On Saturday, a friend is getting married. And I am one of the principal sponsors. She's six years more than half my age.
When she distributed the invitation last month, some people in the office seemed to have made a big deal out of it. I was really puzzled why some of them reacted in a way that I cannot understand - eyes wide, expressions of bewilderment, chuckles. Some seemed to be joking around but others show facial expressions I could not fully understand. Contemplating on it, I listed in my mind the stereotype qualities of principal sponsors, or ninangs and ninongs (as they are fondly called):
- One should be influential and rich. I am not even rich. But I can be influential in my own humble way. :-)
- One should be popular. I am not a politician, or an actress, or a big shot.
- One should be a boss. If being a head in a small unit in the company is considered a boss then probably I am a 'little boss'.
- One should be old enough. Now, what does old enough mean? I am not double her age but I am older. :-D
My friend, I believe, did not choose me for any of those reasons. I know the reasons are more than the stereotype sense or meaning of being a principal sponsor. She could have chosen those with the qualities above but she chose people close to her heart. I am really grateful and very honored.
I wish that their lives will be filled with love and happiness as I am having mine despite the hardships and challenges. I wish that their lives together will be filled with good health, lots of kisses (yum :-D ), laughter and joy. I wish they will conquer the seven year itch. I wish they will still say "I love you" to each other when they reach the age of forty and beyond. I wish they will carry the smiles they had when they get married.
I was asked before to be the godmother of a friend's sister's daughter and I was like "who? what? why?" I mean it's alright if it's my friend's kid..but his sister's? I am friends with the sister but not friends-friends if you know what I mean. Sometimes people take stuff like this for granted. You're suppose to choose someone who really cares, not because they're rich or famous.
ReplyDeleteGood for your friend...she chooses whisely :)
Ano bang english ng Kumpare o kumare?
ReplyDeleteI'm glad no one has ever made a mistake of asking me to stand in as a principal sponsor, hehe. I'd make a lousy godfather to newlyweds... :-D
ReplyDeleteAng ganda ng larawan niyong dalawa ni mang Tomas! napaka-tamis ng mga ngiti niyo!
ReplyDeleteSa dami ng mga ina-anak ko sa mga tunay na kaibigan eh na-babankrupt ako pag pasko! Tulad mo di rin ako sikat, mayaman at ma-impluwensiyan'g politiko pero madalas akong naging ninong ng kasal ng mga kaibigan. Iisa pa lang ang na-uwi sa "panga-ngaliwa" ng isa sa mag-asawa. nuong dumating na sila dito sa America, lumandi na ng lumandi si babae at nahilo yata sa mga puti, itim at mga latino dito sa America kaya iniwanan si lalaki at mabuti na lang ay wala silang mga anak. Si lalaki ay maligaya na ngayon sa kanyang bagong mapagmahal na Pinay/American na maybahay at may tatlong anak na sila at sa madaling sabi..Ninong na naman ako nuong anak nilang kambal na lalaki. Ninong din ako sa kasal ng tatlo kong pamangkin dito at ka-nininong ko rin sa binyag ng panganay na anak ng isang pamangkin. Tulad ng ating Pinoy tradisyon, di tayo humi-hindi sa alok na maging ninong, padrino at maging taga-disiplina ng mga pamangkin na medyo naliligaw ng landas dito sa America. Ewan ko lang kung ano ang ikinikuwento ng mga kaibigan ko at mga kapatid ko sa mga anak nila na medyo ipinan-tatakot sa kanila pag binaggit na ang panagalan ko. Siguro dahil nuong naglayas yung isang anak ng kaibigan ko na unti-unti ng nalululong sa droga, kasama ang boypren niya, ay ako ang nakahanap sa kanila sa isang maliit na bayan sa Tucson, Arizona. Salamat naman at malinis na asiya sa droga ngayon at may pamilya na rin at nag-patuloy ng pag-aaral. nakatulong ang pagiging layas ko sa motorsiklo sa paghanap sa anak ng kaibigan ko, kaya ngayon kasam ko na rin siyang lumalayas na naka-motorsiklo!
your friend probably chose you because she knows you will be a good ninang.:)
ReplyDeleteOne should be popular. I am not a politician, or an actress, or a big shot.
--popular naman po kayong blogger! weeee!:)
When me and jean got married 7 years ago (yeah, we're at the edge of that "7-year itch"), choosing godparents was only down to one thing: Those who are closest to us.
ReplyDeleteLovely photo. It tells a lot. Truly, a single picture paints a thousand words.
Congratulations to your friend!
ReplyDelete(:
i never knew that a ninong/ninang is the same thing as a sponsor. I thought sponsor meant something else. anyway, I am a ninong to my nephew and that's it. And I definitely have none of the stereotypical qualities of a sponsor. hehe
ReplyDeleteHay...stereotypes. Don't you just hate them sometimes? :-)
ReplyDeleteBing, it is an honour indeed that you were chosen. In it, the couples' faith and trust in you. Not everyone gets invited to be one. :)
ReplyDeleteIt's all about respect - that's why you were chosen. Congrats :)
ReplyDeletePwede bang mag apply as your sponsor to your own Golden Anniversary?
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to you and your inaanak.
ReplyDeletehi, verns. well, it would good for the child that she can easily communicate with a godmother close to her or to her parents. after all, a godmother is considered the second mother of the child.
ReplyDeletedi ko alam, mon. i know it is compadre or comadre sa spanish. :-)
why do you think naman that way, single? what makes a lousy godfather/godmother anyway? :-D
salamat, noypetes sa magandang komento tungkol sa aming mga ngiti.
wow, napakabuti mo namang ninong at tiyuhin, to go all your way to help. this is probably the reason why they choose you to be one of their beloved ninong. actually, it was a lesson learned sa akin when i picked a ninang that my aunt dictated. she had never asked about my son, not even once after the occasion.
ang sarap nga sa feeling, babypink. and i hope those people at the office would realize that - she chose me because she knows that i can be a 'ninang' to her in the real sense of the word.
i am not a popular blogger, babypink. :-)
good for you, rey! thank you for appreciating the photo. 'tis true, a picture tells a lot of things.
thank you, kyels, for her.
hey, wil. blogging teaches us the many basic things that we are not familiar with, di ba? this is one thing i love about blogging - learning things. i don't also have those qualities, pareho lang tayo. he he :-D
i do hate them, jayred. marami akong alam na pumipili ng mga sponsors dahil lang sa mga reasons na nabanggit.
oo nga, e, ipanema. and i really appreciate it. i hope i can do my part naman in exchange.
thank you, bw.
and to you, too, myepinoy.
"She’s six years more than half my age." This reminds me of math equations in Algebra. :)
ReplyDeleteBut hats off to your friend. It's my first time to hear of someone getting sponsors who are as you say they are - just close to her.
Wala namang silbi kahit sikat at mayaman ang ninong at ninang sa kasal kung hindi naman talaga sila close sa mga ikinasal. Di ba ang mga ninong at ninang sa kasal ay parang tumatayong pangalawang magulang ng mga ikinakasal. Kaya dapat lang na close friends or relatives ang kunin. :)
ReplyDeleteha ha sorry to have missed your funny comment, tk. walang masama.. he he call! yun e kung narito pa kami sa mundong ibabaw. :-D
ReplyDeleteyea, and i am not giving you the answer, nico. he he it's true, she is close to me, and i think it is the best reason one should have for her ninongs and ninangs.
ay, totoo, rhodora. wala talagang silbi kung yun lang ang dahilan. pero come to think of it, it must be the best reason for others kasi nga 'principal sponsors' ang kailangan he he for the wedding, some kind of benefactor kung baga. :-)