LIVE each DAY as if it’s your LAST DAY…
It’s probably a great way to live to experience REAL JOY…. Whenever I think about this myself ,INSTANTLY, it changes my whole perception of what’s really important in life…A lot of times, I’m busy being busy but I always remind myself to go back to my core values…to always be kind, to forgive, to give as much and to love as much as I can…
6 years ago, I lost a very dear friend close to my heart after a massive earthquake in Christchurch….Rhea Mae Sumalpong, she’s not just my classmate, she’s one of my barkada way back our college days in Cebu.
I was so happy and excited to see her when I found out that she will be studying in New Zealand . I was living in Auckland at that time so I did not get a chance to see her straight away. Then I got invited to a friend’s wedding in Christchurch so I grabbed that chance to see her and spend time with her. I stayed at her place that weekend and we spend a lot of time with each other.
We haven’t seen each other for years so we had non stop chikahan. I’m not sure if we slept well that night.It was my first time in Christchurch so she took me around. We went dining and shopping and had a lot of laugh at the dressing room about how cool it is to wear jumpsuit yet how inconvenient it is when you need to go to the toilet. We also tried eyebrow threading together which I find a torture just to look good.I said I’ll never do it again.
We also meet up with our other batchmates who live in Christchurch, and we went clubbing in town. We forced Rhea to wear a sexy dress and high heels that night. That’s not her usual style, she’s a bit conservative, but she gave it a GO then we painted the town RED! Christchurch is such a beautiful city.
The next day, I had an early flight back to Auckland so we asked one of our friend, Zyra to drive me to the airport early morning as Rhea doesn’t drive yet. She promised me she will learn to drive and she said the next time I’ll visit, she’s going to drive me around, pick me up and take me to the airport. I was looking forward to that one day…BUT NOW I know ,THAT DAY WON’T COME….because SHE’S GONE…2 weeks after my visit, I heard a very sad news that broke so many hearts….The Christchurch Earthquake that took hundreds of lives and destroyed the city….11 Filipinos lost their lives…One is my friend Rhea and one is my university tutor Maam Ivy. It was devastating…I still cry every time I think about it….It reminds how SHORT LIFE CAN be…It is very painful but it taught be a lot of great lessons in life…
To anyone who will read this blog,I hope this will be an eye opener to you.
To POng, we still miss you terribly…praying for your beautiful soul always..thank you for touching our lives…
I’m sending my love and prayers to Pong family… Ate Marlene, Rhizza Ate Ethel Uy….
Today is the opening of Canterburry Earthquake Memorial – It’s a place to grieve and hope, according to Prime Minister Bill English.
Watch the cerenomy –>http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/89668373/canterbury-earthquake-memorial-unveilng-six-years-on
