A Soldier’s Birthday

I was born exactly 33 years ago today and I thank the Lord for giving me another year to enjoy His blessings. I thank my family too- my wife Pau, daughter Ruthie, parents, brother and sisters and parents-in-law and sister-in-law for giving me their unconditional love through the years.

My parents told me that I came out from my mother’s womb at exactly 4:30 in the morning of a cold 1981 Monday. Two other siblings came ahead of me, both of them girls. Our eldest was born in 1977 while the next in 1980. Two more would follow me in 1986 and 1988 thus making me the middle child. Except for the youngest, all of us were born inside our humble dwelling in the province. It was a common practice among families that time for a mother to deliver her baby at home as hospitals were usually too expensive. Besides, more people trusted the local midwife (partera) than the doctors and nurses in the hospital. At least that’s what I surmised. Most of the children in our barangay that time were delivered with the assistance of just one partera- Mamay Lilia. I can’t clearly recall her face anymore but I remember my father would usually fetch her in the middle of the night to check on my mother when she was pregnant with my sister. She would die later on from a lingering illness but all of us remember her fondly as the fragile but very caring lady who happened to be the first to one to have held us. Now that I remembered her once again while writing this, I sincerely thank her for helping my mother and father bring me out in this beautiful world.

I also recall how jubilant our home was when my mother delivered my younger sister and brother. I didn’t know how nervous my father had been whenever mama gave birth to each one of us until three years ago when my own wife delivered our first (and only) baby. But unlike him, I had the opportunity to be beside my wife and witness the entire ‘process’. Thanks to modern technology, I even had still photos of our daughter while she was being ushered out of her mom’s womb. Perhaps papa tamed his nerves well but I remember him being sleepless the night or nights mama was about to give birth. He would cook our favorite version of the cassava cake- the balisongsong, and other sweets mama liked. He has always been a very caring husband and father. Now that he is past 60 years old, he is still the same guy that I’ve always looked up to.

As I’ve said, childbirth has always been a celebration for our family. When we were young, I did not really care that there were five of us in a small house. I was happy. My siblings were happy and my parents were happy as well. I did not yet understand how difficult life was until I reached my senior years in high school and then when I finally went to college but it is a different story. I’ll talk about it some time.

Now, going back to my birthday, I used to ask myself these: Why was I born on a September 14? Why not on a more popular dates like January 1 or December 25 or perhaps on the same dates like Jose Rizal's or Andres Bonifacio's? Why can’t I have the same birthday as my mother or father whom I really look up to and love? Well, growing up makes you realize the stupidity of the questions you asked as a child. A person’s birthday cannot be pre- determined. Or can it be now? Can science and technology help parents choose the date of birth of their child before conceiving? Maybe. If that technology was present in the early 80’s, and if my parents could have afforded it, what date would have they chosen for me? Probably, they would have selected the same date as their wedding anniversary or one of their birthdays- to minimize the cost of birthday celebrations! But did you know that our youngest was born on the wedding anniversary of my parents? Yes, that’s a magnificent coincidence. Until now, it is still a source of amusement for us.

Famous people born on September 14

Did you ever wish you were born on the same date as your favorite star or stars? Do you take pride in sharing your birthday with popular persons- scientists, actors, actresses, politicians or statesmen, and movie characters?

I consulted the ever- reliable Google to find out the Who’s Who in the past, and in the contemporary times who were born on September 14. Alas, except for the ultra- famous but now deceased rocker Amy Winehouse and Sam Neill of Jurassic Park, I can’t seem to recognize any of the hundred plus name of ‘famous’ people. They had different fields of expertise and occupations: psychology, banking and finance, music, science and technology, military, theater and arts, medicine, photography and so on and so forth. Their specialties were as diverse as the flora and fauna of Mount Kanla-on. For a short while, I tried to establish a pattern to determine if there were any similarities among them aside from being successful in their chosen field. Unfortunately, I found none. But then, that’s not my expertise. Besides what could going over a long list of people in 10 or 20 minutes give you aside from their professions and dates of birth. Perhaps the only thing that we share is a common Zodiac sign or horoscope that says:

“Being a Virgo born on September 14^th, you are perhaps most well- known for your sensitivity and reserved nature. While others may call you shy or timid, the reality is that you are simply not a fan of the spotlight. You prefer to live life in the background, where you are disturbing others and they are not disturbing you. This tendency makes it difficult to open up to people about your true thoughts or feelings you quite different with family and friends, where you can be yourself without effort. When you do open yourself up, you may even be surprised by how emotional of a person you really are.” (www.famousbirthdays.com)

Well that says it. I mean, the paragraph above, almost exactly describes who I am as a person. Not that I am a fan of horoscope but that’s the closest description I could relate myself to. It is true that I always keep myself on the background although sometimes, there is also the need to be recognized for what I do or what I have done. When everyone is onstage, I’d prefer to mingle with the people behind or with those watching and listening to the actors. I am usually more interested in what they think about what the man on the podium is saying. It is also true that it is hard for me to open up to people especially those who are not really close to me. And even if people are so close to me, I still have the tendency to put a wall (not that thick) between us where I can conveniently hide and defend myself just in case an attack becomes imminent (you know what I mean). This is because I think people who really know you can hurt you more than those who don’t.  And yeah, sometimes, I am surprised with myself whenever I become emotional about some things especially when it involves family members.

