When I was 10 and 8 I heard my father say, give “Alpha the way to the stage and let her perform all day. Do not tell her where the kitchen is because for sure she will not find her way…”
When I was 10 and 10, I heard my father say, “give Alpha tons and tons of books and let her read them all day. Do not give her kitchen duties for she will cry all day.”
When I was 10 and 30, I heard my father say, “In a house where Alpha is I won’t stay. For if I do and indulge with the food and goodies she prepares, in this earth, I'll have a short stay.”
Now that I am 4 and 40, I won’t hear what my father has to say. For he missed how good I have become in the kitchen where I used to frown. I finally found my way to a world and considered the toque a crown.
Note: My father joined the innumerable caravan 4 years ago due to diabetes complications (renal failure).
Tapos na... Tapos na ang prosesyon, tunaw na ang kandila Tapos na ang pagtitika, ang pagbubulay-bulay ng kasalanan sa mga nakaraang araw. Tapos na ang pagbasa ng pasyon at ang pagbisita iglesia Tapos na ang bakasyon, tapos na rin ang traffic…
Hindi pa tapos... Hindi pa tapos ang pagkakalat ng mga taong sumali sa prosesyon na walang pakundangang nagtatapon na kung anu-ano sa kahabaan ng daan na binaybay ng mga naglalakihang karosa… Hindi pa tapos matunaw ang kandila na ginagamit sa brown out na tipong dumadalas ata sa mga nakaraang araw…. Hindi pa tapos ang walang humpay na paggawa natin ng kasalanan dahil minumura natin ang kawawang si Haring Pebo (read: Haring Araw) sa tindi ng sikat niya. Hindi pa tapos ang ang pagdurusa natin na daig pa ng sakit na dulot ng mga sugat at laslas ng mga nagpinitensya…pagdurusa sa kahirapan dulot ng Global Crisis. Hindi pa tapos ang bakasyon ng mga bata na nagdudulot ng magkasabay na saya at lungkot sa mga magulang nila…saya dahil makakapiling nila ang mga ‘to at lungkot dahil high maintainance sila pag Summer- pasa load, mataas na electric bill dahil sa kakapindot ng computer, movie marathon sa DVD player, enrollment sa Summer Workshop, at kung anu-ano pa.
Sana ‘di pa matapos... Sana ‘di pa matapos ang prosesyon para laging nagdarasal ang mga tao… Sana ‘di pa matunaw ang kandila para umabot pa hanggang Araw ng mga Patay… Sana ‘di pa matapos ang ating pagtitika nang sa gano’y pumayat tayo dahil slim is in… Sana ‘di pa matapos ang bakasyon ng mga bata para makabonding pa natin sila at maging close sila lalo sa atin…
Sana matapos na... Sana matapos na ang traffic… Sana matapos na ang Global Crisis...
I composed this for my dear friend Susan. A person I’ve known for about 23 years now. Truth is I always get a pinch, a “strong pat” on the arm, or if she’s feeling cruel, she would strike me with anything she is holding whenever I call her Susan. She would rather love hearing her nickname…DAX…very masculine. Anyway, to tease her further, read on… by the way, I also borrowed a poem by Kris Rights. Happy reading...
Understandably, you don’t like being addressed as Susan by your friends. Getting scared probably of the 57 variant forms of your personality they have to deal with…adorable, adventurous, aggressive, alert, attractive, beautiful, bright, clean, clear, cute, elegant, exciting, fancy, glamorous, gleaming, gorgeous, graceful, beautiful, magnificent, poised, precious, sparkling, spotless, alive, best, beautiful, brainy, busy, careful, cautious, clever, clumsy, concerned, crazy, beautiful, different, easy, expensive, fragile, frail, gifted, helpful, important, impossible, innocent, inquisitive, modern, open, outstanding, powerful, real, rich, sleepy, super, talented, and tough, by the way, did I mention beautiful?
Sometimes you’re just worried I might not like calling you Susan but the thing here is I started liking to address you SUSAN…soooo girly…. Besides, I am having fun teasing you…so nice to be little girls again at times.
Anonymous? You can never be anonymous in my life. Maybe old age will make me forget your name but the space you occupy in my heart, I won’t. You are a part of my life… a part of my world.
No one will ever replace you in my heart…you are my friend, my dear, dear friend. You are attached to me not only by feelings of affection but for many reasons.
The Whispering Winds
(Kris Rights)
Susan, Like the wind whispering through the trees
Your spirit lifts me
Teaching me valuable lessons.
