Young at Heart

Papa is familiar with a lot of TV shows now, especially police procedurals.

He has also watched the original Hawaii Five-0 then so I know he'll appreciate my using it as a unique way of greeting them this day, their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary.

But the main theme of the work is being "young at heart" because this, I believe, is their secret to a happy and lasting relationship.
It is this youthful spirit which moves them continue an active lifestyle.


Papa still drives his Camry to the gym and to Monday kapihan with the senior neighbors.

Mama still goes to the palengke but in the evenings she's in front of the computer typing her stories for her blog or next novel.

Despite doing most things together all these years they have kept their unique individualities from being smothered and even encouraged each to blossom.

I recall being quite unnerved when I was in college when they started taking self-improvement seminars together. I felt change was threatening some of the stability in my home life which I preferred to remain constant, fixed and predictable.

But Mama would remind me later on to "go with the flow"

"Who are these hippies and what have they done with my parents?" I asked myself.

 Now that I'm a lot older and not quite so uptight I've accepted the reality that Papa and Mama won't stop moving and pushing forward as long as life permits.

 But I've also realized that they're not really changing.  They are just two people committed to life, to becoming more of themselves as individuals and as a couple.

Omar
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