KUNG HEI FAT CHOI!

2007, according to our Chinese friends is the year of The Fire Pig. And as usual different beliefs proliferate in every conversation, in the mass media and in every Filipino Feng Shui believers, everything has to change to be able to adjust with the Yin and Yang balance required by the Fire Pig year.

For those who don't know if their birthday were covered by the Year of the Pig here's what I've researched that could guide us to what really is with this year and how it will affects our lives.

Year of the Fire Pig ( 1923, 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995 and 2007)
Zodiac: Courageous, gallant, courteous, innocent, gullible, naive, peace loving, defenseless, trustful, honest, correct, pure, sincere, very deveoted, sensitive, indulgent, sensual, cheerful, generous, tolerant, hates quarrels, fortunate and not good in handling money but can be a perfect friend.

So, let's go back to Feng Shui, and have us study how it evolves into a Chinese concept. According to some write up on Feng Shui, they said that in the beginning, the Universe has nothing on it and this "nothing"was divided and have two complementary forces called "Yin and Yang". Yin is characterized as the negative, moon, feminine, dark and passive while Yang is the positive, sun, masculine, light and active. One is better than the other, and yet both are important and a balance of both is highly necessary. Meaning as day follows night and night follows day, they are constantly balanced.

Ancient Chinese astrologers is said to divide and look for the "Balance" of Yin and Yang. When this is achieved, Yin and Yang comes a harmonious environment. They also looked for Ch'i which is the energy existing within the landscape. These concepts are the basis of what is known today as "Feng Shui"

Feng Shui literally means Wind and Water. According to ancient Chinese scientific art in oder to combine the knowledge of environmental theory and magnetism, you must relate to the planets Jupiter and Saturn. The purpose of this is to identify the Yin and Yang that creates Ch'i in its five elements which are the Water, Wood, Earth, Fire and Metal. These elements create the constructive cycle or the destructive cycle. For sure, the constructive cycle is the proper balance that can lead us to living harmoniously, benefiting our health and facilitating
good relationship with people.

Remembering my Mom

I was 23 years old then, fresh after college when my mom dies. She has a cervical cancer and was predicted 8 months of life when she was first diagnosed. It was malignant and as they say only miracle can spare her. At my tender age..I know she gonna die... what can I do... who could help us save her...no one.

We are hopeless, I need to be strong and only prayers can make me stand against the pain I have felt as I see my mother anguished in pain. She undergone many things, from chemotherapy up to the last quack doctors or "albularyo" we could find just to keep her.

During her last months, she requested to be transferred to her hometown in Baao, Camarines Sur—an adjacent municipality next to ours. I don't know why she made that decision. Maybe because she wanted to get a closer place for her visitors who lived in Baao at the same time she likes within the comfort of my aging "lola."

During the time of her confinement here, she become strong and cheerful. We joke around, feed her and tell her stories about my schooling in Manila. My other siblings who was then very young was not that aware of my mothers situation. I am the one who took care of her during her medical treatment in Manila and that was so tiring having to look for blood donors, processing some loans and other help to sustain her.

I know she is tired of all the medical procedures she underwent. All she wanted was to see her children and other close relatives. She was so happy when they visited her and give inspiration on the value of living. They cheer her up for a while but when they gone I feel her lament behind her eyes. And I don't want to see it.

Then comes Valentines day. While I was feeding her for lunch, I told her I got a date in the afternoon and she just smile. I always see those glitters in her eyes every time I told her about girls..you know. Maybe she was excited to see her eldest son growing into a man. "Habang tumatagal kamukha mo na papa mo" she always said whenever she pleases me. I remember her to be the one on stage every time I got an awards in school and during graduations. I also remember her borrowing money from my lolo and lola, co-teachers, other siblings whenever we are financially down. Aside from that, she always reminded us to study hard because according to her "Its only education that they can afford to give us"... typical for a mother whose only dream is to give her child the best they can have.

Yes, very typical that she even exchanged her health just to send us to school. She always postponed her check-up because her children has to pay bills in school. We never knew that it would come up with an illness that we can't imagine.

At 3:00 pm, Valentines day, she perished. It was like heaven and earth and I cant move while she hold me that long as he grasp her last deep breath. Tears flows inside of me and I cant take it.

Now, I'm 33, married with a cute two year old boy. She will never see this boy grown into a man and her other children who have already graduated and starting to live a life on their own. "Mama, you have missed a lot... how I wish, you were alive to see us and see your first "apo" and experience how it feels to be called "lola"

I really missed you mom.........