My Fourth Home

It is a blessing that in my life, there are actually several places I can call home - places where I am accepted, loved and helped to grow as a person. It's the kind of place, where you return after a period away and you're welcomed back. A parishioner in Skipton always greets me when she sees me after some time away: "Welcome home!" she says and she hugs me.

Coming back to Dagat-dagatan has been like that. Within minutes, I felt like I had never left, sitting down for an afternoon merienda (snack) after which my former students came to greet me and we spent some time together. It was very pleasant, although I did feel rather exhausted having been up since 5am to catch an early plane to Clark airbase, 90 km from Manila.

There is something beautiful about certain friendships that one can leave and come back to it and pick up where we left off... I suppose if that person resides in one's heart, one has truly never really parted! It is a blessing to have friendships like that and I thank God that there are at least four such places I can call home.

The photo above is from Fr Allan Lopez, OP's collection and shows the parish church of San Lorenzo Ruiz being demolished for reconstruction.