Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan

~ Jose Rizal

A person who does not  look back to where he came from cannot reach his destination.  One needs to connect his past and present in order to meet his bright future.  To connect with your roots is to appreciate the past's struggles, triumphs, lessons, experiences.  It is to understand our parents, our grandparents, and the people who have come into our lives us.  It is to recognize, that in one way or another, we are forever connected to and affected by our past.

I start my 2012 travels from my hometown for New Year's eve.  To be honest, I do not like going there very much because I felt that there is nothing to do there.  In fact, I was supposed to have created a business project there over five years ago, but I abandoned it because I felt that the town, Vintar, was a ghost town.  I remember leaving over 20 years ago, and it seemed like, upon returning, everything was still the same.  So when I visit relatives, I stay just briefly.

But this year, 2012, it was different.  It was the first time since 1986 that I celebrated New Year's Eve in my barangay.  In fact, I do not remember at all how I celebrated New Years back then.  I was too young to remember.  My earliest memories of New Year's Eve celebration were in Honolulu, Hawaii, where I grew up.  We lit fireworks all night long.  We ate all night and morning long.  It was very festive to me.  But in the province?  In my hometown, where the family home is situated between the rice fields and the mountains, what could we possibly do?

I had the option to join my friend, Vin, to a New Year's Celebration in Sydney, Australia.  I opted instead to stay.  My other friends were celebrating with their families.  I remember celebrating one year with Edward's family.  But this year, I would do it alone, with no friends.  Instead, I would celebrate it with family in the province.  I was unsure how it would be like.

To make a long story short, I learned more about myself and people in general because I spent New Years in a different way, different that what I was used to: parties, drinks, alcohol, music, dancing, and lots of friends.  I learned that joy comes in even the smallest forms and smallest ways.  Seeing the happy faces of my cousins and neighbors when we played games and as I awarded them prizes.  We played so many games like Longest Line, Musical Chairs, The Boat is Sinking, Pinoy Henyo, 7-up, and more.  I spent roughly Php 10,000 that day, but it was worth it!!!

I was reminded that joy is not only in big parties and being surrounded by many friends.  It is not only in the grand fireworks or in the noise around you.  It is not only with friends drinking and dancing around you. 

I was reminded that joy is found when you share it with others.  Joy is when you see your cousins eyes light up because you are there.  Joy is when you see how truly happy they are.  I learned that celebration iis in the heart.

Here are some photos of that day:

The Sinking Tower in Laoag City