Birthday is life

When one becomes a nonagenarian, others would wish to equal such feat. Indeed a feat that can hardly be achieved nowadays as we experience tough physical pains as we age. We are no longer as strong and agile as before. Strenuous activities, no more. A simple bend becomes an uphill climb.

My mother Remedios “Mediong” Cabatingan Rabago has reached 90 this year. A celebration that we in the family have prepared so it would be memorable for her and her loved ones, who every year are expecting for an hour or two of nostalgic encounter.  

Year after year, we look at birthday as a happy celebration yet it has some accompanying reservations. Reservations for we have lost something. The physical strength, the agility, and the vigor that we used to have during our younger years are slowly declining. And because of this, we become cautious of some activities that we used to do. Gone are the days when we have not declined invitations for outings, parties and more.

But as we have lost the physical stamina, we also gain long lasting aspect, and that is, wisdom. Wisdom allows the continuity of the generation’s moral fiber. As it is gained through the years, wisdom sustains the good things we have started. And once shared by adults, one’s leaving is meaningful.

And when the emcee asked Mama what’s her secret to reaching that age, she just simply answered that it’s due to poverty or the lack of life’s provisions. When one has so much in life, there is the tendency of doing everything in lavish, indulging in everything beyond we basically need. For food, for instance, we indulge by eating in everything we want but in the end our bodies would complain in the form of illnesses.

For her, poverty means settling for something cheap and available. And what are these cheap and available? Vegetables, fruits and corn grains and many others that are available in our neighborhood. These foods are just taken for granted, giving way to quick and oil-rich foods.  

   Another revelation for her longevity is maintaining a strong connection with family members and relatives. Such close family tie allows a collaborative spirit to be activated whenever family problems arise. A family member cannot or will never abandon her connection even how far he or she is. Two sisters, sons-in-law, nieces and nephews in Canada have remained rooted to our origin. In this age of technology, no one can ever use distance as an excuse not to have a familial connection.

Learning from a mother is intrinsically impactful, devoid from the pretenses, motives and intentions of the external environs. Lessons such as maintaining a decent lifestyle, being grateful to the people who have helped you in one way or another, including those who have brought pains thus in the process making us stronger and resilient.

The financial assistance that comes with age is something that others are also looking forward to. And the benefits are increasingly enticing that others are becoming conscious, deliberately making sure to reach this stage in life. However, for me, this is more of a way to acknowledge what the seniors have contributed to others, and the community.

For another year--a wrinkle added, a great lesson created. A time when our past intersects with our present and future, a birthday is one momentous occasion of embracing valuable lessons from the greatest teacher of all times--life. Let’s celebrate life! [email protected]