Filipino people may not be the most efficient, hardworking, people, but they surely know how to feed the soul. You always forget how long you’ve known your friends in the Philippines because you may have just met them and hit it off, or the time just goes by and it’s 20 odd years later. Laughter is always at the heart of any Filipino gathering.
I was with a group of friends, some I’ve known since Grade School, but most I’ve known in the past 20 plus years. We were celebrating a couple of friends' in the group’s birthday degustation style - 8 course meal at this quaint restaurant at the center of BF Homes. Although the food was delicious, what I remember most, is how much I laughed. How much we all laughed. At the center of all this laughter, was this multi talented lawyer ( he sings and dances as well lawyering), that kept us in stitches all evening long. He reminded me of a local Robin Williams, throwing those curved balls of wit. This group had just returned from a very enjoyable trip to Greece and Turkey. You could still feel their pleasure high emanating. I went home feeling loved, cuddled, and truly blest to have such wonderful friends.
One thing I can say, after living some 30 years in the US when put together, (which is a sizable amount of time to make a personal judgement), I felt alone, and all out lonely. I had no extended family of cousins, aunts or uncles. Friends are so busy taking care of their own business, they don’t really have much time for you. I remember going through weeks counting the number of people I had had a conversation with, much less, one that felt connected and heartfelt. You hear that rote “ How ya doing!” from people, but you know they don’t really care. So many I’ve been acquainted with for decades, and still never had that bond or connection with. It’s a lonely place to live. After living in the Los Angeles area for about 13 years, I can count the number of people who touch my heart. Most of them I’ve known for a very long time, and most of them, have some amount of Filipino blood in them. You don’t read about Filipinos shooting their classmates at school. There doesn’t seem to be too many Filipinos having psychological problems. We may not be a wealthy country, but we have each other’s back. We connect with each other. We share the love. Most of us have multiple groups of friends and maintain this highly connected network, not to take advantage of what they can do for us. We keep them close, for the natural high we get from the love of each other. You never feel alone. So many, in the western world, screw their friends just to get ahead. In the end, all that matters is our happiness. This is what we gauge our life on, how happy we have been. Based on this, Filipinos are the wealthiest. We have our priorities right. We are happy people and are proud of it.
I was with a group of friends, some I’ve known since Grade School, but most I’ve known in the past 20 plus years. We were celebrating a couple of friends' in the group’s birthday degustation style - 8 course meal at this quaint restaurant at the center of BF Homes. Although the food was delicious, what I remember most, is how much I laughed. How much we all laughed. At the center of all this laughter, was this multi talented lawyer ( he sings and dances as well lawyering), that kept us in stitches all evening long. He reminded me of a local Robin Williams, throwing those curved balls of wit. This group had just returned from a very enjoyable trip to Greece and Turkey. You could still feel their pleasure high emanating. I went home feeling loved, cuddled, and truly blest to have such wonderful friends.
One thing I can say, after living some 30 years in the US when put together, (which is a sizable amount of time to make a personal judgement), I felt alone, and all out lonely. I had no extended family of cousins, aunts or uncles. Friends are so busy taking care of their own business, they don’t really have much time for you. I remember going through weeks counting the number of people I had had a conversation with, much less, one that felt connected and heartfelt. You hear that rote “ How ya doing!” from people, but you know they don’t really care. So many I’ve been acquainted with for decades, and still never had that bond or connection with. It’s a lonely place to live. After living in the Los Angeles area for about 13 years, I can count the number of people who touch my heart. Most of them I’ve known for a very long time, and most of them, have some amount of Filipino blood in them. You don’t read about Filipinos shooting their classmates at school. There doesn’t seem to be too many Filipinos having psychological problems. We may not be a wealthy country, but we have each other’s back. We connect with each other. We share the love. Most of us have multiple groups of friends and maintain this highly connected network, not to take advantage of what they can do for us. We keep them close, for the natural high we get from the love of each other. You never feel alone. So many, in the western world, screw their friends just to get ahead. In the end, all that matters is our happiness. This is what we gauge our life on, how happy we have been. Based on this, Filipinos are the wealthiest. We have our priorities right. We are happy people and are proud of it.