Birth Pains

I’ve always love babies and I’m always fascinated by them. These days, I am bursting at the seams with a kind of happiness that sits squarely in the heart. I am speaking about my love, adoration, delight and fascination for Reign, my first niece born 4 days ago whom I proudly conceptualized the name, “Reginauh Sofia”, combination of her mom and dad’s name (Rey and Elvie), my aunt’s name (Genie) since they got the same birthdate, and from my late lola (Aurora), in her remembrance. Sofia means wisdom, her big brother is Bo which means love, love and wisdom connive together. But let me tell you, there was tons of options before the couple decided for the final name. My relatives though are calling her many names now — reign, momay, anak, love, darling and many other terms of endearment that they find spontaneously and unabashedly using.

The best times are those ushered in by spontaneity like leaves that fall to the ground and are blown gently into the pathway of the day by the wind. John Stuart Mill once said, "You will inhale happiness with the air you breathe, without dwelling on it or thinking about it." The same could be easily said of the blessing that is a child.


Well.What do you know. This 4kg baby girl came earlier than expected (by ultrasound, her mom is due middle of July). Birth pains. After the pains, her mom and the rest of our clan are savoring the joys which now abound!

Just the same, I am optimistic about the birth of our new government. There is something about the entire campaign, the conduct of the elections and the results, that has given people a sense of hope for the future. Like everyone else, I am hopeful as we are poised once again to fulfill a great renewal, a promise to aspire and be better versions of what we are, if not the best we can ever be. Let us, each one of us, take full responsibility for the change we wish for our country. President Noynoy alone will not save us. Only we, moving as one, can. Let us not fail ourselves this time.

Oh, my darling baby Reign. Don’t you know that you mean the world to your mom and dad, your Kuya Bo and to me? If only I had the mutant powers to bend the laws of physics so that I could go home right this time just to smother you with my big, sloppy kisses, then that is all I would do.