Marine Day

I just wanted to say that I love Filipinos. Not because I think my wife is going to read this because I'm assuming she won't- she's not really into reading for pleasure. But I just love to watch Philippinos when they party. I went to my Father-in-Law's Marine Day party where he gets together with all of his friends from the Philippine Marines and their families. The way they dance and interact is like watching poetry in motion. It's like I'm seeing an entire culture of people who realize that they're fallen and goofy and mistake-ridden, but they stop caring because they finally get the joke that so many people don't get. That we're all fallen and goofy and mistake-ridden and if they really pay attention to the details it gets funny after awhile. And they stop stressing about it all so much.

Now, I know they're people with problems just like every one else. But I was watching them dance on the dance floor tonight along with their kids and grandkids. No one had to talk any one into getting out there. Every age of person in the room was crowding the dance floor so that there was very little room left on the wood portions. Some definitely knew how to dance; some looked like they were having seizures. But no one was worried about it. And they just danced and smiled and laughed at themselves. It was a beautiful image. Almost like a little picture of heaven that I could see.