𝗠𝘆 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮

𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧. 𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙛𝙪𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙃𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧, 𝙘𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙖𝙧 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙝𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚. 𝙄𝙩'𝙨 𝙖 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚, 𝙬𝙚𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙙𝙖. 

Family is forever, and yes, they are in the Philippines. I feel sad on my first Christmas in Canada. It's not something I expect. It's not something I wanted. 

There's no "Noche Buena" culture here, a tradition in the Philippines. It's quiet, and people prefer to be at home for some reason. 

Is Christ present during our darkest times? The times when we feel down and not feeling good about ourselves? 

There's more love in the Philippines during Christmas. The reason we dwell on the most meaningful and memorable moments in our home country. 

Whenever we reminisce about the good Christmas moments, it gives us a good feeling and brightens the darkness. 

A family is there who understands and comforts us. It's the most special day of the year when we remember and talk to them. To share the good and not-so-good things we see, think, and feel. 

All I want this Christmas is to feel the presence of Christ. His love and the Holy Spirit to guide and lift me. Others may have forgotten and been blinded by their priorities, but we can't follow their path. They always have the choice to make beyond our control. 

I still want to feel the bright side of Christmas. The ups and downs will always be there, but Christ will be in our hearts. 

In this year's message, the Pope said, "Even in dark times, never lose hope in God's love," and that there is light even in our darkest hour. 

©️ 2022 Del Cusay