I wait patiently to grow in the light of your eyes
Seeking approval, knowing
There's comfort in your silent embrace,
And I listen carefully to what it offers.
I feel the joy in your laughter and trusting eyes
And learn to give of myself, for no judgment is passed.
When sadness fills my heart with disappointment
And I need protection from the storm,
It is only then I realize the depth of friendship
Sewn together with unbreakable thread.
I understand that the fabric only gets better with age,
That it should be handled with care
And sometimes it has to rain.
I have discovered my own beauty
By lessons learned while discovering yours.
Like a beautiful sky after the storm
Your courage to break free of the clouds
Still amazes me.
I close my eyes to feel the warmth of the sun
Such a precious gift you've given
Appreciating the gentleness and I sigh with thankfulness
Recognizing my fortune.
A sisterly bond that knows only
Love that is unconditional.
Nurturing with grace and acceptance
How lucky
To share a piece of my life with a soul that so perfectly fits mine.
A puzzle with missing pieces
Now complete
How sad for those who are still searching.
My blessings are abundant
And I thank God for the whispering winds,
For they remind me everyday
To celebrate the gift of our friendship and to hold it close,
To never let it go.
Marami akong nasasaksihan pag ako’y nakasakay sa pampasaherong jeep. Ang iba nakakatuwa at ang iba naman nakakainis. Pero ano mang klase ang mga ito madalas nakakapagpasaya naman pag ikinukwento ko sa mga kaibigan ko….
Unang kwento
Pasakay si lola sa jeep kasama ang anim na taong gulang na apo. Dialogue ni Lola: "Bilisan mo" (habang tinutulak si apo papasok sa jeep) upo ka na kagad sa dulo. (medyo matutumba si apo) "Ano ka ba naman, bilisan mo." (Makakaupo na si lola katabi si apo at biglang magkukwento ng talambuhay ni apo) "Sa ‘kin na lumaki ‘tong batang ‘to. Wala kasi yung nanay…anak ko ang nanay nito." (Palipat lipat ang tingin sa mga pasahero na parang nag-iispeech). "Wala na ‘tong tatay, iniwan ng dyaske ang anak ko nung isang taon pa lang ‘to "(sabay haplos sa buhok pero biglang bibitawan dahil pawis na pawis si apo). "Yung nanay naman nito, nasa abrod, domestic" (read: domestic helper). "Buti naman nakakapagpadala kahit konti…eh ako, nagtitinda tinda ng kung ano-ano sa may amin…blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…"(Background music: Maalaala mo kaya)
Pangalawang kwento
Pagkatapos ng may isang oras na paghihintay ng mag-inang galing sa SM, lumarga na rin sa wakas ang pampasaherong jeep. Kaharap ni nanay ang isang napakagandang mestisahin na bata. Batang namumula ang pisngi at balat dahil galing lang sa pagswimming. Dialogue ni tisay: "Dadaan po ba ng Avida ito," pabulong na tanong sa katabi niyang ale na may karay-karay na dalawang paslit. "Di ko alam," sagot ni ale. (Sasabad si inay na galing ng SM) "Ano yong tinatanong mo?" (Tipong magpapaka good Samaritan si inay.) "Ay, sa MacArthur yun. Sa NLEX kasi tayo dumaan. "(Mukhang mababahala si tisay) "Malayo po ba?" (maaawa si inay na galing ng SM) "Sige, sasamahan kita sa paradahan ng jeep. "(Natuwa si tisay pero nalungkot ulit) "Kasya po ba ang 10 pesos papunta don?" (Dudukut si inay ng 20 pesos sa wallet sabay dialogue) "bigyan kita ng twenty. " "Thank you, po, sagot ni tisay."(Natuwa si inay na galing ng SM at dumukut uli ng sampung piso sabay bigay kay tisay) "eto pa, baka kulang ang twenty." Pagdating sa babaan sinabay na ng mag-ina si tisay sa sakayan papuntang terminal ng San Fernando. Pero medyo nagworry si inay na galing ng SM. "Sige ihahatid na kita sa terminal. "Ibinaba si tisay sa terminal. Isinakay sa jeep papuntang San Fernando, sabay bilin ng ganito kay mamang driver: "kuya pakibaba sa may sindalan itong bata. " Tapos ang kwento. Masaya ang ending.
