Today, me and my family are celebrating the New Year in a different setting. It’s not what all of us in the family are used to, it’s not what we wanted but it’s better than having no one to spend it with at all.
On the first few weeks of December 2011, my father was diagnosed with acute myelogenus leukemia, and since then, things have been nothing but rough and hard for the whole family. All of us had to make adjustments and sacrifices to make our schedules meet. Only my mother takes care of my father as my brother and I are here in Manila. My sister who resides at Olongapo has her own family to take care of but makes it a point that during her free time, she comes to visit my mother and father at home.
My brother has been shouldering most of the finances lately. And he’s been really working his a$$ off and still, everything still doesn’t add up to what’s needed. You know the feeling that I can’t contribute anything but to study hard and work hard, and make my schedule fit to theirs so I can relieve them from attending to my father while he’s in hospital? It sucks. Add to that the fact that I can’t focus with the board exams review. As of the moment, I haven’t touched a single page of the PIPE Elements book, and I’m way behind the lessons.
But of course, these are sacrifices and these are challenges that must be conquered. My father doesn’t know he’ll be having this disease and he gave us everything we need and he brought us into this world.
Earlier today, we attended the worship service. After which, we attended the Panata. I felt revived and excited for 2012. I know that God will be there for me and my family, so I have nothing to worry.
We celebrated the New Year in the hospital. What’s important is that the whole family’s complete. With or without feast, the food, the home, the fireworks and all the New Year brouhaha, the family’s still together and intact. We had our annual New Year prayer and it was really an emotional one. Nonetheless, I know that all of us are very happy that all of us were there that day. We survived 2011 and 2012 will even be a lot better for all of us, I just know! 
