“One travels long distances not solely for large gatherings, but for something more intangible. I have always gone out on a limb for love.” ― Jennifer Ball
Matthew and I traveled 500 kilometers to celebrate a different kind of Christmas. Far from our usual boisterous Christmas with my siblings and nieces and nephews, we opted to go to Laoag, spend time with two of my dad's siblings, one of them a cloistered nun in a convent, and a cousin and her husband who were here from overseas. It was truly a beautiful and refreshing time as we all took that time to get to know each other beyond facebook updates and chats.
The convent will always feel like another home to me. Ever since my aunt entered in 2008, Matthew and I have probably visited about 5-6 times and we have always been welcomed with open arms. The smiles, the hugs, always make you feel like you are part of their family.
The last time we saw my cousin Meredith was in 1984 and she was this tiny. Now she is married with a kid on the way and it was truly about time to get to know them. Also in this picture is Meredith's mom, Tita Veca and my aunt, now nun, Sis Josefina.
Driving up North was well worth the memories of spending Christmas with them. We played tourist on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with Matthew and I playing guide as we took them around the Ilocos Norte countryside.
Matthew and I have been to most of the places we visited but everything becomes different when you see it from the eyes of those who haven't been there before. Everything feels new, everything fresh. You appreciate everything all over again.
More than anything, I am really thankful for the time I got to spend with each of them. The time with Matthew on the drive to and from Laoag was more than just an adventure it was truly a wonderful time to talk, a time to just be with each other. This boy of mine is no longer a kid I can tag along, now the roles have reversed. I appreciate the time off he got and his willingness to do the drive.
The time with Peach is always, always wonderful. She is an aunt so close to my heart. The passion to travel, to do pocket trips, to learn, to explore, I got from her.
The time with Tita Veca is a chance to really get to know her. She has spent most of her life in Canada and rarely gets to visit. This was a chance for me to build a relationship with her that distance had taken away from us. Facebook has somewhat shortened that distance the past few years but it is still different to really get to build a relationship with her in the flesh.
The time with Meredith and Rich is refreshing. We get a glimpse of a cousin we only saw in photographs and the life she has built now with her husband. It is refreshing to be able to bond and build a relationship with them. At the end of the day, no matter how long it is between visits, or how far apart we are, we are still family. There is that intangible bond that ties us together, that bond that makes you feel like you have known each other all your lives.
The time with the nuns is always moving. The Christmas Eve service with them brought me to a place where I truly felt peace. A place that touched my soul and brought back wonderful memories of Christmas past. Christmases when both Mom and Dad were with us. Christmases of my childhood.
The best gifts I received this Christmas were not gaily wrapped under a tall tree. They were wrapped in the lives of the people I spent it with, wrapped up in memories I will cherish for years to come.
Driving up North was well worth the memories of spending Christmas with them. We played tourist on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with Matthew and I playing guide as we took them around the Ilocos Norte countryside.
More than anything, I am really thankful for the time I got to spend with each of them. The time with Matthew on the drive to and from Laoag was more than just an adventure it was truly a wonderful time to talk, a time to just be with each other. This boy of mine is no longer a kid I can tag along, now the roles have reversed. I appreciate the time off he got and his willingness to do the drive.
The time with Peach is always, always wonderful. She is an aunt so close to my heart. The passion to travel, to do pocket trips, to learn, to explore, I got from her.
The time with Tita Veca is a chance to really get to know her. She has spent most of her life in Canada and rarely gets to visit. This was a chance for me to build a relationship with her that distance had taken away from us. Facebook has somewhat shortened that distance the past few years but it is still different to really get to build a relationship with her in the flesh.
The time with Meredith and Rich is refreshing. We get a glimpse of a cousin we only saw in photographs and the life she has built now with her husband. It is refreshing to be able to bond and build a relationship with them. At the end of the day, no matter how long it is between visits, or how far apart we are, we are still family. There is that intangible bond that ties us together, that bond that makes you feel like you have known each other all your lives.
The time with the nuns is always moving. The Christmas Eve service with them brought me to a place where I truly felt peace. A place that touched my soul and brought back wonderful memories of Christmas past. Christmases when both Mom and Dad were with us. Christmases of my childhood.
The best gifts I received this Christmas were not gaily wrapped under a tall tree. They were wrapped in the lives of the people I spent it with, wrapped up in memories I will cherish for years to come.
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