leave
each other. But he assured me that
everything would be ok and he would find me no matter what. Like I said, it was like a scene from a
movie!
My husband and me after a show during easier times |
We did our jobs of making sure guests were accounted for and
kept them as calm as possible.
While we go to the stations at least twice a week for drills, this was
the first time in a real emergency situation. My station was too close to the fire so we were moved to the
middle of the ship. I have to say
I am very proud of my fellow crewmembers as we handled the situation. The Captain continued to make
announcements, he remained as calm as possible and was in control from the
bridge. His first announcement was
honest, but did little to calm us, it was that there was a fire in the engine
room and it had not yet been contained.
A fire is one of the scariest things onboard a ship. There is not outside fire department to
call to help you put it out, you have to rely with what is onboard. Luckily an announcement came the fire
was put out and cheers could be heard throughout the ship. But our problems were far from over as
the fire destroyed a lot of equipment in the engine room and we were without
power. A brownout is hard enough
to deal with on land, but imagine on a ship. No power means no lights, no water, no air con (this was
March just south of Mindanao), and worst of all no engines to make the ship
move. We were stranded.
The waiting began and guests were given water and soft
drinks. I had an idea of how I
could check in with my husband. I
got a garbage bag and started collecting trash. As I finished with my station, I quickly went to my husband’s
station. I was never so happy to
see his face. This continued for a
couple of hours when the guests were released to go back to the cabins. Unfortunately for the crew, our cabins
are located on the lower decks and the air was not safe enough. We were allowed a few minutes to gather
some things and then we spent the night on the floor of the theater. It was hot and uncomfortable but at
that moment we were happy to be alive.
My husband's sunburned legs |
The next day was the first time in my life that I saw human
beings go into true survival mode.
We didn’t know how much food there was or when we would be given our
next meal. Food was rationed and
when my husband questioned somebody for taking 3 sandwiches, they almost
started a fight with him. We spent
most of the day on the open deck because it was so hot inside. Although we stayed in the shade, my
husband got a 2nd degree sunburn from the reflection off the
water. Too put it simply, life was
becoming miserable and anger was starting to flare up. And it wasn’t our fault, but our
department, the entertainment department, didn’t have work. You can imagine the dirty looks we got
from crewmembers who were working 16-18 hours a day under difficult
circumstances. With no power meant
that the theater was not available.
Fast forward and after 24-48 hours they were able to get one
engine working so we could finally start moving, but still no air con and no
theater. We finally made it to
Sandakan for the most important repairs and then we would head to Singapore for
2 weeks of more repairs. As we
docked and before guests were off the ship, we did a show for the guests on the
pool deck. As much as we could, we
tried to lift the spirits of the guests and help them take their minds off of
what had happened. This would give
me an idea for later.
Things continued, the entertainment department still
couldn’t work and other departments were being stretched beyond comfort. But on our part, there wasn’t much we
could do. I don’t think they would
want me to try and fix the engines.
Once in Sandakan, they were able to fix the engines enough to restore
the air con. But tensions were
still high. We could hear the
comments and see the glares as we went through the food line. I decided that we had to do something.
Our production cast of 8 singers and dancers from 6 different countries: Philippines, USA, Canada, UK, Brazil, and Ukraine |
I asked our cruise director if it would be possible to do
another concert on the pool deck.
We no longer had guests onboard, but I thought it might help the
atmosphere if we did a show for the crewmembers. Maybe we could show them how much we appreciate their
efforts through music. He agreed
and thought it would be a great idea.
My husband was my musical director and we quickly put together a show and started asking other musicians and singers if they would perform
along with us. Most immediately
agreed and gave 100%, some even going beyond and offering to add extra to the
show. But not all were as
enthusiastic. Some flat out said
no, because they didn’t feel that they should have to perform if there were no
guests on the ship. Others said
they would play, but it was obvious that they weren’t very happy about it.
Within the crewmembers there is usually something around 60
different nationalities. It is
like a mini, floating United Nations.
Even on a good day there can sometimes be cultural differences, but this
was different with a fire, no power, long hours, and bad working
conditions. But that night it
didn’t matter; music once again brought everyone together. The show was a huge success! We received a personal thank you from the Hotel Director and the Staff Captain. I was so proud of what we were able to
accomplish, especially given the circumstances. After the show, the people who refused to participate said
they wished they had perform. They
saw what we were able to do on that stage. One musician who had to be talked into participating said he
was so happy he did, he felt good about making a difference in the morale of
the ship.
That 90-minute show was a turning point for the crew. We no longer got the glares in the food
line; we never heard another comment made behind our backs. We still didn’t have 18 hour shifts in
smoke-stained conditions, but at least our fellow crewmembers knew we cared
about them and we supported them.
Music brought us together in a way that nothing else could. And the timing couldn’t have been
better, since we still had 4 weeks of hard work left to get the ship back and
ready for guests.
I know that we are not done facing challenges in our
lives. Life is full of ups and
downs, and it is in those down times that you can grow so much and learn what
you are really made of. When I was
thinking of a title for this post I found a quote I knew I had to use. The author Hans Christian Anderson
said, “Where words fail, music speaks” and I have always found that to be
true. Whenever my husband and I
face challenges we know that it will be faith in God and music that will keep
us strong and give us everything we need.
