My Grown Up Christmas List

One of my favorite Christmas songs is My Grown Up Christmas List. From it's haunting melody to it's beautiful words, this song serves as an inspiration for me. Over the past holidays, I have had a lot to time to reflect on the year that was and the road that lies ahead. It got me to thinking about what it is I would wish for if I made my own grown up Christmas List.

When I first started thinking of wish lists, it was because of a giveaway I read about at NomNomClub.com, but the more I thought of it, the song kept playing in my head so I knew this was what my wish list would be all about

Borrowing the melody and part of the lyrics, here is what I would wish for:

Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies

Well, I'm all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I'm not a child
But my heart still can dream

So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up christmas list
Not for myself
But for a world in need

No more CHILD LEFT BEHIND
That ALL WOULD HAVE A CHANCE
TO MAKE A BRAND NEW START
And everyone would PLAY IT FAIR
And JUSTICE WOULD PREVAIL 
And LOVE FOR THE EARTH WILL NOT END,
This is my grown up Christmas list

I know the things on my wish list may be impossible to meet, but I still believe that if we all cared enough, SOMETHING CAN BE DONE.

While I was in Boracay over the holidays, it kind of saddened me when I saw rows of Aklanon natives begging for food and money as we tourists enjoyed ourselves in the island paradise. Two of the kids even begged my mom for some of the food on her plate while in the buffet line. These children are left behind by society: they will be uneducated, unfed and uncared for unless we try to do something. On the upside, I think some companies in the island are helping them by providing opportunities for these families to make a brand new start, which is my second wish. For example, the Greek Taverna Cyma in Boracay is holding a special dinner on January 24 when part of the proceeds will benefit the natives of the island. Another shoe company is doing the same thing. For my part, I will make it a point to get more involved in advocacies this 2010 which will benefit the underserved populations in our country.

One of the biggest problems in our country is that people just don't play fair. On the road, for example, people try to get ahead by cutting in front of others, all for a few measly minutes. If we all played fair, traffic would be so much less. In the same way, if we just play fair, things would be so much nicer!

In the same breath, I wish that justice would really become a reality. Take for example the Ampatuan case and the Maguindanao massacre. If we don't become vigilant and do something about it, it could just be that justice will yet be another elusive dream.

Lastly, and perhaps the most attainable of all of my wishes, is that we all will not stop loving our earth. We have seen the onslaught of Mother Nature last 2009. Her fury was felt by millions and unless we start making changes, we will continue down the destructive path till the world as we know it would be so different. We can make little changes in our own ways everyday...be it by bringing your own baon to work or school to becoming a more responsible steward by refusing plastic and recycling.

So these are my wishes...truly very different from the childhood dreams I had whispered under my breath and written to Santa about. This is my own grown up Christmas list.