Pangatlong kwento
Dalawang magnanay na masayang kumakain ng mais sa jeep. Nagkukwentuhan pa sila habang puno ang mga bibig nila. Bonding moment ni nanay at anak. Sa sobrang saya di napapansin ni inay na nagdidikitan sa mukha niya ang mga butil ng mais. Sa sobrang saya din nakisaya na rin yung ale na nasa harapan nila. Simpleng buhay, simpleng kasiyahan. Pagkatapos kumain ay buong ingat na ibinalot ni nanay ang busal ng mais sa plastic. Natuwa na naman si ale. Concerned citizen, sabi nya sa isip nya. Kaya lang napalitan ng ismid ang saya ng ale nang buong lakas na inihagis ni nanay sa labas ng jeep ang kalat nila. Sa isip ng ale gusto niyang ihagis din palabas ng jeep ang mag-ina.
Nuong ako'y bata pa akala ko madali ang mag-asawa basta may syota ka. Nang ako’y mag-asawa na nalaman ko mahirap pala…
Nuong ako’y bata pa akala ko madali ang magkaanak basta may asawa ka. Ngayong ako ay may anak na, naisip ko mahirap pala pag pinapalaki mo na sila…
Nuong ako'y bata pa akala ko basta may anak ka na, nanay na ang tawag sa’yo, yun pala mahirap ang magpakananay…
Nuong ako’y bata pa akala ko madali ang maging guro, yun pala mas mahirap magpakaguro…
Nuong ako'y bata pa akala ko basta close ka sa tao, friend mo na sya…yun pala, mahirap maghanap ng kaibigan…
Ngayong ako’y medyo ‘di na bata akala ko ay mali pala…
Ngayong ako’y medyo ‘di na bata nalaman ko mas madali pala ang may asawa kesa sa wala. May kausap ka gabi-gabi lalo na ngayon na ‘di ka na makahabol sa pinaguusapan ng mga anak mo.
Ngayong ako’y medyo ‘di na bata nalaman ko masaya ang magpalaki ng anak. Lalo na pag nakikita mo ang younger version ng asawa mo sa kanila. Excited rin ako na makita sila sa eksaktong edad kapareho ng tatay nila nuong nagliligawan pa lang kami.
Ngayong ako’y medyo ‘di na bata nalaman ko na masarap sa tenga ang matawag na nanay – totoong nanay ka man o nanay- nanayan ka lang ng pinapalaki mong anak.
Ngayong ako’y medyo ‘di na bata nalaman ko na mas madali ang maging guro pag mayaman ka na sa karanasan. Ikaw ay papapel bilang nanay-nanayan ng mga batang tinuturuan mo. Umaasa din sa’ yo ang sambayanan. Sabi nga sa Ingles, “teachers make all professions possible”. Bigat, no?
Ngayong ako’y medyo ‘di na bata nalaman ko madaling maghanap ng kaibigan kung ikaw ay isa ring kaibigan. At ‘pag nakita mo na ang isang tunay na kaibigan, pahalagahan mo siya at mahalin…
'Yan si Ronald…parang steak… Bilang guro…well done! Bilang tao…medium rare kung magalit. Bilang kaibigan…rare Bilang ulam…bistek Tagalog… Ang lifestyle…parang steak ala pobre Pero ang laman ng utak…kobe beef.
Lorna, that’s how you want us to address you thirty years ago after a sort of seminar we had with you in one of the classrooms in Sta. Clara Building. I do not remember the small details of that seminar but one thing was etched in my memory-the sweetest word a person would want to hear is her first name. I agree.
Lorna, pronounced as LOR-nah, is of Scottish origin, which is feminine of Lorne from Loren, referring to the laurel tree symbolic of honor or victory.
Out of God’s grace you were born on July 20,fifty five years ago. Your dear parents have raised you well I know because a little more than twenty years after, you were there making your way to have a place in the very institution were I met or should I say, came to know you - Holy Angel University. You didn’t stop there. You continue to quench your thirst for knowledge by working on your master’s degree. You sought learning with ardor and diligence amidst your demanding schedule as a teacher, a wife, a mother, and a student.. Your rewards? Grateful students, an assured husband, good children (with a cute grandson) and citations, recognitions, awards, medals, plaques & trophies.
Rivers of tears may have rolled down your cheeks because of life’s trials but you continue to emerge victorious. God, indeed, have armed you more than enough for you have remained strong and steadfast in your ordeals. You are still as bubbly (this is my favorite adjective for you) as the first time I have known you.You may have changed physically but not in your wisdom and intellect. You continue to educate through the sensible words you utter, you continueto touch lives with your caring words and you continue to inspire not by what we see in you but by what you see in us.
