Love in February

February is especially remembered for Valentine’s Day, a day for lovers young and old, which we celebrated last Wednesday, the 14th for lovers, young and old. Early on, when I was much younger, I first learned about Valentine’s Day from a young American girl friend and playmate of mine, who created Valentine cards with red hearts drawn or cut out from red paper with written messages for love and which she gave to her parents and to me as well as to some of her classmates.

Only when I was in high school and then college, did my friends and associates and I came to learn that it is popularly associated with romantic love between men and women. But in recent years, love has been expressed universally for those one knows and appreciates with a more universal and all-embracing love: from God to family and relatives, friends and associates, benefactors among others, in addition to the romantic love between man and woman, which continues to be most popular, which commercial establishments and media continue to celebrate. However, I notice that in the Valentine’s Day issue of the Cebu Daily News, features on love from contributors and writers celebrate a more universal love.

Last Wednesday, I was invited to a special Valentine’s Day dinner party with the theme “In the Mood for Love” at the Montebello Villa Hotel in Banilad, by fellow Zontian Zelda Borromeo of the Borromeo family who is behind the establishment of Montebello.

Montebello, now celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, was awarded the distinguished “Gold Circle Award” by the Agora International Pts. Ltd., an online booking travel agency in Makati. The award is for “outstanding hotel partners that show a commitment to providing a superior online product, for consistently offering competitive room rates and for earning positive reviews and comments from its customers.” Montebello is the only Spanish-inspired villa hotel in Cebu City. It sits amidst the lush-foliage tropical gardens that reflect the richness and charm of Cebu’s Hispanic heritage. Thanks to Montebello for providing us inspiration in its beauty to brighten our days in these times of trouble and stress, particularly in our country.

This has been a year of tragedy with the recent environmental disasters and the politicking in this pre-election year. But top of the news that media covers as a continuing nail-biting whodunit is the Corona impeachment that was on its 18th day yesterday to resume on Monday. Fellow Cebu Daily News has editorially referred to its “Fire and Fury,” and PDN/CDN columnist Michael Tan has used the expression “word-weary” to describe some viewers’/listeners’ reactions. Personally, I am “hooked” on it the four days it is covered weekly. No opinions to express here, yet, but the reasoning and counter-reasoning judicially fascinate this Bystander.

Yesterday, we had our monthly membership meeting.  Like many fellow Zontians, I enjoy our interactions with each other. The meeting was most lively. Highlight of the meeting was a report by Zontian Joy Onozawa with a fascinating video showing. Subject was on “Ecologically Connected Architecture” in connection with land, air and water. This was one lecture/talk that got us fellow Zontians and involved us in interactive discussions.  There was so much to ask about planning and maintaining that took up the entire meeting to the omitting of other concerns on the agenda since we were already going overtime. So more for our next monthly meeting.

On which tone, I also close this rather short Bystandering for now and hold on for next week so very much more I had planned to report on today.

In closing, “Happy Birthday!” to fellow Zontians celebrating this month: our President Stella  Bernabe, Treasurer Nelllie Chiu, Merle Cunanan and Pilar Puno!

Till next week, then, may God continue to bless us one and all!