As the world turned over a new leaf to write on a fresh page in the book of history, so do
most people, especially the positive and purpose-driven, set new goals and resolutions of what
they look forward to this year.
To the more mundane who consider 2025 as just another year to tread on aimlessly as they did in the previous years, after the holiday celebrations, inebriations, and explosions—life goes back to reality and they leave their future to fate or destiny or whatever their wheel of fortune would bring them this year.
For the “more senior” among the living who survived 2024, most of us are just thankful that we have another year to live, and with the hope that our health and well-being shall tide us through 2025.
But “what is there to live for” will still be the main focus of any resolution.
Personally for us, it was a difficult transition from an active public life to the kind of reclusive private life we enjoy now. But, being a retiree from the government and taking a cue from the experience of my elders, the process was bearable, in fact, joyful. We had all the time for self-reinvention and spiritual rejuvenation.
We were used to the rigid life in the judiciary and we welcomed the break from the regimen required of a judge, observing the standards and norms that bear on judges, and the daily hearings in the courtroom, writing decisions and resolutions, attending to administrative matters, and taking care of our health and well-being.
However, during times that boredom set in, the temptation and offers of appointments and opportunities to be of service to the public became irresistible and we sought spiritual guidance to quell it. Thank God for the family support that pointed me in the right direction—which led right back to family.
As a senior citizen who is retired from government service and receiving the benefits of a pensioner, our yearly focus is on how we can continue to improve our voluntary commitments to family, aside from making it a point to be in fellowship with them during holidays, which require Nena and I to fly from one country or a continent to another.
It is our goal to see our children raise their families as we were raised by our parents without interfering with their parenthood chores. But we are on standby should they seek our guidance and support,
especially in raising our grandchildren. It is also our desire to see our grandchildren grow at certain ages, so our souls shall be at peace, content in knowing that they would remember us well because we had personal interactions with them.
As to our three grandsons, we had precious moments during their childhood and we continue to be
actively in touch with them. Basti just turned 18 and is now in his first year in college. Andoni will also be in college two years from now, while Sean is in middle school.
Our granddaughters came later. Amaia will be turning two years old in two months’ time while her sister, Adriana, will be three months old on January 28. Our goal is to stay healthy until Adriana turns into a teenager. By then, Basti, Andoni, and Sean will probably be practising their respective professions; Amaia will be in the high school, and Adriana in middle school.
A highlight of 2024 in my life was turning 77. Reaching the 80s is just around the corner but we are not rushing to turn around the bend. We need to live 13 more years to see our children and grandchildren develop their own branches from the trunk of our family tree. Unless of course, a new branch develops, and we shall have to write another resolution.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!