My daughter Ala is in a playful mood again! Once more, my header has changed a bit. She asked me if she could tinker with it. I said yes and while she was at it, could we go back to the old title of “Writing On Air” instead of the “10,000 Things” I had changed it to? Now it looks even more interesting. She’s come along way with her skills on html and graphic design. She must have gotten it from her mom who is a visual artist as well as a pottery teacher. From my side she got her free spirit and her boldness.

My oldest daughter Erica has also earned the priviledge of having a place in Ate Sienna’s panistan table. She likes to write about girlie stuff–make up, fashion, relationships, her kid Ananda, and about being a working twenty something. She’s on a real growth mode these days.

Then, there’s Mio who is 16 and has taken to the guitar wih a fierce dedication that continues to surprise me. I am so glad he is not one of those inarticulate, brooding young teens who work at being invisible to their parents. He likes to talk, joke, and share stories like his sibs. He also has great friends.

Between my two daughters, my son Mio and Lydia, (and me) there’s almost always great conversation going on in the house especially over dinner. That’s probably because we have an unspoken rule that talk during dinner time be always free and unencumbered, (meaning, uncensored..well..kinda! ha ha!) Believe me, some of the things said around our table really teeter on the edge and will shock more conservative families. Sometimes, we stay around the table an extra hour or so after meals just talking about anything between shades of light to serious stuff, or laughing and just having a good time. Their barkada, boyfriends, cousins like to hang around and join in too.

I’m relieved and thankful we’re not one of those quiet, estranged, I-don’t-mind-you. You-you-don’t-mind-me families. I guess we can truthfully say that we enjoy each other’s company despite the fact that children their age are undergoing their own angst and their parents are already “mid-lifing”. Sure there are disagreements too, but there’s a lot of democratic space outside and around the dinner table which we use to argue our sides. There’s give and take too. The sum total is a closeness, love and respect that is, I would like to think, real!

Years ago, I made a song about them. I tell everyone that I am the only person in the world who can sing this because it is strictly about my family.

Ang kayamanan na ating hanap

Kapag siya’y tunay ay di mo masusukat

Ang ugnayan ng pag-ibig

Ay kayaamanan ating pinapangarap

Lydia, Ayca, Mio, Ala

Ang pamilyang may pag-ibig pinagpalang tunay

Ang kadena ng pag-ibig ay bahagi ng ating kasaysayan

Ang ninuno ng bawat tao ay may iniwan na tanging kayamanan

Lolo, lola, nanay, tatay

Tito, tita, ate, kuya, bunso sa bahay

Lydia, Ayca, Mio, Ala

Sila’y pamilyang kaugnay sa buhay

Mahal kong tunay

I was just gonna write a short one on the header Ala made but alas, I digressed big time! Ha ha!! Mea culpa. Sorry if I do get way too crazy about my family! Oh well. Fathers are like that!