We had a massive family reunion/party tonight. A party to celebrate a zillion occasions – my grandfather’s 80th birthday, my grandmother’s 79th, my Dad’s 53rd and my parents’ 28th wedding anniversary. We had 150 guests at a catered restaurant venue nearby. Everyone dressed up and it was amazing to have both the Gamboas and the Castelvis together in one room. I’ll be able to post pictures and details later, but I wanted to share something I said about my parents, celebrating their anniversary. They’ve taught us the values of hard work, true love and real friendship.
I’d like to take a few minutes to talk about my parents.
I’m 27 years old now (and note, I turn 28 this year and my parents are celebrating their 28th wedding anniversary….if you do the math, it is clear that they were really eager to have me!). I’m 27 now and I’ve spent much of my twenties abroad. I’ve been very blessed to have had the opportunity to work and travel to over 60 countries in the last few years, having worked at a fantastic multinational company. Over and over again, I’ve found myself in moments of quiet, so so thankful for the blessings that have been bestowed upon me. I’ve ridden airplanes like they are taxis, have met countless international friends and have been exposed to far more of the world’s wonders than I could have hoped for. But besides the glamour and joy of seeing new places, travel has an ironic way of teaching perspective. The more I see other places, the more I appreciate home. There is an abundance of joy in the presence of family that can’t be found anywhere else, even if you search all corners of the globe. And coming back here to the Philippines has been another one of those life changing moments where perspective suddenly hits you in the face.
A few days ago, Dad and I were sitting in a coffee shop at SM Pampanga talking about the state of the Philippines – the progress of the country and the state of government, the economy and urban development. And then I asked him “Dad, how different would things have been if we hadn’t left for Canada when I was 5 years old?”. And immediately he answered, “You and DJ would have turned out the same. You know why? Because we would have continued to put a premium on education. You would have attended the best schools, I would have made sure that we lived in the safest and most decent neighborhoods and we would have pushed to ensure that you had as many opportunities open to you as possible.” He said, “Once you have children, they become your number one priority and giving your children the gift of education is the best thing that you can do as a parent”.
In that moment, I saw my dad not just as my dad anymore, but as this amazing, respectable, responsible human being – so full of wisdom and patience, whose love, sacrifice and discipline paved the way for good schools, good job opportunities and ultimately all the amazing experiences that I’ve had in the last few years. He’s a man without vices (he doesn’t smoke, or gamble or indulge in any obsessions), he is pragmatic and sensible (even to this day, he still won’t buy anything unless it is discounted, 50% off or on sale), and he is the most patient man I know.
I think that much of the success of our family has come from my parents’ hard work. They really are a team, partners in crime, hard working and responsible people who dared to dream bigger than the norm, who didn’t fear the unknown, who truly believed that they could achieve all of their goals and dreams, in God’s name, all the while remaining humble and never forgetting their roots, where they came from and the family members whose blood they share.
My Mom is the flamboyant one: the life of the party, she is biba and ma porma and so full of joy. If later tonight you see someone dancing on the tables, it will probably be my mother! I have never met a more joyful, giving, generous, loving person in this world. She cries with me in my pains and celebrates with me in my joys and she is the person I will instantly turn to in moments when I need a smile or some inspiration. When I worked in London, we would schedule conference calls with each other during work hours just to laugh a little in the middle of our days! =) But in addition to her fun loving attitude, she is the most driven, successful woman that I know. She works extraordinarily hard in her career and will give 200% of her effort, when only 100% is needed. She is literally my SuperWoman. My mom’s favourite karaoke song is Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler (maybe you’ll be lucky tonight to hear her rendition of it). And whenever she sings it, it always feels to me that she is singing it to my Dad somehow. Because behind her successes, is also a man who was there to support her. Behind the incredible opportunities and promotions and acclimations, there was a man who was there to welcome her home, to cheer her on, to make her laugh. Some of the words in the song go like this:
You were content to let me shine, that’s your way,
you always walked a step behind.
Did you ever know that you’re my hero,
and ev’rything I would like to be?
I can fly higher than an eagle,
’cause you are the wind beneath my wings.
As an adult, it has been a blessing to witness this kind of team work and love in my parents. They have instilled values of true commitment, hard work, discipline and a wonderful joy and laughter in the way that they live their lives. And all of it has been an amazing gift to both my brother and I. So, I’d like to take this opportunity to toast my Dad, and the woman whose hand he won, my wonderful beautiful malarit mother Connie. We are so so blessed to have them as our parents and also as our very good friends. Happy Birthday Daddy and Happy Anniversary to you both! =)
