Parental Love before a basketball game

My father had been a basketball player for Ateneo in his youth, and remains a die-hard Ateneo fan to this day. He was able to get two tickets for the La Salle vs. Ateneo game slated for this afternoon at the Araneta Coliseum, after moving heaven and earth to do so. He wanted to get five tickets so the whole family could watch, but we were lucky to get the two already.

            Naturally, we all agreed that Papa would take Ticket No. 1 since he was the most ardent Ateneo basketball fan in the family. And it was only right, we felt, that Tata get Ticket No. 2 since she was teaching in the Ateneo High School. They say it’s even written in the job description of Ateneo teachers... “Article X Section 3: Teachers must attend Ateneo basketball games and cheer their lungs out...” hehe. Or so they say.

            Ogot had to stay home and do some schoolwork. I also had MA stuff to take care of, but        Mama wanted to check out Gateway Mall  (which is right beside the Coliseum), but she didn’t want to go alone so I volunteered to act as her window-shopping companion slash bodyguard (Cubao’s not exactly a peaceful neighborhood). “Live today, work tomorrow,” was my motto. J The plan was, Mama and I would leisurely stroll around this unfamiliar mall while waiting for Tata and Papa to finish watching the game.

            On the way to Araneta, we were all surprised when Papa suddenly turned to me and said, “Why don’t YOU go with Tata to watch the game?”

            I was stunned. First of all, I knew just how much watching this game meant to Papa. For me, it would be the equivalent of my getting a ticket to watch Kathleen Battle (one of my favorite sopranos) perform at the Met (haha, one can dream!).

            This would be the first time in at least 10 years that he would be able to watch a La Salle vs. Ateneo Seniors Game. It meant the WORLD to him. We knew that. And yet... he was willing to give it up... for me. So I could go and watch it with my twin sister. “You’re both young, you should be the ones to go experience this,” he said.

            I hastily assured him that he would be casting pearls before swine, as it were, since I was not (and probably never will be) a basketball fan, despite my having green blood. (Hmmm... come to think of it, my siblings and I have all three “Top Schools” colors of blood in our veins... We went to La Salle Zobel for high school, UP Diliman for college, and now go to the Ateneo for grad studies. So we can sit in either team during a game, and have justification for doing so, hehe.)

            This is just one of the many instances in my life that Papa has shown the depth and extent of his love for me. He may not tell us in words, since he is a true Marlboro macho man and avoids sentimental, flowery speeches. But actions speak louder than words, and he shows us how much he loves us each time he drives us to and fro school/work, each time he brings home some chocolate or apples and oranges when we’re sick, each time he treats us to our favorite Starbucks drink even though he’d never buy himself a cup since he thinks it’s too expensive. He shows it in his stern lectures whenever we forget to fix our bed, or stay up too late typing a paper... he shows it when he forbids us to go to certain places with certain people, telling us that he’d rather we hate him for being “too strict” than let us go and put ourselves at risk.

Truth be told, to be the recipient of such self-sacrificing love is very humbling. It defies logic, and is utterly self-effacing. It is also very inspiring... If I could be half the parent that my own parents are to my siblings and I, it would be the highest achievement I could ever hope for.

God bless our parents! J

P.S. Incidentally, Ateneo won the game by eight points.

P.P.S. Objectively speaking, I think La Salle has the better cheers, Ateneo has the better players, and UP the BEST Alma Mater song (nothing stirs the blood like singing “UP Naming Mahal....”)