No words can describe how grateful I am that you are a part of my life. I cannot forget thirty years ago when you made me see what I was not. Seeing what I was not made me discover what I was and what I will be. Thank you for tapping my potentials. I rememberbringing home the first place in a declamation contest because you painstakingly taught me what to do and not what to do as a declaimer. You tried hard looking into my futureand seeing the world of my tomorrow. And today, with your help, I am in the world where I am fitted – the educators’ world.
Alpha, that is my name. The meaning? The first, that’s all. A literal meaning with no solid basis. That was before you discovered me. That was before you put something in this head. Now as I complete my journey in life, I will try hard to be better if not the best or the first. God entrusted me a lot to do but I am not scared because I know, like you, I will emerge victorious. I am in full battle gear armed not only with the virtues I learned from my parents but also with what you selflessly gave to me. The many short talks we have whenever and wherever we see each other? I treasure them. You touch my life, you inspire me to do better, and you never ceased educating me. My deepest gratitude, Ma’am.
Ang kabayo sa hood ng sarao na jeep… actually, ang Sarao ay isang tanging ngalan ng klase ng jeepney na gawa ng Sarao Motors. Custom made ito at may humigit kumulang sa 2 metro ang haba. Isa itong makulay na sasakyan na napapalamutian ng mga kung ano-ano kasama na nga ang kabayong ‘di tumatakbo sa hood nito. Bata pa ko sanay na ko sumakay ng sarao…madalas nakakalong ako sa ate o kuya namin,pag konti ang pasahero o kung may sobrang pera ang mga utol ko pwede akong umupo. Kaming anim na magkakapatid ay nabuhay na bahagi ang sasakyang ‘to. Syempre, ‘di naman afford bumili ng kahit man lang owner ng tatang namin. Biro mo, 5 kaming ginapang ng magulang namin para lang makapag-aral sa private school, sa Holy Angel College na university na ngayon. Yun nga palang tatang namin, dating employed ng mga kano sa Clark Air Base. Kaya lang, nabalitaan niya na may scholarship grant sa mga anak ng mga empleyado sa HAU kung kaya bigla siyang nag goodbye sa kanila at mas pinili niyang magbutingting ng mga typewriter sa mga opisina ng HAU na pag-aari ng mga Nepomuceno. Ayun, sikat kami bigla sa neighborhood. Biro mo sa lahat ng mga bata sa lugar namin, kami lang ang nakauniporme kulay abo ng sikat na private school.
Kasabay ng pagiging astig ng foundation namin sa edukasyon ay ang konting sakripisyo naming magkakapatid. Minsan, sa sobrang kulang ng budget namin, di na kami nakakasakay sa sarao na may kabayo sa hood. Naglalakad lang kami papuntang HAU. Uumpisahan namin yun sa crossing (malapit yun sa pwesto ni Aling Lucing Sisig) hanggang sa makarating kami sa eskwelahan. Nuong grade school na ko, nakabili ng bike ung tatang namin. Yung playboy style na tinatawag. Madalas pinagpipilitan namin ng isa kong kapatid na pagkasyahin ang mga puwet namin sa napakaliit na space ng bisikletang yun para maklibre kami ng pamasahe. Ginagawa namin un pag close to payday na at di na kayang i-stretch ng ima namin ang budget sa bahay.Naalala ko pa nung first time naming umangkas sa bisikleta ng tatang namin. Sa sobrang sakit ng katawan namin ng utol ko ‘di kami nakapasok kinahapunan sa eskwela.Isa pang sakripisyo na ginawa namin ay ang pakikisama sa mga kaklase namin na medyo may kaya sa buhay. Syempre, private school ang HAU kung kaya ang mga gaya namin na nagpipilit na taasan ang balor namin sa pamamagitan ng magandang edukasyon eh, nahihirapan makiblend. Sa unang tingin, “others” ka dahil sa suot mong kupas na uniporme o school bag mo na ‘di uso. kahit kasi bata pa ko uso na ung bullying. Pero pag tumagatagal na di mo na papansinin yun kasi kahit ikaw ‘di ka na nila papansinin. Yung kapatid ko, okay lang yun kasi marunong sa klase yun. Ako, marunong din ako pero mas affected ako dahil pikon nga