To Nikki, from Tita Bea

November 18, 2006

In the Philippines, most teenage girls excitedly await for the day they turn 18. It means they are already adults. They can now enjoy a lot of things like vote in elections, have a date without a chaperon, drink and party, and so on. Some parents even allow their 18 year-old daughters to live on their own (but with financial support from them).

To celebrate their 18th birthday,  some girls manage to throw a party called "debut." A debut is a tradition which was carried out from generation to generation since the Spanish occupation. Usually, it is celebrated by the debutante by dancing with her cotillion court which is composed of 9 teenage girls and 9 teenage boys. Then there's the traditional dance with 18 men, each one offering a rose before their turn to dance with the debutante. Traditionally, after the 18 roses ceremony, 18 ladies light 18 candles for the debutante.  The 18 candles symbolize guidance as the debutante enters adulthood. As time passed by, debutantes have become "innovative' in celebrating their coming of age, adding more ceremonies like the 18 wishes (where 18 girls give the birthday celebrator their wishes) and the 18 revelations (where 18 friends of the celebrator reveal facts about her which may be unknown even to her own family or some friends) all in the spirit of fun.

Last Saturday, I attended Nikki's debut. Nikki is a niece of a very close friend I often hang out with. She's such a sweet young lady. Nikki's coming of age is both a delight and amazement to her family, relatives and friends.  I was surprised to see how grown up she had become, looking every inch a lady. Here are a few pics of her well-attended debut which was filled with smiles, laughters and tears of joy.

To Nikki, I know you will get to read this post. Tulad ng sinabi ko sa iyo, you take care of yourself and you study hard. As you enter the world of adults, you will discover a wider world–with all its glories and chaos. You will meet a lot of people–with all their goodness and their flaws. You will encounter different situations–exciting, happy, sad, frustrating. Know that whatever comes to your life, marami ang nagmamahal sa iyo, lalo na ang pamilya mo. If there are things you are unsure of or you have too many “what ifs,” do not worry. Everyone struggles with growing up. Andyan lang palagi ang pamilya mo. You can talk things over with them. They will guide you where to go and what to do next. Keep at being a good servant of God. Natutuwa ako dahil aktibo mong ginagawa ang mga tungkulin mo sa church. Continue on your journey with God, with your family, relatives and friends. Continue living a life in pursuit of a better you and a better life for the people around you.