Wednesday, July 27, 2005

"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be."
- Robert Browning

i don't really remember much about how things were when you came along. but mama said i was so excited to see you. i just had my 1st birthday and i couldn't even reach mama's hospital bed. smart that i was , i pulled the footstool towards the bed, stepped on it and craned my neck just to have a glimpse of you. little did i know that when you were old enough to play with me, we would end up fighting almost every two minutes. i remember mama used to call us "aso't pusa". its funny though, whenever we were together, there would be boxing/hair pulling matches (maybe that is why i didn't grow my hair past my shoulders) but once one of us disappears from view, we ask mama where the other one is. i know you haven't forgotten the time you got spanked because i told papa you went swimming in the flood water but i hope you know by now that it was for your own good.

as we got older, the fights became less frequent. we always sticked together during some of our "escapades". you were not a sweet little brother but you were always ready to help me. you went thru the usual teenage phase and preferred to be with friends but in your own way, you were always there for me.

i know you sometimes think that i am the pampered one, and i admit that this is true sometimes but you never took that against me. i know you suffered more than i did when we were at the lowest point of our family life and although sometimes you complained about it, you always did what you were expected to do. when we recovered from it, we all became closer to each other. rejoicing together in every triumph and cheering each other up in every failure.

more than two years ago, you went thru a lot. i didn't agree with most of the things you did but i understod why you did it. i knew i would get in trouble if i was found out but there was no way i wasn't going to help you out. it was breaking my heart to see what you were going thru but i couldn't do anything because it was your choice. through it all, you still emerged victorious. i admire you for that. you showed us that you are one strong, determined young man.

in a few weeks, you will be starting another chapter of your life. i know you're going to be a wonderful father. seldom will you see a soon-to-be father as excited and as involved as you are in the preparations. your baby is lucky indeed to have you. i know your kids will grow up to be responsible and God fearing adults because you are their model.

we still have our arguments from time to time but i know in my heart that whatever happens, we will always be there for each other. i just wish that when i am old and gray, you will still be there to hold my hand and comfort me.

happy birthday lan! i love you and i am very proud of you!