ako. Mabalik pala tayo sa sarao na jeep…di nagtagal, napansin ko na unti-unting dumadami ang dating nag-iisang kabayo sa hood ng sarao. Sa sobrang dami minsan nila ay halos mapuno ang hood. Kung medyo maarte pa ang driver nito lalagyan pa niya ng ribbon na gawa sa plastic na nililipad lipad pa ng hangin habang paspas ito sa pagtakbo dahil sa pakikipag-agawan n’ya ng pasahero. King of the Road, ika nga. Nung mag high school na ‘ko, pinalad akong makapag-aral sa Maynila. Kasabay ng pag-asenso ng utak ko sa maraming bagay ay ang lalong pagdami ng palamuti ng sarao. Kung dati ay kelangan mong ikatok ang piso mo sa bubong nito ay di na kelangan dahil bigla na lang naimbento ang tali na siya mong hihilahin pag pumara ka. Kelangan mo talaga ng buzzer na yon para marinig ka ng driver na sweet lover dahil super lakas ang stereo niya na walang sawa sa pagdagundong. Sabi nga nila, necessity is the mother of invention.Sa sobrang lakas ng stereo niya ay di na tuloy makapagpalipad hangin ang mga binata sa mga kasakay nilang dalaga.At sa sobrang lakas din ng stereo di ka na pwedeng matulog kahit isang oras pa ang layo mo sa bababaan mo. Marami akong naging experience sa pagsakay ko sa sarao, lalo na nung high school ako. Mga karanasan na nakakahiya, nakakatakot at higit sa lahat nakakadismaya. Unahin natin ang nakakadismaya. Isang araw, may nakasakay akong isang nanay na may bitbit na anak. Masaya silang kumakain ng nilagang mais. Sa sobrang saya nga nila, di napapansin ni nanay na nagsasabitan na ang mga mumunting butil ng mais sa mukha niya. Nangingiti-ngiti ako dahil nakisasali na rin ako sa kaligayahan nila. Maya-maya napalitan ng ismid at simangot ang konting ngiti na nakapinta sa mukha ko. Bakit? Aba, si nanay, pagkatapos nilang maging masaya buong ingat niyang ibinalot sa plastic ang balat at busal ng mais at buong ningning niyang itinapon na lang basta sa labas ng sarao. Ayun, di bale ng madumi sa daan basta malinis lang sa sarao. Ang pangalawa ay ang nakakatakot at nakahiyang pangyayari. Di ko nga alam kung dapat ko pang ikwento ito o hindi na. Isang araw may nakatabi ako sa sarao na may kabayo nga sa hood, ng isang mamang payat na maputi. Sa sobrang dami ng mga pasahero ay halos maamoy ko ang hininga niya. Kasabay ng pag alog namin sa sarao ay ang pagkapa niya sa may zipper ng uniporme ko. Ewan ko ba kung bakit ang zipper ng palda sa high school ay nasa left side ng palda? Ginawa na lang sana sa likuran para naman malayo sa disgrasya. Pero mabalik tayo sa mamang payat na maputi. Nag - enjoy yata sa pagbukas ng zipper ko buti nal ang nakashorts ako nung time na yon dahil PE day namin. Shocked ako pero di na lang kumibo. Pag katorse anyos ka kasi di ka pa marunong ng eskandalo. Gusto ko man siyang murahin pero di ko nagawa. Buti na lang at bago pa nalaman ng mamang payat na maputi ang color ng shorts ko ay nakarating na ang sarao sa may lerma…dali dali akong bumaba at dinagger look ko pa si mamang payat na maputi… pero ang tanong, may silbi pa kaya yon? Ang pangatlong karanasan ay medyo nakakainip. Isang hapon sa may Espana, inabutan kami ng flashflood ng kaklase kong taga Murphy dahil sa malakas na ulan. Gustuhin man naming sumakay ng sarao ay ‘di pwede dahil dagsa ang pasahero. Inabutan kami ng gabi sa daan, mga lampas alas diyes siguro. Hanggang sa napilitan na lang kaming magtaxi hanggang Cubao. Naghiwalay kami sa Cubao. Siya papunta sa kanila, ako sa amin. Salamat sa Diyos at may nakapila pang color coded na sarao papunta sa amin. Salamat sa sarao na may kabayo sa hood at ‘di ako umabot ng hatinggabi sa daan…lampas ng alas onse lang ng gabi. Mabalik uli tayo sa kabayo sa hood ng sarao? Saan ba gawa ito? Sa bakal ba o aluminyo? Bakit Kabayo ang napiling palamuti sa hood ng sarao? Bakit ‘di na lang si Batman para at least, makakalipad siya ‘pag matraffic. O kaya si Dyesebel na lang para makalangoy siya pag baha. Bakit nga ba kabayo? Dahil ba sa kasingbilis ng kabayo ang sarao o dahil kasing - astig nito ang kabayo?
