Snapshots of Life

Like the black and white photograph
Life was so simple in the 1970s.    
My hairline was perceived to be that of a conservative
Reflective  of my lifestyle  and  perspective.

In the 80s, however, some  areas turned into  gray
More so, when  the art of photography captivated me
My interest was not only on  pictures of harsh realities in the society
In solidarity, I  participated in the people’s  struggle for liberty.

The last quarter of the 1980s witnessed the change.
Life  was added with  colors.
Like the emerging  fad for colored pictures.
Yet, the black and white side of life did not end.

Life became the more  meaningful  in 1990s
When our union produced a family.
Blessed with three kids,  I intended to add more.
But my wife’s protested,  we might not take care of them all.

At the dawn of a new millennium,and thereinafter
More colors were added into  our family affairs.
Commitment to service  was no longer an exclusive property
My wife and children became active in their respective way

Later, however, life has become complicated
Especially,  with the resurgence of my principled stance to fight for what is right
This time,  directed   to our community of faith.
For these, I  almost did not make it in the first decade of the new millennium  (due to serious illness)

By God's grace, I successfully crawled to the finish line to cap my leadership. And continue  to avail of the grace of God  for  another decade.
Believing that  there is hope, where there is  breath,  I never cease thanking God for the coming decades



I do  not know what snapshots of life await for me
Be it black and white or colored, come what it may
Whatever happens,  God will never leave me nor  forsake me.
This I believe,  with utmost certainty.

Looking back on the snapshots of life
I cannot find any reason to fret.
Rather I have to move on and give life's  best.
No  matter what,  I will continue to  live and serve.


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This blog started as a photo album entitled Retrato sang Kabuhi (Snapshots of Life) I posted on Facebook on the eve of my birthday last year with captions written in our local dialect, Ilonggo. The likes and comments from friends inspired me to transform the album into a blog with English translation of the Ilonggo captions for the benefit of other readers.