Choose Love

Oh my gosh, my Biyaya sister aka as Grace sister Carol Ojeda-Kimbrough gave me the most beautifully wrapped present with fresh herbs and flowers made into a bouquet ribbon. Inside this box of DIOR are little recipes to Heal the World with a Kind Heart, sprinkling seasonings and spices for tasty tips for justice, and revolution of braised short ribs.

It meant so much to me for at the end of my life, I just want folks to say, in my life celebration, ‘she chose love’ and her life’s theme is ‘choose love.’ Ever since that became my chosen mantra, ‘grace upon grace walks in my life.

Tonight is another one of those nights, a concert called:”Stories behind Songs” by Dodjie Simon and Odette Quesada, benefiting The Filipino Caucus Foundation who are building communal toilets used by poor families in Nueva Ecija. Imagine the dignity these families feel in having their biological basic needs met! Guess what – organizers revealed last night that they exceeded their goal and in fact, doubled it.

It was a very endearing concert to walk with these two songwriters with such prolific bodies of works in music that they have composed since their teenage years to today. Odette will have a 40th anniversary concert as a songwriter in Manila on Sept 1, 2023.

Two numbers stood out for me, a medley of theme songs for films and teleseryes played and sang by Dodjie Simon, Trina Marana and Mikaela Bautista.

Another heartwarming song was a music video released by Odette Quesada, Habang Panahon Tanging Ikaw ang Mamahalin, an ode to her late husband, who composed it for her.

It was so touching to hear the lyrics sung with sincere feelings of depth and tender connections. Thanks Annie Nepomuceno and Ed Nepomuceno for our group photos, photo #13 and #14.

I felt love reverberating in this concert, about 800 plus that attended.

Thank you Dodjie Simon Odette Quesada for a heartwarming and heartfelt loving evening.

Thanks again Fr. Rodel G.Balagtas for last night’s Peruvian dinner and a beautiful book by a Peruvian author.

I am so grateful for these love-curated evenings of birthday celebrations – they are sincere true expressions from loving hearts of holy men and women!