Tears in His Eyes

Before he dared reading the formal composition Kay wrote in one of their activities in English, he paused and took a deep breath, and like plunging into the depths, he started reading...

The Santa Claus in My Life

'Generoso' is a friend to everyone and a great father to his family. He has the tummy and the mustache (but not beard). He's the Santa Claus I've known.

I never believed there was a man riding in a sleigh run by twelve reindeers going down chimneys and giving gifts to good children from his bottomless sack. Santa Claus and his reindeers are fiction but the goodness of his heart, the gentle features he has and the laughter most uniquely his are somethings I see in someone special to me.

My Santa Claus was never fiction. In fact, he's always beside me. He has gentle eyes and a hug that I always long for. And oh! That laughter... it's very infectious! Instead of a "Ho, ho, ho!", Generoso's laughter is more like a "Hi, hi, hi!"

He's also Superman. When I'm in school and not feeling well I always call him up and ask if he could fetch me. He would not waste a moment. He'll stop whatever he's doing and come to my rescue. And after saving me, he never forgets to ask if I'm hungry.

'Generoso' is a friend to everybody. He always gets the party started. I always see him frantically cooking up 'pulutan' for his friends and setting up the place for their 'inuman'. After everything, he's also the one to clean up what was left behind.

He is the most responsible guy in the world. Despite of him being disabled, he manages to do his duties. He overcomes his disability by helping out in the legal matters of my grandmother's land and houses for rent.

I've realized that Santa Claus, Superman and Joker could be in one man, my father. Christmas is not Christmas at all without his cooking, his hilarity, his exhaustion and his love. I can't describe how much he means to me. What I am today is what he and my mother molded me into. I am very grateful for his every effort in teaching me and nurturing me.

Danilo "Generoso" G. A********, my father and I am proud of him, is Santa Claus not only to me but to his loved ones.

I know this is just a simple theme but it surely made his heart swell and his tears run secretly. I kidded, "Uy, si Papa, umiiyak na tulo uhog pa!" (Uy, Papa's can't help himself from crying, and from the ooze!") Trying to compose himself, he retaliated, "Kay, sa susunod, si Mama naman ang gawan mo ng ganyan! Puro na lang ako." (Kay, next time write something for your mother. You always write about me.) He hugged me, and I know he is filled with joy but he can't hide the tears.