Regarding friendships

(One of my long overdue postings.)

We started out as a group of girls who decided to go for a group study at our home and ended up sharing our lives together. It was a good day, March 23, 1996. And the rest, as they say, was history.
We were nine in the group namely Doll, Glenda, Pat, Donna, Len, Ivy, Tina, Janet, and me. Pero nung nag-start na yung next school year nadagdagan kami ng two boys namely Raymond and Darryl. But over the years the bonding was mostly among the girls.
During our first year in college, we belonged to different cliques. Glenda, Ivy and I belonged to a group called Onse consisting of 5 girls and 6 boys. Doll and Len were partners in crime during the first semester of the school year tapos nadagdag sa kanila si Pat when the second semester came. Sila Tina and Donna naman ang partners in crime whom we met nung nag-second semester. Janet was a stand alone, not belonging to any particular group but were friends with almost all of us.

It’s not exactly clear how we all got to be one group at kung paano kami nagkayayaan mag-group study. All I know for a fact is that I am blessed to have met these ladies. Truth is, hindi kami madalas umalis but we still manage to update ourselves with what’s going on with each others life. Ewan ko ba. Whenever we plan on going out, we either end up postponing or canceling it dahil sa mga last minute “something came up” excuses. Ang lagi lang tuloy nagkikita-kita ay ang mga “promoter”: Me, Doll, Glenda and Pat.

Last March 29, 2008, we all got together for Doll’s despedida party. Since may mga prior commitments yung iba and some will be going home to their provinces, we have set an early lunch date. Amazingly, almost complete kami. I think by far eto yung well attended na gathering ng group. Donna was the first one to arrive, followed by me, then Glenda. Tina came with her husband Ruben and son JP. Next who came were Doll, then Pat and her husband Clarence. Last to come in was Donna’s husband Alison (not sure sa spelling..sorry Donna!). Sayang, my husband Dong had work so sha lang ang partner na di nakapunta. Ivy and Len wasn’t able to make it while Janet was no longer living here so Malabo talaga sha makapunta.
Being with them was like reminiscing those wonderful college years - full of fond memories, funny moments and sad experiences. Hindi kami matapos sa kakatawa sa mga kababawan naming. Yung mga tantrums kapag gutom, petty quarrels because of photocopied notes, Enchanted Kingdom secret….haay..sobrang dami.
The greatest thing about our friendship is that we know it’s gonna go for the books. It’ll be shared until our gray-haired days, our kids being friends with each other, sharing reunions probably… 12 years together and counting…I thank God for every remembrance of them.