A couple of years ago, my father whisked my mother and I to this Family Encounter weekend. It’s sort of a retreat for the family and it really was unfortunate that my brother couldn’t make it. That weekend was a real eye-opener for me; I really learned a lot about my parents, my mother especially. But more about that on later posts.

This post is about a love letter we were asked to write to our families, recalling a dark moment in our lives. Imagine my surprise when we were then asked to read said letters aloud in front of the whole batch. I think I did a good enough job; I remember people coming up to me and telling me how “mature” I was after I read it.

Date: May 20, 2006

Dear Family,

I know that there have been dark moments in our life; only I can’t seem to remember them now. It probably was just that they happened when I was either too young to remember them now or they happened when I wasn’t even born yet.

I knew the crisis that we (?) had to undergo when mama’s father was sick. That story’s probably one of the “best-sellers” at the dinner table, and even though I wasn’t really there to experience it, I think Kuya and I got the message that, clearly, we should work hard not to lost what we have now.

I know that like Mr. Joh Alejandring, Papa almost went to Saudi once, in search of greener pastures. It really was a good thing that Mama disapproved of that plan; if she didn’t I can’t even imagine what kind of family we would have now. Tama si Jeff (or was it Jon?) ‘Di bale nang mahirap, basta sama-sama’.

Like Papa said earlier, ‘may dadating din na problema sa atin’. We can’t always be on top. But when that time comes, I’m pretty sure that we’ll get out of it okay, as long as we stay true to God.

Yeah, it was a bit cheesy. But do take note that the Family Encounter thing was a religious experience and this particular letter was written in the thick of it all.

So this one goes out to all the families out there who’re having difficulties plodding on. Keep faith.