Christmas Blues

Christmas is for family. Christmas means lots of food on the table. Christmas is a time for giving and receiving gifts. Christmas is a time for catching up with relatives; sharing food,stories and laughter; singing videoke; playing parlor games. This is the Christmas I'm used to, the one I grow up with.

Today is the fourth time I am spending the Christmas holidays away from my family. Well, not really consecutively, I went home last Christmas. The first time, I spent it on duty at work. Another time, I spent it with people from neighboring rooms in my dorm. One time, I just went to the office to celebrate it with my office mates who were on duty. Today, I am spending it at my boarding house with my sister, who is here with me in Manila reviewing for the board exams next month.

I feel like an OFW but ironically,I am just here in the Philippines.Might as well that I went abroad so my loneliness can be compensated with a big pay hehehehe Well, what really kept me here is the hope that next year, I will be assigned in Davao and be home not just for the holidays but for most time of the year. Duh! I wished that for years now, and still here I am. Well, maybe next year, who knows...

Anyway, me and my sister did our best to make this Christmas closer to home. We prepared a noche buena just for the two of us. Next year, she too would have a lonely Christmas overseas. She might not be able to celebrate it at all for she will be in a Muslim country.

Oh, how we long for home. Tonight, at this time, the whole family on my father's side is gathered at the house of the host. Every year, it's a different host, thus, a different house. My father's siblings each have their turn to be host. We've been doing this for 19 years now. This year is the start of the third cycle. It is the eldest's turn to be host. Well, me and my sis won't be there. It sucks! But this is life. Sometimes, you just have to be away. A ticket worth almost half of my monthly salary for a day or two at home, even on Christmas, is really not practical. And its not possible to take a leave at this time on my line of work so I have learned to accept it. At least for me, it's temporary- a consolation I have to contend myself with.

Merry Christmas to all! Enjoy the holidays with your family. Me and my sis are trying our best to enjoy it. In heart and mind, we are with our family:-)