And then there was one

About twenty one years or so ago, I was a young man who brought his children to school. There I was on my way to work with four little children at the back of the car, cruising along SLEX, way too early in the morning as the school is quite far from home. It seemed like it was going to be forever. But time does fly and fast. I have become old and one by one, the children are flapping their wings and taking off to conquer their own world. First, my eldest, left about five or six years ago. Then, my second, graduating as the concert master for the school orchestra under his belt last year and now. my third child, Kim. Yup! My third child said goodbye to her school for thirteen years last Saturday. I am down to the last child riding with me to school!



One side story prior to my daughter's graduation that I would like to share is this young Korean girl who befriended her. You see, Kim, my daughter, is by far the friendliest of the four children. For one reason or another, she became very friendly with the Koreans who study in our school. She knows everybody by name and everybody just have to call her nanme whereever they meet her. Well, there is this young girl, about ten years old, who talked to her inside the comfort room and became friends with her. Two days before graduation, this girl gave Kim a letter which touched us very much. It starts with Congraduation!!! I don't know but I just find that ingenious? In the letter, she also included a short poem. Remember that this is a Korean girl just beginning to learn English. I am reprinting it here to show you how sweet the girl is, naive, daring and talented. THis is how it goes:

Why?

Why
Why now?
why not later after 2 yrs
why will you live
So soon
With no notice?
I hate goodbye's
Why? O Why?
Should I Say
Goodbye.
Cant Collage or
University
wait or can't
you wait for me
to turn your age


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In another story, my eldest son, who plays violin for the University Chamber orchestra, played in An Overture to the Soul on March 13, the group's final concert for this schoolyear. What made the evening a true treat was that they played together with some guest performers coming from the Manila Symphony Orchestra and the UST Symphony Orchestra. Not only did my son looked like a pro in his tux but the repertoire was quite impressive, too.

Symphony no. 5
-Ludwig van Beethoven

The Swan
-Camille Saint-Saens

Moonlight Sonata
-Ludwig van Beethoven

Aquarium
-Camille Saint-Saens

Brandenburg Concerto no.3
-Johann Sebastian Bach

Overture to the Magic Flute
-Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Toccata and Fugue
-Johann Sebastian Bach

Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi
-Carl Orff

If only I could invite you all, I would have. Don't worry. I have yet to see my son play my dream concert. That would be him playing Beethoven's Romance in F with a full orchestra. By then, I would have saved enough money to invite you all :-).

As a gift to his graduating sister, Mickey not only attended the graduation but even played in the school's orchestra where he was formerly its concert master. Needless to say that his friends were happy to see him play with them again.

By and large, my "accomplishments", so far, are not bad for someone who has to bleed to earn for a simple living.