8th July 2024
Happiness, they say, is best experienced when shared. And what better way to experience it than within the warm embrace of our family?
My niece turned two on Friday, July 5, and it was an excellent opportunity for me to bond with my family. It's been years since we shared the same bond. It was like a welcome celebration for me as well. What I also missed were the sun kisses, the warm touch of the sand, and the salty embrace of the breeze at the beach. So we decided to celebrate my niece's birthday on the beach. Fortunately, despite the bad forecast, we had a good weather that day. Everyone was excited; they, too, had missed the beach.
There wasn't enough planning because we only returned home last Saturday in June. My first days in the Philippines were spent recuperating, mostly sleeping. The cake, for instance, was just customized by us because we forgot to order a customized cake beforehand. It was an on-the-spot venue preparation and cake decoration with materials readily available in stores.
My mom cooked puto cheese a night before the event. It's an iconic Pinoy delicacy served on special occasions. I missed this food as well.
She cooked some viand, and I made some desserts. My brothers harvested some young coconuts on our farm, so I made buko pandan salad. Home cooking instead of catering would be less expensive. It was a low-cost birthday celebration for close family members only. What really matters is the presence of my family members.
The venue was Labnasan Beach. This beach was previously named Bacubac Beach after its village's name, but it is now owned by some people and includes a few beach names. Strange, right? It's a single-stretching beach that has been divided among various owners. One part has an indoor pool, but we preferred the outside section with a karaoke cabin. We love to sing karaoke. It's costly, but well worth it. My family is big. So, we need a larger space.
By the way, I saw 
I rented this karaoke because my family loves singing as well. I should say, all Filipinos do.
We've had a lot of memories at this beach since I was a kid. It's only a few minutes away from home. We can even walk from our home to get there. We frequently go swimming there on Sundays and certain holidays, such as birthdays. This beach has been a part of my life.
Now let's go to the party!
When everything was settled, although quite late, we started to sing the happy birthday song as everyone was hungry already.
The kid wanted to blow out the candle rather than finish the song. She knew how to sing the song, though, but she likes blowing candles more.
Here are some of my family members, including cousins, and grandma. We weren't complete, but I was still happy to have them around.
I first saw this kid nine months ago. She grew bigger this time, and heavier, lol. She's naughtier as well and more knowledgeable at a very young age. It's all thanks to Cocomelon and other educational children's rhymes she watches every day. She spoke English at a young age and knew things such as counting numbers up to 20, the alphabet, colors, animal names and noises, and English words for many things listed in Cocomelon children's songs. She's brainy, I should say.
Breiana loves to play by the beach, can't wait to go swimming as well.
We got her a change so she could go swimming and play with her aunts and cousins. Look how happy she was.
When she fell asleep after playing, I and her mom got the chance to go swimming. That was shortly before she woke up again.
Me with my lovely sisters, the newly awake celebrant, and my cousin in a red shirt.
I finally had a bond with my family after seven long years, or even more. And I finally visited a beach, for which I yearned for quite a while. Although the beaches were not as white as those in Hong Kong, connecting with nature and reconnecting with my family was an ideal way to spend my holiday.
It was the moment we set aside our obligations and just immersed ourselves in the presence of our loved ones. That's the true essence of happiness.
Thanks for your time.
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Jane is a Filipina wanderer in a foreign land who finds comfort in nature and freedom in writing. She loves watching raw picturesque landscapes, listening to the symphony of nature, breathing in drops of sunshine, walking through scenic trails and cityscapes, tasting new culinary flavors, capturing pretty little things, venturing into hidden gems, and dancing with the flow of life.
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