The crew of the Azamara Quest, taken 3 months before the fire |
Sunday, June 30, 2013
My Advocacy, My Calling, My Purpose
Advocacy. Honestly
the first time I heard that word was just a couple months ago and I even had to
ask my husband exactly what it meant.
It was one of those words I heard about important people and important
organizations, but not about normal people like me. But over the last few months I’ve been learning more about
what advocacy really means.
This post is really inspired by a friend and member of my
support system, Tita Mary Anne Alcordo-Solomon. Tita Mary Anne is known as an advocate in Cebu and beyond
for cancer awareness, cancer survivors, and also children and children with
disabilities. She was the first
person to ever ask me what is my advocacy and I’m so glad she did.
Technically speaking, advocacy is defined in the dictionary
as “support for, backing of, promotion of, championing of; argument for, push
for.” To me it means, believe in a
cause that is bigger than yourself.
"I Am Woman" Exhibit at Ayala Center Cebu, March 2013 |
After reflection, I realized I had been an advocate for a
very long time, I just didn’t know there was a label. Since I was young, music has always been something I have
taken with me no matter where I am in the world. More recently that has expanded to music and youth education. Looking back, this was put in my system
as a little girl growing up in Lutopan.
Both of my parents worked in the school, ASMS, and my Mama was the
catechist and Christian Living teacher.
Music has always been common bond in my family.
Something I have learned by Tita Mary Anne is that everyone
can be an advocate. It doesn’t
matter how much money is in your bank account, what kind of job you have, or
your position or power in society.
What matters is that you find something that you believe in and support.
Becoming an advocate for something is an important stage in
life. It is a sign of maturity and
realizing your place in this world.
As human beings, we can choose to be selfish and make as much money as
we can. We can set our goals to
buy a bigger house, a fancier car, or nicer clothes. But is that really the point of life?
I recently read an article online written by a nurse for
terminal patients. The nurse only
worked with people who were in the final stages of life. The number one regret from those
patients was that they wished they wouldn’t have spent so much time at work and
trying to make more money. It’s
understandable; most people spend more time awake at the office than at home so
it’s only natural to focus on work goals.
But in the end is that what really matters? In the end money means nothing. Awards and material possessions will stay here the moment
our Earthly bodies fail us. Even
if we selfishly stuffed our coffin full of our most prized possessions, it
would make no difference in the end.
I have always believed that relationships and causes are the most
important things in life.
After performing for ICanServe Cebu Advocacy Group |
My advice to everyone reading this is to find your own advocacy. Find something in your life that means
enough to you that you want to support it. It can be anything!
It can be your religious beliefs, an awareness or support organization,
or even a sport or hobby. But find
something that is bigger than yourself and spend time there. Start with something you enjoy and you
never know where it might lead you.
It’s a great way to meet like-minded people who can become lifelong
friends.
If you are scared, then you can start small. Volunteer a few hours just to see if
that is your advocacy. Trust me,
you will never regret it. Even if
people don’t understand you at first, keep at it. In these busy times, it may seem tough at first, but when
you really start giving, it’s funny how insignificant some things in life can
become. Do you really need to
spend so much time online or watching TV.
Cut out an hour or two a week and just try it out. Involve your family; there is no better
way to bond as a family than volunteer together.
Next Saturday evening, July 6, I have the honor of
performing for the Rotary Club of Cebu Fuente. According to the website of Rotary International, the group’s
motto is “Service Above Self.” I
was invited by Tita Mary Anne and there is no way I could say no. This group inspires me every time I
perform for them. It is a room
full of advocates who see this world as people who are connected together. We need to support each other, love
each other, and sometimes give a voice to those who cannot speak up on their
own.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
The Family that Prays Together Stays Together
Family. The
word means something different to everyone. For some people it’s merely a word, meaning a group of related
people. To some that word brings a
sense of pride, for some a sense of responsibility, for others it means
support, and maybe others it means pure love. That one word can fill a person with hope, joy, peace, and
love yet for someone else it can bring up feelings of hurt, pain, regret, and
obligation.
Too often in our lives, we put our family in that left over
space, after work, friends, church, errands, and nearly everything else in our
lives. For some, family means
holidays and having to spend time with people they can barely tolerate. I’m extremely blessed that my family is always
there for each other and supports each other. My best description of us would be perfectly imperfect. I wish I got to spend more time with
everyone, but distance usually keeps that from happening. The last time we were complete was
during my wedding last August.
While my siblings and I enjoy spending time together, I think what we
enjoy the most is seeing our parents’ faces when we are complete.
Mama and Papa celebrating their 43rd wedding anniversary |
Triple celebration: Mama's 70th birthday, Mama and Papa's 43rd anniversary, and Fathers Day |
The Fegi Clan (missing Reymond): (L to R): Karl, papa, Maye, Me, Mama, Jing, Roelan, and Mike (photo from Jing Zoleta) |
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