Raindrops and birthdays

Maria always had this way of cheering up the Von Trapp family septet. Apart from her charming antics and forward-thinking coolness, she infused them with the gift of song, which revitalized the tired Austrian household. She best displayed her free-spiritedness in the song My Favorite Things which included most everything fun and delightful. From warm, woolen mittens to cream, colored ponies, she danced and flailed about with Liesl and her siblings amid thoughts of dog bites, fits of sadness, and occasional thunderclaps.

Since watching this memorable scene from The Sound of Music, I have always spent a great deal of time and thought on those things that cheered me up every so often – my very own favorite things. Old folks still madly in love with each other never fail to put a smile on my face, which is why I love that scene from The Notebook when the old folks started to slow dance. Comic books and theater are admitted guilty pleasures. My relationship with the people I love is what gets me through the day. Free cuts and days of no school are unexpected surprises. Compliments are humbling dandies. And weekends are surefire delights. But contrary to what most people unfailingly include in their list of favorite things, birthdays have never been among mine. As all things in the present, reasons for such are always rooted in the past.

Flashback to Toff Day 2003, the day I turned 17. It was at the peak of the impeachment trial of then Chief Justice Hilario Davide. I woke up with a heavy feeling encrusted in my mental and biological cores. In short, I felt sick. True enough, I was. Halfway through the school day, I had unfortunately developed a fever of 39 degrees and had to go home for fear of spreading the germs. My head had grown so heavy after watching a cult, independent Pinoy flick for Fil class that I collapsed in the car due to exhaustion and dizziness. Arriving home from school, I went straight to my room to retire to bed a little earlier than usual since I was downtrodden and had nothing else planned for the day, a euphemism really for being a complete loner-slash-loser. Halfway through a dream, I was awaken by my own real-life Maria, Nanay Nelly. Our staff had apparently prepared a little salu-salo in my honor; thus, I summoned every ounce of energy I had to ingest a savory of the closest thing to fun I could possibly have.

Unfortunately, I arrived at the salu-salo with nothing but heated food and party favors affixed on the dinner table. "Where was everybody?" I thought to myself. As it turned out, at that very moment my parents were being booed and thrown stuff at on the streets (for faults really that they had nothing to with) and the staff was anxiously glued to their television screens. I sat there for a while, surrounded by an empty party venue and food that was getting too cold for consumption. And about the same time, Nanay Nelly approached me asking if I wanted to blow my cake. I looked around with nothing but tumbleweeds rolling along and crickets humming their depressing tunes. "Who am I kidding?" This was no party and I sure as hell wasn’t in the mood to celebrate my birthday. And so, I went back to bed with a piece of puto and a high fever to keep me company through the night.

Apart from such depressing birthday episodes, I never really saw judicious reason to celebrate the day you turn a year older. After all, birthdays just mean another year closer to genetic expiration, added social responsibilities, and heightened expectations from oneself and others. Although, you can never really say no to birthday gifts, compliments, and birthday reminders from your friends and loved ones. As all things, birthdays have their own pros and cons; however, the cons have always managed to outweigh the pros, at least for this writer’s own personal example.

It wasn’t until my 18th birthday when skies started clearing up and things were taking a turn for the better. It must have been my girlfriend’s admirable efforts to spark some rainbow bubbles of enthusiasm to this pessimistic soul. From nada to hola! fiesta, I went from sad birthday handaan to a Halloween party and a surprise party, an open bar, and a charity event the year after. What made it even more memorable was that last year I was able to spend my birthday with the folks at Haven for Children, a sanctuary for kids who had been formerly delinquent or abandoned by their parents due to the latter’ poverty or probable incarceration. While the kids had me at hello when they responded gleefully to the festivities, I just knew I had to return the year after, and so I did.

Exactly a week ago, I journeyed to Alabang to have a round two birthday celebration with the kids from the Haven. I was pondering a bit on whether or not I should still throw a Halloween birthday party with drinks and all but I decided to exhaust all efforts instead on bringing smiles to the children’s faces. It’s my way of giving back to society and to God for everything he has blessed me with for the past year. And there’s nothing better than sharing your blessings with those on the underside. Thankfully, my friends equipped me with some logistical help for the momentous fete in addition to rendering a few Broadway and pop songs for the children extraordinaire. Song and dance numbers from the Haven kids had merrily complemented our artistic efforts before delicious food came a-flowing. Jollibee was our gastronomic manna while other snacks and party favors were graciously donated by family friend and sis, Pinky Tobiano. She was also kind enough to send some acrobats and magicians to razzle-dazzle the kids as they stared in such awe and disbelief. All in all, the event turned out to be one hell of a party, practically outdoing last year’s celebration if not registering at equal caliber.

A friend of mine once said, "When you give so much love, you’ll receive it right back." After a midnight countdown with my Crench family, a birthday extravaganza with the kids, a dinner with my family and friends, and a few surprises here and there, I can honestly say that I’m probably the happiest man alive. What more can a guy ask for? Sure raindrops fell here and there as rain showers greeted us throughout the occasion. But really, all it takes is a lil’ sunshine from some happy faces. And a few rainbow bubbles here and there.

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Catch your breath and let me know what you think at chasingtoff@yahoo.com