So, does this mean Virgos have to fit in to the above description? Absolutely not. A person should not live according to other people’s perception or opinion. Neither should he be judged whether he satisfies what the society dictates or not. Each individual is unique, not only because of his birthday or Zodiac sign, but the circumstances that shaped him throughout his life. His own experiences, associations, relationships, character or values make him a totally unique individual. A person should not struggle to fit in to any dimension or dimensions that his environment wants for him. Instead, he should strive to be as human as possible- to live life to the fullest, in harmony with others, in harmony with his environment.

Post Script

I can clearly recall where and how I ‘celebrated' my birthday since I entered PMA in 2002. Let me share to you some of the more interesting ones.

As a plebe in 2002, nobody knew it was my birthday so I had my usual share or morning routine (read: kamalasan or misfortune). Come lunch time (we call it noon mess), the Brigade Adjutant (bowwow) announced the birthday celebrators including me. In short, our table commander immediately declared a ‘holiday’ for me as a matter of tradition. I was ‘at ease’ the whole day. That includes exemption from fatigue duties, mase-mase (plebe exercises) and loand-and-load (eat normally, consuming everything without any intervention from the senior cadets) and other plebe duties. The following day, everything resumed to the usual until such time that we were recognized as part of the Corps of Cadets.

In 2003 I celebrated my birthday with my foster parents at their home in Baguio City. As a yearling or 2^nd year cadet, I was given a privilege to go out for a day to celebrate. My beloved foster family (Papa Jess, Mama Merian, Jill, Marion, Marvin and Manang) prepared papaitan, pinikpikan and the first ever Birthday Cake (in caps) I had in my life. I can never forget that. I always remember them with fondness and love as they have treated me like their own. Actually they never introduced me as their foster son but as their eldest son.

In 2004, nothing very significant happened. We were already Cows then (3^rd year) and I got a simple greetings over the PA system in the barracks. My foster family sent me my favorite goodies of strawberry with condensed milk and papaitan delight.

In 2005, now a First Class and Immaculate, I was accorded the traditional dunking at the PMA Sundial. It goes like this: A group of cadets (usually plebes and yearlings) serenade you with the Corps Birthday Song and your favorite songs (they are good in research) then carry you horizontally to each of the rooms of your Mistahs (classmates) to have your share of tickling and all sorts of ‘pangangaya’ (an endearment composed of pinch and tickles on the nose, ears, tummy or soles of your feet depending on where your weakness is). Then they dunk you at the ice-cold pool at the Sundial. if you cant still figure it out, try listening to the Corps Birthday Song:

We will wake you up with songs this morning

Cause we know today’s your day at days

And of course you’re now a little older

Yet still you’re too young to be hold

So we lift you and carry you with gladness

We’ll enter a many million doors

Until all your valiant comrades shower

Their gifts to you in this good and fine morn

REFRAIN:

See the colored forest by your doors and hallways

See the finest wishes written on the wall

Hear the guitars and the songs of all your comrades

The grandest feast we’ll know may be tonight

May your wishes

Reach up and be granted

May the yearning of your hearts come true

And those distant loved ones and beloved

Send thousand letters just for you

Even though today we have reckon

The pains received we do return

But we all believe by now you won’t mind

Because at heart we know that you are kind

REFRAIN:

See the greatest forest covered walks, and by ways

See the coolest fountain guarded by the halls

Let the new day and the songs of all your comrades

Remain a vivid memory to last. 

(from http://jovenile.tripod.com/songs.htm)

 That;s exactly what happened to me. At night, a simple boodlefight was shared by the company. What a way to celebrate, right?

In 2006, I celebrated my birthday somewhere in the boundary of Canlaon City and San Carlos City in Negros. Nobody in the battalion knew or remembered that it was my birthday. My troops did not also know as I’ve never told anyone (mahina mag find out eh). I was already a Platoon Leader then and we were resting on a small hut on top of Mount Balabac. Shortly before midnight of September 14, I asked my Platoon Seargent, Sgt. Steb Berry to wake me up before 0000H and so he did. I told him it was my birthday and I just wanted to wake up and look at the moon and stars and be sentimental about it. The following morning, I received an order for my platoon to hit the nearest detachment to rest. Apparently, one of my troops told the operations officer that it was my birthday. As soldier ‘pamahiin’ (belief) may have it, they don’t allow anybody celebrating birthday while on combat operations. And so we did reach the detachment and my soldiers prepared tinolang manok and nilagang mani for us to feast on.

In 2007, again, my birthday fell in the middle of a combat operation. Fortunately, we were halted at a detachment where we were able to savor hot tinola soup. No booze or wine. No singing and dancing. All we could do is marvel at the beauty of the night serenaded by a choir or crickets, frogs, mosquitoes, niknik and what-have-you. Nonetheless I was still thankful.

In 2008, I quietly celebrated my birthday while we were undergoing live Close Quarter Battle Training in Fort Magsaysay. I was a student of the Special Forces Operations Course then. I told myself then that if I am accidentally hit, I would die on my birthday. Thank God, nothing like that happened though after just three months, I had my share of exit wounds.

Thirty-three years and still counting. How time flies.