Freak accidents

Accidents happen, even in the home, which we consider one of the safest places. This Monday, Vito and I had a freak accident. We were eating. Vito was seated on my lap. Just as we finished breakfast, we played some few minutes before I went to work. I grabbed a mirror and we made faces. Vito was laughing. I looked at the clock to check the time. When I finally realized that it was time for me to leave, I put down the mirror. Just as I was about to stand from the chair (Vito was still on my lap), the plastic chair we were sitting on broke.

I fell on my back and my butt suffered the most impact as I struggled to keep Vito safe. Good thing my little boy landed on the floor safely. The boy has good reflexes. As he landed on the groud, he maintained his balance using his hands for support. He was not pained a bit. I, on the other hand, has been nursing this terrible pain on my butt since Monday. I am definitely okay because my baby is.

We're Minus One Potential Leader

I have been following Cris Mendez' case since Day 1 but refused to blog about it initially. I wanted to collect my thoughts first before revealing my stand on the issue. First, allow me to introduce myself better. My father was a member of a fraternity, so are my three brothers. What really prompted me to blog about this is the heartless post of a Sigma Rhoan, who just proved to me the truth in Enrile's words. He suspended the comment feed on his post (as of 09.05.07) so here's my reaction to his insensitivity and pride amidst this unfortunate event. Excerpts from his post are in red.

If my memory serves me right, if the Sigma Rho really was responsible for, this would probably be the first time that an "amuyong" has died while under initiation.

It does not matter if it's the first time or not. The point is, your fraternity has a responsibility to look after your neophytes. It is not a game of chance. It seems that you are even proud to say that it's just the first time. Well, guess what, you can no longer regain the life that has been lost. What happened could have been prevented.

My frat batch-mate Dennis Venturina, if you still remember that story, died from head injuries in a rumble with Scintilla Juris. Dennis was also a Public Administration student and would have graduated cum laude that year he was killed.

If you would permit me to use your reasoning and logic, then your brod and the fraternity also risked it. In any rumble, just like during initiation rites, there's a possibility of losing a life but please, don't divert the issue to a case that has been closed and one that the people so-called responsible for it are already serving their sentences (because of the leviathans of the law). Plus, a rumble would more likely result to death because it's between two parties unlike in most fraternity initiation rites where a person (without the capacity to fight back) is physically beaten by many people.

But it's a risk on your part and it's a personal choice to take that risk. It's like bunjee-jumping or climbing a mountain; you really can't say how your body will take the physical and psychological stress, which when pushed to the extremes can be life threatening and even fatal.

I'd say that Mendez took a risk and lost.

Yes, it is a risk. But one that can be managed if only the party that is in-charge of the situation handles it with caution. Is that how you do it? Is that how you breed your brothers? A brother can sense when his brother can no longer take it. A brother can momentarily withdraw from tradition to check on the wellbeing of his brother. Or maybe all they did was to continue the rites and only responded to Cris' pain when it was already too late? Cris took the risk because he thought that Sigma Rho was worthy of his leadership, dedication, and passion to serve society but you know what, your fraternity lost, his family lost. We all lost because the country just lost a potential leader because of an initiation rites that was in your hands, Sigma Rho's hands.

I have nothing against Sigma Rho or fraternities for that matter. But what happened serves as a wakeup call for us all, especially those who are part of the system. What can we do to avoid such incidents? We should strive to put meaning into our ideals and vision.

As a mother, I mourn with all the mothers who have lost a child and I salute you for your strength of heart. I hope that justice be achieved.

At the Philippine Heart Center, I saw "love"

Mom and I went to the Philippine Heart Center yesterday to visit my cousin who was due for angioplasty that afternoon. My cuz, a 35-year-old young executive at a multinational company suffered from a myocardial infarction about a week ago. Surprisingly, with three arteries blocked, my cuz survived and was even able to bring himself to a hospital near his condominium. Yes, my cuz is just 35 years old but already has a heart that looks as old as a 50 or 60-year-old.

I expected to see my cousin, a chemical engineering board topnotcher, with tubes all over but I saw a fine young man lying in bed with a big smile and yes, blushed cheeks. He didn't seem unwell. He was even belting out his punchlines from time to time. And that sight was enough reason to celebrate.

He had his operation at 1pm and it was a success. But I guess a situation such as this serves as a wakeup call for him to reassess his lifestyle. Youth must not be a reason to neglect family and health in pursuit of career goals. Undeniably, cuz had it all going for him. He was bound for Washington, D.C. to assess a project there and a promotion was close at hand. His was a fast-paced life. But at this point, I think he has to decide whether he should take it easy or take the rollercoaster ride to the top. But what does success mean without the strength of heart? Still, many thanks to God for extending my cousin's life.

It was my fist time at the Heart Center. And overwhelmingly, I went home with a happy heart. We were eating at the Center's cafeteria when I saw a woman on a wheelchair smile at me. I smiled back. She seemed in her seventies, looking frail and weak, but her eyes glittered with so much life. Then, after a few minutes, an aged man came to her side. That explained everything, the vibrant eyes despite the ailing body. To see such a loving couple in spite of the circumstances they have inspires me to keep on loving, to take care of my husband and family, to put our vows in the core of my being: "To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness or in health, to love and to cherish 'till death do us part."

Have a heartful day!