MANTRA for the week: “I am loved wherever I go.”

The 17 pointers enumerated below were inspired by the song “How Do You Keep the Music Playing?”

1) Predictability can turn a relationship into a boring song which one would like to end.

2) Routine and habit are anathema to love and romance. To counter, try the following:
• a surprise dinner
• an unexpected gift
• a little craziness
• a dash of outrageousness

3) Show how loving you are:
• If you have children and a child comes to you and needs a hug or exclamations of praise, the child needs it now and not at your convenience.
• A friend who needs a shoulder to cry on cannot wait for an opportune time.
• When your loved one needs assurance, it must not be put off for any reason.
• Love is a commitment that assures the other that one will be there when needed.

4) Love creates an “us” without destroying the “me.”

5) Saying no at times gives more meaning to our yes.

6) Even love dies with verbal neglect.

7) Love must be expressed, nurtured and strengthened constantly.

8) Problems are messages that there are things to be cleared up.

9) Beauty experienced, appreciated and shared deepen the love connection.

10) People grow and gain new insights, change directions, awaken to new needs; couples must be aware of these changes or wake up one day and discover one or the other has become a stranger.

(To be continued)

Dinner with diplomats

Recently, the amiable Israeli Ambassador Effie Ben Matityau and his lovely and genteel wife Lizia Lu tendered a dinner for close friends at their Rizal Tower penthouse with a spectacular view of Makati and its surroundings.

It was such a delight to sit around the dinner table with Singaporean Ambassador Kok Li Peng; Norwegian Ambassador Erik Forner with stunning wife Sille; Indian Ambassador Lalduhthlana Ralte with charming wife Ziki; and the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Laura del Rosario (who is not related to her boss, former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario).

A foreign affair matter

In 2007, when Undersecretary Del Rosario was Philippine Ambassador to Vietnam, she met Ambassador Matityau of Israel and Ambassador Lu of Panama and the three of them quickly became barkada.

That’s also when Undersecretary Laura witnessed the blossoming romance between Ambassador Matityau and Ambassador Lu. I kidded her that this was a precursor to her being appointed Foreign Affairs undersecretary. After all, it was literally a foreign affair matter.

I announced during cocktail time that all may feel free to be as “undiplomatic” and all remarks would be strictly off the record. Everyone relaxed and had a wonderful time.

Kathleena’s first birthday

I have not attended a children’s party since I was a child, until Kevin and Michelle Tan sent an invitation for their Kathleena’s first birthday.

Kevin and Michelle are part of our younger barkada for being so open to “older and wilder” ideas. Nedy Tantoco always asks me not to shock these two with my anecdotes and unconventional stories, but Kevin insists, “You don’t know us… we could actually be wilder than you guys.”

Anyway, my first birthday party turned out to be really lots of fun. I thought, at first, that Kevin and Michelle were just going to follow the old Chinese tradition of Zhuazhou but they revealed that they just wanted to celebrate Kathleena’s first birthday and share this joyous occasion with close friends and relatives.

But it is not too late to add the ancient Zhuazhou tradition, which has been practiced from the time of the Song dynasty, to find out what Kathleena’s natural inclinations would be. This is done by the parents choosing an assortment of articles and placed on a table, letting the child freely pick up the items that she is most interested in.

If she chooses a scoop spoon, sewing items and thread, this would mean she will turn out to be an exemplary housewife; a stamp indicates the child can become a successful executive; stationery will endow the child with great literary talent and/or prove to be industrious in a chosen profession;

An abacus could make the child a super accountant and/or financially successful; toys chosen is an indication that the child will enjoy the many pleasures that life has to offer; and a cake is a sign of many celebrated events in one’s life;

A book is a signal that the child will be blessed with wisdom; a coin is a clue that the child will prosper exceedingly; if it’s jewelry, especially jade and gold, the child will be graced with power and beauty; flowers promise health and well-being; and a brush pen, an aptitude for the arts.

Anyway, it was such a delight to have Robina Pe at our table and to actually have fun discussing her legendary snake twin—whose origin is unknown but the story goes on and on all the way to her becoming one of Asia’s most powerful women as chosen by Forbes magazine. Now, wouldn’t you want to have a snake for a twin? I would!

There was Manila councilor-turned-weatherman Kim Atienza—who I did not recognize without his hat—with his gorgeous wife Fely.

I also had the pleasure of introducing myself to Ballsy Cruz who immediately thanked me for “writing such nice things about my brother P-Noy.”

Kathleena’s grandparents, Andrew and Catherine Tan, and Wilson and Catherine See, where the proudest ones I have ever seen. I really can’t blame them. Kathleena is such a doll.

‘We’re getting there’

In the latest Pulse Asia survey in which Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was leading, an excited daughter of a popular Blue Lady enthusiastically proclaimed, “We’re getting there. When Bonget becomes vice president, all it will take is a bullet and we’re back in Malacañang.”

No wonder this Bonget finds nothing wrong with martial law and all its human rights violations, and has no desire to return their family’s ill-gotten wealth.

Thank God, Rep. Leni Robredo’s birthday is on April 23rd and, therefore, from then on, she will probably zoom to victory as vice president by virtue of her being on her first cycle, just like what happened to Mayor Duterte after his birthday on March 28th and is now leading the surveys.

E-mail the columnist at [email protected]; visit www.GeorgeSison.com and www.iamism.org; listen to his “Positive Session” radio program on DWIZ 882 AM every Saturday, 9-10 p.m.