My Cuz Premz

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday . A few days ago, one of my cousins in the States sent me a message saying that she will stay away from Facebook beginning on Ash Wednesday as her Lenten atonement. Making this sacrifice at Lenten season is a vow that she has kept for three years now. But why the Facebook abstinence? It’s a big deal for her considering most of her friends are here in Pinas (or in some other parts of the world). Nowadays, our relatives and friends are getting farther and farther from our social radar. We don’t usually get to see them as often anymore. So Facebook is something which still lets everybody know that you are still alive. Ergo, it will be a tough, challenging reparation for her.

Anyway, let me introduce to you to this cousin I’m talking about. Her name is Maria Clara Villaraza Mejino--Mino, Mariclaire, Clara, (and lately) Claringring. She is actually a third cousin (or fourth?); but that doesn’t matter. She’s still the closest cousin (in my heart!) I claim to ever have.

My family used to live in Tramo Street, Pasay City. At that time, that city was known for mga halang ang kaluluwa. Clara’s family, the Mejinos, lived in the biggest house at the corner of Tramo. Their family was never robbed or sinalbahe because Clara’s father was Tramo’s resident doctor and her mother was the dentist. They were well-respected and loved. Lolo Doktor, as we fondly called his father, assisted my mom in giving birth to all of us, 5 kids. It was just natural that as we were growing up, we became close to Lolo Doctor’s kids too.

KBFFs. Clara and I were clasmates from kindergarten
to almost all through our high school years

Clara was the same age as me, well almost. I was born in January, and she, December of the same year. But we were in the same batch in St. Mary’s Academy Pasay. I faintly remember my first day in kindergarten. My Ate Clara was the only one I knew. She with blonde hair and milky white skin, how could they have known we were cousins (me, with the yagit features)? But I insisted to force myself to be at her back in the line and call her “Ate Clara! Ate Clara!” She whispered to me that I shouldn’t call her ‘Ate’ anymore because I was obviously older than her. Sure, as long as I was with her, I’d do anything she said!

Love yah, cuz premz!
Her visit to Bacolod in January 2011

Anyway, we were inseparable after that. In summer, I would go to their house and do all sorts of kid stuffs--listen to the ‘Sound of Music’ LP, play bahay-bahayan, take a bath with her in their bathtub, play the piano, etc. etc. We were together until we graduated from high school. The happiest memories I had in that part of my life were with her. Now that she’s in Seattle, whenever I miss her, I write a line or two to her on FB. Then my life is happier again.

So what about MY own sacrifice this Lenten season?  “Why not give up on blogging your outfits?” she FB’d back. Ouch! 40 days and 40 nights of not thinking about fashion? (I knew I shouldn’t have asked her!) Okay, okay. If that would give me extra points in heaven, so be it. After all, didn’t I promise I’d do anything my cuz premz would say?