EDITORIAL: JANUARY 2022

We live in “interesting times.”  That oft said English expression, rightfully or wrongfully attributed to an old Chinese curse, has never been more true.  Life as we knew it was turned upside down and just when we started venturing out to emerge from our self-imposed bubbles to see family and friends, to breathe open air and to strive for some modicum of normalcy, the Covid re-surge hit us and we are “bubbled” once again.  Such is the foreseeable cycle of our lives, moving baby steps forward to take a few backward ones.

But the New Year always brings fresh hope!  And 2022 opens new doors as it shuts 2021.  At the start of the year, it was not unusual to hear of family and friends quarantining or getting infected by Covid, blessedly, in most instances, the more benevolent kind with symptoms akin to flu which runs its course within a few days. Many are no longer running for respirators; instead, we feverishly seek Biogesic, Bioflu, Vitamins C, D and mucolytics. While there is always the latent fear, 2021 gave us some level of composure and realization that as hard as we try to protect ourselves and our loved ones, this insidious bane can reach even the most unreachable.  And with this comes acceptance as we realize that our minds, our bodies, our resources can only do so much.. and we surrender!  Surrender…is this faith steeled by the fires and havocs we have been through?  Is this faith when we call out to the Almighty and say “God, here I am.  Small, vincible and I have done my best.  To you, I supplicate and leave the rest.” To leave the rest to God; it is an acknowledgement of our humanity and His Divinity, a response to His open invitation to bring Him to the core, center and foundation stone of our lives. It is rediscovering God once again. This rediscovered faith, I think, is the greatest gift of all this tumult.  And it opens up our deep reservoirs of hope in all the forms of life’s resurrections.

2021…it ended with a bang!  The double Os, Omicron and Odette, happened.  Omicron we are grappling to live with.  Odette, on the other hand, moved many Assumption hearts to mobilize for the hapless typhoon victims.  AAA, along with AC, called for donations.  And our very own HS’81 sent tons of much needed supplies to Dumaguete.  Ode to Odette recounts their tale.  We lift up our sisters of HS81, each of them a heroine to the countless people they helped.  Through their Christ-like response of extending help so generously,  they have shown many typhoon victims the face of God.

2021 to 2022.  Hail and Farewell! 

Hail to the 2022 AAA Board of Trustees, infused with re-electionists and fresh new faces voted in during our first online elections in October 2021. 

Farewell to the Trustees  and Board Adviser leaving us after many years of dedicated service, passion and commitment. We started as colleagues and ended up as friends. Such a priceless gift….friendship!

As a year opener, we are featuring our very first Alumna Highlight.  In focus is our very own Berna Romulo Puyat, DOT Secretary.  Reaping multiple awards for her championship of our Philippine Islands, read about her journey and of her patriotic love for our beautiful isles. Read her story and you will fall more deeply in love with our homeland!

On the spiritual side, get to know Mother Mercedes, as written by Marlu Balmeceda. Then read of Rosie Sun Yu’s reflection of Mother Eugenie’s quotation.  It’s about Jesus as center.  It’s about…Surrender!

I surrender! 

And because of this, I love, I hope, I believe. 

May 2022 be kinder, gentler, safer for all of us!

All Hail!