The other day I have learned that a school mate got married after long years of dating, I have informed my mother about it and she asked me why I wasn’t invited which I simply replied that we are not closed which made her wonder and asked why she went with another schoolmate into our home when I just arrived from abroad, well maybe she just tagged along.

Anyway, it feels like it was been long years, the other day I am able to reread my blog post entitled My Life, My Friends and My Sadness I have been home for a few years and if you will asked me if I meet any of them for a get together, my answer is no.  Never had a chance to meet them and talked like there is no tomorrow. A few times, I have met my college friend when I visited her on her work place, the second time when I dropped my gift to her son and then nothing else, I hid myself and never been out of home unless going to town market with my family.

[Photo courtesy of thatsphotography/pixabay.com]

Honestly, I believed I have a lot of friends but I have found out I am only their friend when I am around and when I am not I am just someone else. Anyway, I have seen some of my “friends” but it is always a casual meeting, if we didn’t wave each other we just say hi and hello. Actually, there is someone I consider a friend on my high school days, I know her parents and her siblings and whenever I saw her in town I greeted her first but I have noticed she wasn’t that excited to see me, she won’t acknowledge me until I acknowledge her first and whenever I asked her question she sounds so inferior and so mighty so I stopped saying hi after realizing it was only me who cares. One fateful day, I saw her walking with a foreigner and the moment she saw me, she held the guy’s arm and let loose when I am already out of her sight and because of curiosity I have done stalking to her social account and I found out it was her boyfriend and she visited a few Asians countries already, so after that incident I didn’t wonder anymore why she has that attitude towards me.

[Photo courtesy of ThePixelman/pixabay.com]

“I am scared of rejection so I choose to be alone”

When android phones became popular in the market I reconnected with some of my so called “friends” and schoolmates through Facebook but then I realized their hidden agenda on reconnecting with me. They want to meet me but I have to pay for them, they want to bring me but I have to pay for them and blah blah blah…. there are some “friends” who will asked how much allowance I received monthly and whenever I say I am not receiving any, end of discussion they won’t message again but what is more entertaining was when an old friend added me in Facebook just to borrow money (lol).

Since then, I learned how to be reserved and answer briefly as short as their question. I don’t give much details and updates about me especially about my married life that they are devouring to know.

Went to church on New Years eve and then went home and sleep, we have no preparation for the New Year. My sister wake me up when 12 o’clock strikes in the clock so I could see few fireworks in the sky, there’s not much then it is drizzling. The night is very silent, my father fired eight pieces of “kwitis” then when they’re all fired up, I went down and sleep again.

It’s New Year and most people sleep late but the church service started very early because it is first Sunday of the month. Pastor opened his preaching for the day by asking if we are pessimist or optimist.  Looking back, I am always an optimistic person, I always look at the bright side and I always find good reason in every situation, like why a flight has been cancelled or delayed, that life is more important than money and so on… then my light dies… I became pessimistic and expect worst in every thing, I became hopeless…

Anyway, the scriptural scripture this Sunday is from Ephesians 5: 15-17. Pastor reminded everyone to watch our step because sometimes we are guilty of living too fast, to redeem our time and make most of every opportunity and do God’s will.

Pastor E shared a lot of inspiring verses from the bible after the preaching proper like Let not your heart be troubled.” (John 14:1 KJV),  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6) and other verses that were strong enough to pacify a hopeless and weary heart.

Since I went to church early without eating anything I decided to have a sip of coffee, ate bread  and peanut butter after church and while I am eating an aunt called and invited us to their house to eat, was told that some of our relatives were there eating.  I am already full but we don’t want to disappoint our aunt so my sister and I went to their home which is now owned by her son. Well, they have plenty of preparation for the new year,  there was a lot of food to eat.

It was my cousin’s wedding yesterday, my parents were one of the principal sponsors and my younger sister was one of the bridesmaids and me was one of the visitors. I dress nicely so I won’t be under-dress like the previous weddings of my relatives but I think I over dress because my dress blend with the bridesmaids.

Below are some of the disappointments, problems they face before and after the wedding.

Unforeseen Event

My cousin’s wedding brought a lot of stress to them, days before the wedding the mother of the groom died so the groom family wasn’t able to attend the wedding, then there was a typhoon so there was a lot of passengers that has been stranded, so some of their visitors and part of the entourage were not able to attend my cousin’s wedding.

Gown Rental

The dresses of the bridesmaid were not done on time and the dress of the matron of honor was a disaster that she wasn’t able to wear it on the wedding day. A few months before the wedding day, my cousin’s family informed the couturier about the bridesmaid dresses, the color and etc., The bridesmaid even went to their house/shop for the measurement, everything went well but not as the wedding day is coming. A few weeks before the wedding the dresses weren’t ready yet, it was told that they were still in Manila as they were sewn in the city, days before the wedding the dresses were still out of sight, the bridesmaid had to be measured again just in case the dresses needs to be repaired for their new measurement.  A day before the wedding the dresses arrives to their house and it is coming from out of town contrary to what is told that is coming from Manila, and since the dresses were not yet fully finished, minor details were not added yet my aunt and the bride has to wait for them until early mornight. Instead of relaxing for the wedding tomorrow they are stressed waiting for the bridesmaid dress to be done.

Catering

The reception was a disappointment too. There are still photos taking photos at the church but the groom and bride’s cut-outs name has to be removed because it has to be used at the reception held at the bride’s residence. The program proper didn’t start until the bride and grooms place was not set-up (re: adding the cut-outs). Then the secondary sponsors were not given a presidential table they have to fall inline in a buffet so they could eat. And according to the family, the food that they choose with the caterer were not the food that was served and the vegetable menu was lacking, their utensils went missing after the wedding (dunno who took them it is either the visitors or the caterer) and even some of the food were gone quickly when there are only a few visitors. In the end, the caterer refunded an amount brought by unpleasing service.

Film and Video

Added to the fiasco was the video and camera persons hurrying to finish the wedding reception ceremony because they have another engagement in the afternoon but they took their time eating at the reception.

Over-all, it was a successful event despite the mishaps and blunders of people they trust on the dresses, reception and documentation of their wedding.

Update:

After a month, they are able to claim the photos and video taken on my cousins wedding day.  Disappointment of all disappointment the video was of low quality, a pirated DVD is far more clearer than their wedding video.  It looks like the  videographer  doesn’t know his craft,  the video was either zoomed out or the people were cut,  the sound and movements were not sync too. They returned it to the studio but the quality was still the same darker and blurry but it sync now, the video was not just a remembrance of their wedding but also for the groom’s family to see because they were not able to attend their wedding. Maybe they could just day “that’s how its done in Odiongan!”