|
|
 |
|
LET'S HAVE
A VIRTUAL REUNION
by: Alice
Gregorio Nicolas (8T1)
| |
Nowadays, nothing is impossible. There's a research being conducted at present
to see the possibility of calling anywhere in the world with no long distance charge except for an annual fee just like we
do for our Pay-TV. Great! That would mean I can call my relatives and friends in Manila and not charged for any single cent.
It is happening too early as I now pay only $6 from the previous months' $8 talking to my mum in the US for thirty minutes.
And this downward trend in long distance calls complements the virtual reunion I'm saying.
I am smiling now. Just
viewed "Milestones" web page and too excited to actually see its final look. Bonita is spending special hours to finalize
everything and I'm happy that she's doing it for usfor free, a labor of love. She told me about her plan few weeks back, perhaps
the reason why last night I dreamt about our Senior class. Bonita was offering us "kutsinta" and the rest of the class -Mylene,
Victor, etc. and even my first love were there! I woke up, I think, blushing.
It has become a daily habit reading
Bonita's e-mails and answering them gives me enough joy to actually end or start my day. I wonder you guys can likewise feel
the happiness once we meet online!
Because of our geographical location, it seems impossible for us to meet in one
place. Solution? Cyber-Reunion. Our aim? "Find our classmates and let's have a virtual reunion." Bonita's email should
be the starting point. So if you know the whereabouts of an MRHS grad, please try to pass his/her e-mail, residence address
or phone number to Bonita and break the good news about the very young MRHS "Milestone" website. This is a virtual site where
alumni can have a chance to share their adventures and rekindle the past.
A reunion should be a happy occasion because
the word signifies an upbeat air when "renewing a union." We gather in one place and reminisce the good ol' days. It is restoring
the affiliations we had when we were just innocent and carefree kids whose main concerns were to get good grades and perform
well in school programs. But I am also aware that the word "reunion" gives a sad experience to some. Reunions these days are
now shaded with a different tone as one seems to boast his or her achievements in life such as cars, houses, positions in
the company, etc. Getting together should not come out as an exhibition of one's social status. I believe that this should
not be the case. Because if reunions are celebrated that way then why not put up a gallery to showcase the material things
we possess? There's nothing wrong to be proud of our achievements. Everybody wants to be successful in life and there's no
denying that after success comes the rightful celebration. But if we meet and think that we're the "greatest", the "most successful",
someone who did not fare well in life, career or personal wise, would feel alienated and left out. Just feel how dreadful
it is to see a classmate slips out of our midst. The disappearance may
be for a while, but it may be. . . . forever.
This
virtual reunion is meant to blur the unsightly aura of such a great event. We are here not to brag about our degrees, how
fat our wallets/bank accounts are, how many cars we own, how many countries we visited, or how much we earned. Don't get us
wrong. Feel free to say your position in the company or the degrees you earned or anything under the sun. This should not
deter others who simply preferred to lead a simpler life. Some might just find staying at home with the kids a fulfilling
task, others did not finish college for some very important reason, while some are currently jobless. Choices and events in
life are not synonymous with success or achievements. We just want to know you again, know your whereabouts and be familiar
with one another again. Period. Let us keep the communication wire open, and burning if possible! Let us use this awesome
technology to have a reunion, seven days a week.
To keep the ball rolling, Bonita started searching the web and found
Lando Ernacio's address who is now in Saudi Arabia. And remember our dear Alicia Olimberio? Well, she also got her sister's
address and doing her best to contact her. We'll keep you updated.
Before leaving the country, I contacted Mylene
Garcia- Kasilag. She's set up her own company and doing great. I was not able to say goodbye to her because we were in a hurry
to leave PI. My youngest son, Jeremiah was, at that time, having bouts of asthma attacks leading to pneumonia. He simply needed
a nice, clean weather so Australia is a good place for him.
Anyway, few years back I had a chance to talk to Miraja Maglaya who was
even kind enough to visit me at home. She was leading a happy family life with growing kids. Sadly, we lost touch. The same
with Aurora Rojo, who was then working in Manila Hotel. She was about to get married then and I wonder how many kids she has
right now. I remember Rorie attending Mylene's wedding day. Also, when we were still singles, Nerissa Borromeo and I would
meet in La Salle just talking and reminiscing our high school fun. We lost contact when she married and moved in Taguig. One
day, I'll try to write her a letter as she left me their home address. And our singer in class Rosanna Rivera was my schoolmate
in Lyceum. Someone mentioned that she's in the US or Canada, I'm not really sure. Victor Masongsong and the rest of the guys
are still in Roxas District the last time I heard. He set up an engineering firm together with Brian Parado and some of their
barkada. Speaking of Brian, Mylene would grin, I'm sure, if I mention the identity of our secret codes "Betty" and "Joan".
Seven or eight years ago a reunion was held in Brian's house in Roxas District. I was not able to attend the reunion. I hope
Mylene could tell us stories about that reunion, and perhaps since she still lives in Roxas can serve as the class' contact
person. Those were bits of stories I can share and heaven knows how I wanted to see all of you when I was living in General
Lim Street. Every time I crossed the street and see the Roxas jeep, I would search for familiar faces but to no avail.
Nearly
20 years of not seeing each other is something! Time flies and everything has changed! I'm pretty sure that we've grown (some
horizontal, I should say), became wiser, and are enjoying our lives at present. Let us not allow another 20 years to pass
nor waste time contacting each other. Really, the best stage of our education is high school. When we graduated, Sharon Cuneta's
"High School Life" was the popular song: "Bakit ba kung graduation day ay luluha kang talaga" Let us then rekindle our past
by laughing at our stories, together we savour the joy of the present, and perhaps hand in hand walk into the future. We hope
to hear from you SOON!
This article is Copyright © 1999 Alice Gregorio-Nicolas. (August 18, 1999, Victoria, AUSTRALIA).
All rights reserved. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
