Thursday, July 17, 2008 'Lord, give me the gift of wisdom so I can be a better steward' By Luci Lizares
EVERY year, there is that one special day just for us....our birthdays! When we were very young, we wait with excitement to see what toys we will receive on this special day. As we grow a little older, we want to treasure this day with a party together with our friends and someone special. But as we age (gracefully... I pray!), birthdays become more of a personal experience and in more ways than one they become even more special.
In the past, we were quick to say thanks for having lived another full year...a year full of rejoicing and equally full of challenges and struggles. We give thanks for the grace of courage for braving the trying times and we give thanks for the many joyful moments that lifted our spirits.
Turning another leaf in my book of life, I started my special day, of course, by giving thanks and in the next breath during the quiet moment in communion with our Maker, a plea and supplication to give me a second chance to be a better steward of this gift called life. While I never thought of our own lives as requiring quality stewardship since we usually equate stewardship with possessions, this time this reflection is what my mind focused in. Indeed, there would have been less mistakes, less recklessness, less waste, less damage, less hurt, less disappointment, less illness in this very imperfect world if we were better stewards of our persons and our personas.
And the next request (di ba.....ask and you shall receive?) is for the gift of wisdom. Most of us grow in age but never in wisdom. We become street smart or very smart but never wise!!!
So, those are my key prayers for this year - stewardship and wisdom. Well, enough of the cerebral stuff and let me share with you how I spent my special day.
My very sweet friends (the members of the Women in Travel) treated me to lunch at the latest and newest cool restaurant Risto Grill, situated just after the Weesam Port and to the left of the Montenegro Lines. My birthday came a few days after the destructive typhoon 'Frank' but Dr. Marichi Ramos, owner of the resto, was grateful that while her tables and chairs were flying with the gusty winds at the height of the storm, not much damage was done to her place. Food is good and not too pricey, which are the factors that will make a restaurant thrive, survive and be a success.
I thought that we were just going to be a small group since a handful called to greet and say that they are out of town but I was happily surprised that there were like 15 in the bunch of well-wishers. We talked and ate, laughed and ate and that went on for a few hours. It was a good lunch and I was really most touched with my friends' gestures. As I said, when we become wiser (we never use the O word!!!), birthdays have a deeper and more meaningful understanding!
The afternoon became busy with making the house look perky and pretty. My cousin from Cebu, Dr. Nick Escario (Primo Baby to all of us) was in town with his daughter Siobhan (an occupational therapist working in London) and I felt like this was a most opportune moment to get the family together. So plants and flowers were ushered in to give the house a more verdant green and blossom touch. Silvers and cutlery were all in place and last minute touches were arranged to human perfection. Then catch some hours of rest to reenergize ourselves and make myself pretty too (He he he!!!)
Titos and Titas came as well as Primos and Primas. It was a fairly small intimate group. The men wanted to have their own corner while the ladies hugged the main table in the terraza. Our conversation centered on Siobhan who has been traveling around the Philippines with her friend Andy since February. They have been all over the Cordilleras, have gone to the Babuyan Islands, mentioned some islands that I haven't even heard of and stayed with local folks which became instant pensions. They came in from Dumaguete passing through many islands before hitting Negros. They are now in Boracay and will proceed to Palawan. With the pictures Siobhan showed us, we felt embarrassed and humbled. They have been to more places in the Philippines than all of us put together in the party that evening. But it was just lovely listening to them talk about our beautiful country and the wonderful time they are having! Indeed, it is great to journey to places.
More so, if you are young! Listening to them makes you realize that given the time, health, opportunity and the finances - go for it! Don't wait and make it a bucket list experience!
Friends and family made my day....what a beautiful day indeed!!! Before I shut my eyes that evening, once again I looked up and said: "Thank you God! You are great!
And not to forget the prayer: "Let me grow in wisdom so that I can be a great steward of myself and the wonderful people and things You have created around me!"
