EDITORIAL: THOUGHTS OF HOME

The Christmas season is upon us and this is one of those times when I hark back on my childhood days in Pandan, Antique where the spirit of the season was enmeshed in church services, visiting godparents, seeing relatives who stop by after the misa de gallo, a once-a-year new dress, and the abundance of candies and treats that we didn't normally have the other times of the year.

As I find myself in the midst of all the commercialism of the season here in the US, I pause to wonder if Christmas has lost its spiritual message and the simple joys of the season to us who haven't been back in Pandan for several years. The season's activities in Pandan, that as a child seemed routine and just a little out of the ordinary and thus meant nothing much to me then, now mean everything to me because of what they stand for. Their inner sense of meaning and purpose is rekindled in me.

In my commiserations, I look at the Kyapnets and their cyberdinampurat in our Pagtatap egroups. I get my burst of relief and gratitude because the spirit of the season and its message of love, peace, and brotherhood are still intact and alive among us. And it is not only during the Christmas season that the Kyapnets come to the fore with these special traits; they are in abundance throughout the year. It's like we are telling ourselves that if we forget the past, we'll never know how far we have come.

Thus, as Pandananons, Pagtatap members, and Kyapnets who are all over the world, we belie the Korean student's essay that we Filipinos do not love the Philippines. We do not cloister our lives in the materialism of the society we are in and crowd out our pride as Filipinos and as Pandananons. Our childhood joys in Pandan stay with us always. They are the precious threads that create the fabric of our lives, the bonds and memories that blanket us and warm our hearts especially at this Christmas season of remembering, giving, and praying.

To us all, a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

- By Thelma Mantac Ramos, Washingston USA

December 16, 2003

Volume 3, Issue 1

Inside this Issue

Headlines
Page 1

Christmas Story
Page 2

Editorial
Page 3

Feature
Page 4

Dungganon
Page 5

Youth Achiever
Page 6

Eco-Tourism
Page 7

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