TODAY is Holy Monday, the start of a Holy Week, a time of silence and reflection. When I was just a kid, my mother as well as the olds used to tell us that during these time, we have to be in silence because our dear God is suffering, oh my, we have to bear with him the whole holy week. As in no more laughter, no more pa-cute smile for a moment. We are like a full-metal androids during those time of reflection, obeying rules the tradition set, no taking of bath during Black Saturdays, no cutting of dirty nails during Good Friday, stay away from accidents, no extravagant dining and most of all obeying task every hour from the old dictators.

Today is a time of silence and reflection. We should stay in the house and pray. Maybe, just for our family who can't afford to pack up things and stuff food to trek up to the summer capital Baguio City and buy walis tambo or strawberry jams from the sisters in the Good Sheperd, or perhaps in the cool and cozy Tagaytay City to dine in and catch a glimpse of the overlooking Taal Lake, just like our neighbors used to do everytime our dear Lord is prickly suffering taking his cross crossing in every streets in the sin city. Then, a mammothed pop of question strikes my innocence, maybe it's all just an alibis my olds set up for austerity purposes, hey, who can afford to go to Baguio City during those early time the city is in her erectful popularity? Only the coños and the pa-tweetum gangs, doin' nothing out there in Baguio, littering words in Burnham Park or in Camp John Hay that is prickly irritating to our surreal bohemian ears. While our dear Lord is suffering, the gang are also bearing with Him, suffering from hangovers from the booze at the Cafe By The Ruins, or even perhaps, dancing the night away with busy colorful lights at Chaparal and the never-ending reklamos of a tiring walk anywhere, everywhere in the city, most especially at the Mines View Park, hhmmm, that's cool.

Today is Holy Monday, yes, a time of silence and reflection, just for a moment and I am with my kid, telling him to pause for awhile and reflect on all of the good things our dear Lord has done for both of us, giving his own life for his people, for me and most specially for him, my only dear. Today, we are going to Baguio City, not to mingle with the coños and the tweetums, but to take advantage of the long-weekend vacation, free from the stressing works and have a long free time alone with my kid. It's not that we informally pay no attention to the holy week of abstinence and reflection, but I snugly consider that God smiles when you remember and contemplate on Him everyday and not only during this week.