he loves to eat… i love to cook. he is a man of few words…i am a woman with a lot. he minds the train of our lives while i train the minds of our sons. he likes foreign action movies…action movies are foreign to me. he doesn’t like tagalog movies but he enjoys watching them with me. he always sees the best in me…i will always love even the worse in him. I love you very much…my dear husband…the other half of me!
How do you like your cookies? Some want them crispy or chewy. Some may prefer those that are crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside. Still, others prefer a cookie with lots of spices and nuts. Sometimes we feel glad when they are presented to us beautifully wrapped in colorful papers or snugly concealed in a box to protect their shapes from being disturbed. At times, they don’t look good at all but once you take a bite on one of them, delectable filling oozes out from it. But, no matter what kind of cookies are given to us, we just chew them until nothing is left in the box. Sometimes, we may not like them at all but we like to try and get done with them all at once. Our struggles are the cookies in our life. So enjoy your cookies and manage them well.
I’ve known our pastor…female pastor for almost fives months now. The first time I learned that she is replacing our pastor gave me sad thoughts…I will miss our pastor. What will it be like having to listen to a new pastor who is suddenly taking the place of our pastor of nine years… what will it be like trying to get use of listening to somebody with soft voice when everybody got used of listening to a pastor who can talk with power and might. you see, our used-to-be pastor has a commanding presence in the pulpit…you know…tall, good looking, pleasant, with a happy disposition and most especially almost my age… he is in his 40’s. No I am not over rating him…that is how I see him. For me he is an epitome of strength and conviction. Then came our new pastor…my first impression…an embodiment of intellect and knowledge. She talks with exactness and tact…soft spoken and yet her words leave marks in the heart…a woman of intellect but does not intellectualize messages she convey. A woman of substance… a messenger of God, indeed…
Note: I won’t give the name of our pastor because she might not like it…but I hope she knows who she is.
My eldest son was just a few months old when this song was making it big in the airwaves. I continued my life as a new mom while the artists of this song continued raking money from royalties and all. Not even one of the words in the song hit me. It was just one of the songs… I guess. Heard today…gone tomorrow. That was 17 years ago. I’m now in my 40’s and I am starting to become so emo… (as what teenagers call it) about everything. What has life to offer me now that I am growing old? Am I really next in line? Yeah, I am indeed next in line. I am growing old. But wait, growing old depends on how you look at life. Being 44 is not stereotypical if you try to make a difference. It’s not difficult if you find ways to make life easy. Life offers a lot of things as we grow old. We may not look as young as we used to physically but we can always feel young not only in the heart but in our mind. Six years from now I’ll be 50…golden girl. My youngest will hopefully be graduating in high school, my second in college, and my eldest, about to finish his master’s degree in Communication Arts. By then, my husband and I can relax a bit. I can again sit in my easy chair as I listen to the song Next in Line, and probably I will then have a new interpretation of its lyrics.
What has life to offer me when i grow old? What’s there to look forward to beyond the biting cold They say it’s difficult, yes, stereotypical. What’s there beyond sleep, eat, work in this cruel life Ain’t there nothin’ else ’round here but human strife ‘Cause they say it’s difficult, yes, stereotypical Gotta be conventional, you can’t be so radical. Chorus: So I sing this song to all of my age For these are the questions we’ve got to face For in this cycle that we call life We are the ones who are next in line We are next in line. What has life to offer me when i grow old? What’s there to look forward to beyond the biting cold ‘Cause they say it’s difficult, yes, stereotypical Gotta be conventional, you can’t be so radical. So I sing this song to all of my age For these are the questions we’ve got to face For in this cycle that we call life We are the ones who are next in line We are next in line Oh-hoh, we are next in line. Bridge: And we gotta work, we gotta feel (we gotta feel) Let’s open our eyes and do whatever it takes We gotta work, we gotta feel (we gotta feel) Let’s open our eyes, oh-woh And sing this song to all of our age For these are the questions we’ve got to face For in this cycle that we call life We are the ones who are next in line
