Annual of Our Lives
Marivi Soliven Blanco
Speak Up, Woman is the first major endeavor that Maryknoll Class of 1980 has collaborated on since producing its high school annual a quarter of a century ago. While we are all more mature and professional now than we were back then, life’s circumstances have made it harder – and easier—to put things together.
To start, classmates had to be cajoled into agreeing to write their stories, then nagged to revise their drafts, then badgered into supplying personal write-ups and anecdotes for the final sections of the book. Husbands, children and careers clamored for equal time and attention and it was understandably difficult to pause for a moment and bear witness to their lives.
Nevertheless, we somehow managed to carve out a few quiet hours to sit down and write. When this happened, Technology lent a hand, enabling us to work together from across several time zones all over the world.
I write these words one-handed while cuddling my daughter in San Diego, knowing that Roxanne is probably asleep in her London flat, happy with the progress we’ve made and dreaming of a successful launch. In Manila, Triccie waits to copy the manuscript onto a CD while putting a positive spin on the latest local crisis; in Dusseldorf, Tess is musing over the anecdote she will add to the last section; and somewhere in San Francisco, Nina is proofreading each essay, occasionally dabbing at teary eyes.
We all come together at a Monday teleconference orchestrated by Roxanne: 7 a.m. California time for Nina and I; 5 p.m. Greenwich mean time for Roxanne; 10 p.m. Manila time for Malu and Triccie….
A common theme wove our varied yarns into fine silk: the experiences were poignant, authentic and ultimately empowering. Battles fought in both corporate boardrooms and the hidden caverns of our psyches affirmed that we were survivors, unfazed by life’s trials and proud of our triumphs. Death, disease, age and men have failed to lay us low. We speak now for all the other women who suffered similar ordeals, yet remained unheard.
Sailing Into the Sunset
Rosemarie Consunji
Few women are lucky enough to sail into the sunset with the man they love – at least not in real life. I did, for two years. But before you start envying me for living out a fantasy, listen to reality behind dream.
My husband Jim and I are avid sailors and had often talked about taking time off to go sailing. Instead of waiting until retirement, we decided to fulfil this dream while we were still young and healthy enough to actually enjoy it. Besides, we were at a point in our marriage where we still liked each other. Why not go when the going was good?
So, one day, we quit our jobs.
When I told our friends and family that we had given up our careers to go cruising indefinitely, their reactions ranged from “You go girl!” to “You’ve gone completely mad!” …
Copyright ©2006 Philippine American Writers and Artists, Inc.
