All Alike All Different (February 16, 2009)

I have written entries about five women that I cherish within my group of friends. We were together since high school days. We meet for dining outs, exchanging intellectual talks, celebrating birthdays, sharing joys and life's ups and downs along with four other male friends. This entry is for the five lovely women in my life, a repost from another blog, but a tribute to their wonderful presence.

E- In any group, there will always be someone who is going to be colourful, energy-filled, delightfully childlike, and others. It makes the group, a community of individuals that is different but alike in many ways. The likeness amongst the group creates a web to make a fine thread of solidarity. The differences add to the identity and uniqueness of the group.

E is colorful, energy-filled and delightfully childlike. She has one of the most colorful lives, filling each frame of her years with travels, trials and challenges. She is energy-filled- balancing personal life with her ever busy professional life. She is delightfully childlike and not because she is the youngest in the group. But her most endearing asset is her commitment to her family. I have seen her struggles but it is her love for her mum that I salute E for.

S- There are many wonderful things around us that we take for granted such as the fluttering of butterflies, the smell of the rose, the colour of the sunshine, and others. However, there are things in life that we should not take for granted such as friendship. In friendship, we celebrate its joy by acknowledging the presence of our good friends come what may. And there are people who will remain faithful and loving to her friends in spite of her busy schedule and family life. S will always be appreciated and loved because of her humility, diligence, and zest for life.

When she opened her life to us, we felt the sincerity of her heart and the true being that permeates her core. When she started telling her wonderful tales in life, the tears that fell from my eyes were living proof of my admiration to this incredible friend. She is a loving friend, a loving mother and a role model for us.

D- There must be something about D that I treasure so much that I find myself writing an entry about her, once again. It must be her commanding presence that's why she was given the name, Ma'am Diana. It must be her personality or educational background. It must be her sincerity in dealing with people. It must be the goodness within her that she has never forgotten to reach out to the needy.

But D is just like me and just like the readers of this entry. She might also be a vulnerable person who also cries at night. She might also be a sensitive individual who is rocked by troubles and criticisms at times. She might also be carrying a load that is heavy for her to bear . She is also human. And it is this human-ness in her that makes her real. It is not a mask she wears. She is indeed a beautiful person. When one is in need, she is always willing to help. When one needs a listening ear, she is always there to listen. She humbly accepts people and genuinely offers her support. Instead of walls, she create bridges. Instead of closing, she shares her heart.

J- We have known each other since high school when we became classmates in the second year. Along the way we had been teasing each other as oldies including another friend of ours. We graduated from high school, attended university and later on became neighbours and so we connected once again. We started watching repertory shows, having dinner together and reminiscing old times. We bonded with our other high school friends and all ten of us became a group, friendship intact.

Walking through one beautiful garden, we found this extra-ordinary flower and she chose this one to be her persona. Knowing her she actually exudes goodness and a great spirit. Like a zinnia, each and every petal of this flower represents a certain persona that has to be discovered to be appreciated. Even the colours say something about her personality. It is in looking inside that we see the true colors. It is in looking inside and knowing her that we get to appreciate the best in her. She is one of the most intelligent and humble person rarely appreciated.

P- To describe P is like painting a picture. One starts with a canvas and an idea then creatively execute the idea into an image for others to appreciate. Her entire persona is manifested not just by looking at the artwork but also with the feelings that comes with it. She is smart, humble, joyful, forgiving, unperturbed and simply amazing.

And when one put the finishing touches to a painting, we then get to appreciate her bubbly nature and the talents she exudes. She is probably the glue within, making the friendship intact. She makes sure that everyone is included and that everyone is treated equally. She is the colour and the light that gives a greater sense of form to a composition, the composition of our friendships.

Five beautiful women- all alike, all different.