By Atty. Antonio P. Pekas
I was invited for lunch last Saturday by Beverly Tudlong-Pekas at their residence. Relatives from abroad would be there, she told me the day before. Upon arrival at the venue, I told the relatives from abroad they looked great and that their being there made me smell dollars. I guess that is the secret to looking great. Have dollars and you will feel good and great.
The crowd was not really big. The preparations were good. While I am known to be a vegetarian, many didn’t know I also don’t eat garlic, onions and mushrooms. So not to make the hosts red faced when I would be shunning dishes with these, I texted her about it the day before, including the reason why. Those are not good for concentration or meditation or intense prayer.
It seemed Beverly really has brains….. never mind the husband. The arrangement was buffet style, pick what you wanted. There were veggie dishes with plant based “meat.” I went though for the best of them all, the fruits. Water melons, strawberries, etc. There were also the much ballyhooed suman from Bontoc.
Some of the guests asked why I was not excited about the veggie meat. As I explained, I had it earlier for breakfast and the heart failure and kidney patient that I was, I had to observe moderation when it came to protein. That should be also true for the elderly.
After the “kumusta kumusta” and picture taking everywhere, a small group of about five relatives congregated on the side. Later, they revealed what they talked about. They proposed to have a spot on this paper for the writings of family members. My instinctive reaction was, GREAT!
We are just like any other family with all the “scars, the warts, including the beauty marks.” Like others, we don’t lack members who went through college and through life. In the process, they learned and came up with ideas, especially life lessons, they could share for others to learn from.
For somehow, not just for our family but for all others, there should be some giving back. As a way of being grateful for whatever we have gained or achieved, in our small ways. Not giving back for all the blessings would be ignorance no matter how many professional appellations attached to your name. It would also be a great insult to humanity if not the whole creation.
Yes, if nothing else, we can at least share our humanity. By the way, those of extended family or clan members are also welcome. For all others, as always, our doors are open. We will find the right spots for you.
It will take time before you can start seeing such articles here. Some percolation in individual brains will have to happen first. Let them brew. When the right momentum is attained and then let loose, there will be no holding back. And that will be a very good thing for everyone.
For some who might be hankering for some instructions on writing, here is the ultimate one. Write the way you think. As to style, the best is achieving elegance through simplicity.**
