And So This Is Christmas

It's been an odd Christmas of sorts.

Personally, I'm really feeling that Christmas is just around the corner--with the help of the "The Nativity Story". However, there are too many negative things happening around me that prevents me from fully enjoying the holidays.

First of all, there's this person that has been giving me grief for the past three months. I'm seriously thinking of giving up and going elsewhere. I don't think I can survive this fight anymore. I have to leave before my reputation gets slashed into pieces. Though how much pep talk I give myself, I don't think staying will be for the best of my well-being. We'll see.

Other people have been giving me the cold shoulder for reasons that I really can't understand. I try to ignore it and let whatever it is they're feeling pass, but it can get quite difficult to do.

It's been quite challenging. I'm glad my Christmas shopping is done. At least it's one less grief for me.

I haven't really been attending the Simbang Gabi but I've been attending the masses the past four days. The priests officiating the masses at work are the Salesian Priests of Don Bosco. They're quite a happy and jolly bunch. Fr. Francis Gustilo is my favourite as he used to say mass at my hometown since I was a kid. I told him that I still remembered one of his homilies--about the camel and the needle's eye. I don't know why that stuck to me, but it did. I thought of asking him to officiate our wedding but I already asked two other priests--Fr. Eligio and Fr. Eliseo Santos.

I met Fr. Eli and Fr. Elis at work. We usually have First Friday Masses and other Special Celebration Masses and they usually officiate (they're related by the way. They're 7 siblings and 3 of them are priests. The other one died at East Timor). Their homilies are very touching but I'm leaning more on getting Fr. Elis. I always cry when I confess to him and he has always said the right words to give me comfort. Again, they're both very busy and they told me to remind them of my schedule. I won't mind if they're both available, but I hope at least one is available on my wedding.

Nevertheless, it has been quite a year for me. A year full of blessings. Though how much I gripe and complain, I have been very blessed this year. Let me count the ways:

1. Leo and I finally decided to get married
2. I got a promotion/transfer
3. I was able to enhance my learning and broaden my horizons
4. I saw my high school friends more than once this year
5. Two people who mean so much to me finally made peace with each other
6. I finally "acknowledged" the mother of my stepsister (hey, if I could talk to my stepfather, why not her?)

And many others. Okay, Leo just called me to say that he's on his way to fetch me. I'll continue this list some other time :)

Merry Christmas!!!