Last Monday I published the video on Chapter 6 of The Retelling of The Richest Man in Babylon as read by ANC On The Money’s Resident Financial Adviser Salve Duplito to her sons Bamboo and Bloo. (Click Chapter 6)
I also had the chance to meet her mother and have a chat with Salve and her sons after the reading session.
Last year I had a really long interview with Salve over coffee that extended up to dinner where she generously shared with me her wonderful and inspiring life story. I wrote about it in this column. This could probably be one of the articles that elicited the most number of reactions from my readers. I still get messages about it until now. In fact, even Salve still does. It’s really a story worthy of an episode in Maalaala Mo Kaya, paging Ate Charo. Here’s the link: Salve Duplito: (Life Stories of Financial Literacy Advocates Series Part 1)
This year Salve and I both celebrated our milestone birthdays. She was the female co-host of my sons during my FQ Mom Grateful @ 50 celebration. I will forever remember how touched I was with her message after my “iyak-tawa talk” about turning 50, “Rose In your speech you made us laugh at certain moments, and you also made us cry, and it’s so amazing to see you laugh and cry at the same time. And now I can really say this and say it in public, which I’ve felt for a long time, ‘When I grow up I want to be Rose!’”
That was really an “Awww moment” for me. Of course we made fun of the possibility of her still “growing up,” but really, those words are precious to me. Thank you Salve.
When it was her turn to celebrate her “LifeBegins” (40th) birthday last month, I asked her what her theme was and she replied, “No theme, I can’t think of any, just come and enjoy the conversation and food.” So I probed deeper and asked her what her favorite things in life are and what her current dreams and aspirations are.
I’m a big believer in marking milestones and I guess I asked her those questions not so much for the party’s sake but maybe because I wanted to find out her heart’s yearnings at this milestone point in her life.
I wish to share her answer in the hope of inspiring other “Life-Beginners” out there. I don’t think she would mind because she also shared these things to the public on Facebook and during the party:
“Wala akong masyadong minimithi. I’m just happy with what I have – a simple life – one lived abundantly in terms of family, friends, career. I am happy with the richness and depth of friendships, of how things happen marvelously without planning (it seems), of intellectual growth and challenges, of evolution. I long to start an earnest personal finance mixed with development work, yong pang super masa talaga!”
To that I said, “So your theme should be ‘Salve Still Growing @40!’” (pun intended) She loved it, and made fun of it saying that she knows that any vertical growth was already impossible, and just hopes that it would not happen horizontally but internally.
Again, happy birthday Salve and I wish to express my birthday wish for you on your milestone birthday:
“Sometimes there are people you’ve only known for a while but feel very comfortable with. You are one of those. Maybe because the things we share in common are those that have to do with the fundamental aspects of life like family and money values. I’ve known you only since 2009 when you were super pregnant with Bloo, but I guess your opening up to me during that fateful interview has made me feel like I’ve known you since you were that smart young student from Bicol who stood up to the mean girls who belittled you because of your laing at tuyo na baon. (For the record, my family loves laing.) I feel like I’ve known you since the time when you managed to get by without asking for allowance from your mom because you sold your home-cooked peanuts, which were lovingly bought by your teachers even if they were sunog! I also feel like I’ve witnessed your love story with Dan blossom in UP Diliman where you bravely marched in your pregnant glory to take your final exams before graduation. I’m so happy that you are in a good place now, and you know what? I’d love to see you have a reunion with the mean girls! Don’t forget to tell your stylist to dress you up to the nines so you can say, ‘Sa akin ang huling halakhak!’
Kidding aside, your life is a testament that indeed, as you said, ‘There is no shame in inheriting poverty, but only in not doing anything about it.’ I’m fortunate to have met you and become your friend. I cheer you on as you affect other people’s lives in your financial literacy advocacy, especially focused on the poorest of the poor. I wish you luck in fulfilling your dream of building a school for the street children someday.
May you continue to have a great family life. May you have the strength and joy as you care for your growing kids who lovingly call you Nanay. May you fulfill your desire to go back to watching more constellations, reading more fantasy books, spending more time to be crazier with your kids and hubby, and staying super in love with your Langga, Dan. I also look forward to spending more fun activities with you like photo shoots and prolonged tete-a-tete over coffee that extend to dinner.
Happy birthday to my sister from another mother!”
Watch my interview with our Growing Girl and her sons Bamboo and Bloo, and see what “Salve Says” about addressing poverty, how she teaches her four kids about money, and her childhood money memory.
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(Rose Fres Fausto is the author of bestselling books Raising Pinoy Boys (download free book sample) and The Retelling of The Richest Man in Babylon (a story and activity book for kids from 1 to 92). Click this to watch the new and exciting Book Trailer.
To read her other articles go to Author Archive of PhilStar.com, FQMom.com and RaisingPinoyBoys.com. Send your questions and comments via email to FQMomm@gmail.com. To watch other interviews go to FQ Mom you tube channel.)
This article is also published in RaisingPinoyBoys.com and FQMom.com.
Attribution: Interview photos taken from youtube video made by FQMom.com, Still photos of Salve & Rose by HG Studio.