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As usual and obviously like many other people in this world, I will begin the year 2007 with a renewed hope that it would be a better year than 2006.

For a while I had this strange feeling of uncertainty as I was traversing apace the highway from Castillejos, Zambales all the way to Subic with my wife and my kids to rush my youngest son, Jimbo, to the hospital after having a bad head fall at 3 pm of December 31.  All we could hope was nothing serious would happen to him. I know that his situation was entirely in God’s hands. I even started to prepare myself to spend the midnight of New Year’s Day with him in the hospital.  Except for the occasional talk inside the car to keep Jimbo awake until we reach the hospital, I actually felt the unusual concern and anxiety from my wife Pam and his elder siblings, James and Bea.

Fortunately, the initial findings showed no cause for serious worries. But we were told to keep watch of Jimbo for the danger signs within the next 24 hours.  And this kept me more anxious because after going back to Castillejos, I know, as I was told by SBMA Dr. Asean R. Briones, that the nearest hospital where my son could have a CT-scan in case of an emergency is in Pampanga.  I could not wait for New Year’s day to come to pass without my son experiencing all those unwanted physical manifestations. The ticking of the clock for me was like waiting for a time bomb to break loose.

We had our media noche at 10 p.m. and sensing Jimbo’s improved condition went immediately to the Bay Walk Area of SBMA to watch the New Year’s countdown, the fireworks and the concert of the Flintstones.  As I gazed through the almost 30-minute display of fireworks, I could not help but thank God for the good graces I received in the year 2006.

The past year was not exactly what I expected it to be. There were several professional hitches, personal disappointments, and at least two close members of the family (my father and sister-in-law) went back to our Creator. But I must say that the year ended up as ‘good enough’.  Thanks to people like a client and dear friend, Eduardo R. (’Nonoy’) Lopingco, who put up some year-end surprises for me to catch up with some of my predicament.

Jimbo’s accident and full recovery at the close of the year was the exact representation of what my life had been in 2006. Now more than 24 hours had passed and I am almost certain that everything is alright with my son as he enters the first day of the year. In the same vein, I know that this coming year would definitely be a better year.

If there is one good thing about the New Year, it is the fact that it offers new hope to people who think that they live in a hopeless world.

The New year, new hope by www.soriano-ph.com, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Philippines License.