Friday, April 04, 2008 Serna: Reunions and teary eyes By Roger Serna sounds & images
IT’S summer again or, in our case, the dry season.
Like Christmas, this part of the year is also highly anticipated especially by grade school students.
This is because it is the time when they can put schoolwork at the back of their minds even for just a while.
Despite the intermittent rain, the high thermometer readings can easily be felt not only during the day, but also at nighttime. It is only when the break of day nears that one can feel cold air. Whew!
It is of no surprise, therefore, to see people flock to any body of water at anytime of their convenience just to avail themselves of nature’s resources just to cool off their systems. Just be careful.
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Just like any other group offering summer lessons, Art Dynamics Cebu has its program ready and its last day of registration for Personality Development Avenue (PDA) was last Monday, March 31. By this time, perhaps sessions in public speaking, vocal music, dance and runway modeling are already in full swing.
Participants will experience firsthand how to make use of their God-given talents as well as exposures in variety and fashion shows held in malls, pictorials, radio tours and fun shoots.
PDA prides itself with having produced pageant winners, better speakers and more confident performers. Congratulations and more power!
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Unlike Octoberfest, which has been going on for several years now, San Miguel Corporation’s Summer Babad is just on its sophomore year. Despite its still being new, fun-lovers have already shown interest. This was shown by the attendance in the launching activity last month. It was held at the vacant lot located along Osmeña Blvd. where the former SSS building used to stand. Organizers are optimistic that year after year more patrons will be added to the growing number of frolickers.
We share in that optimism.
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For two nights in a row last week, I did some bar hopping together with a Fil-Am nephew, James Phelps, whose mother, Ely Dickinson of Bachao, Catmondaan, Catmon, is my first degree cousin.
Funny, but it was the first time that we met after many years of hearing about each other from relatives. Good that there was another cousin, Alfred de la Cerna, to introduce us.
James is connected with the US postal service and resides at Washington, DC. He was on his annual vacation, which is all of seven weeks. He decided to spend two weeks in the country and renew ties with relatives back in Catmon.
I can’t imagine that James, a good-looking US resident, who stands at six feet tall, felt awkward when people turned their heads in his direction when we entered the joints. I kidded him about “why he didn’t think of auditioning for modeling jobs.”
He said he’s contented with his job. He has model friends, both male and female, though. By this time, he’s already back in the US, but promised to come back soon when the opportunity comes.
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It was only over the weekend, almost a week after the fire that gutted the Oslob church and convent that I came face to face with what remained of the old structures. The feeling was indescribable.
I recalled having been teary-eyed when I watched the news on TV. Seeing the ruins first-hand was even worse. I decided not to stare at the ruins for along. I had to immediately leave the place.
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Another activity, which I did last weekend, and which has now become a regular one at this time of the year, was the reunion of the Serna clan whose members are mostly residents of the mountain barangay of Tumalog in Oslob.
I didn’t realize that the activity which I conceptualized in place of swimming (which some cousins, nephews and nieces requested as a way of fostering tighter bonding and camaraderie) would turn out to be a highly awaited event especially for the older clan members who value being with other members of the family.
Several activities are planned for next year, including holding a Holy Mass, a torch parade before dinner and the program proper. See you again next year, folks. Remember, the event is held on the Sunday immediately following Easter Sunday. We’ll expect you.
