Marie Christine and Blanca Jeanette

POINTS of VIEW

Today, my email inbox was filled with too many iloveyous…

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From: Jeanette Babas

Thank you and iloveyou =)

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From: Grace Entereso

love u too marie christine and blanca jeanette…

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From: Vergara, Christine

naiyak ako... love you guys... hanggang mamatay i will keep you two ...

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From: Grace Entereso

Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 9:37 AM

To: Vergara, Christine; Jeanette Babas

Goodmorning…

Cris’ sms: ‘ang gusto kong kanta natin ay POINTS OF VIEW, friendship song natin un ha.’

POINTS of VIEW

Look, it's happened once again

It happens every now and then

Feeling the hurt and hating all the men

Ready to stop it all

That's when I need a friendly face

To see me through these lonely days

Just to put some sunshine in my place

Don't take too long I need you

REFRAIN:

Here I am

I haven't gone that far away

And since I am

That kind of friend you know

Would stay with you through all the pain

Never to leave you in the rain

Ready to listen to what you've been through

Your woes and blues and share each other's

CHORUS:

Points of view

We've been there once before

And kept our points of view

It doesn't really matter if they're never quite the same

We have our rules in different ways

We play the games of different folks with different strokes

And keep our points of view

See the world seems bright again

It only darkens now and then

Most of the time there's just no telling when

Look up and see you've got me

REFRAIN:

Here we are

We may have gone our different ways

But since we are

The kind of friends who'll always stay

No matter what the pain

Learning to love that cap o rain

Ready to say we're here to stay in every way

Although we'e got our different...

CHORUS:

Points of view

We've been there once before

And kept our points of view

It doesn't really matter if they're never quite the same

We have our rules in different ways

We play the games of different folks with different strokes

And keep our points of view

SAME-SAME but DIFFERENT

I can’t remember exactly when our friendship started, the next thing I knew I was totally enticed by the relationship we have. I think we have a bunch of things in common…aside from being Psych grads (and psychoanalytic freaks); Singles for Christ paved the way for a stronger friendship. Writing each other back and forth via email, countless phone calls a day and for every weekend we spent together make us closer and closer. We had the funniest debates at every SFC meeting and we are not afraid of even taking opposite sides. Moreover, in all of the dim-witted and mind-boggling things we shared, we tell each other secrets that we never uttered before to a single soul. That's where our friendship really took off.

Three of us are experiencing the vertical reality of being vertically challenged since the day our bones stopped growing. I enjoy spending moments with the cutest and petitiest (if there such a word!) women in my world because these are the only times I feel (comparatively) the tallest. Providentially, our heights did not hinder us from reaching our dreams. And to add on our common list, we are all the youngest in our own families. Our life principles and assumptions, our ways of learning on the realities of life, our faith and service to God are our common denominators that multiply joys and divide sadness. Even our love stories and shares of heart breaks are (were?) photocopied (no one can't learn from someone else’s experiences)…do I need to elaborate? (Readers, bribe me and I will tell you how…hahaha!)

In 1997, Blanca Jeanette and I were block mates in Miriam College, we were in second year then. I cannot vividly remember the day I started to call and consider her ‘friend’. We were in one barkada (of 9 psychoanalytic freaks too) and together with Jackie, we were the great triad! Inseparable in all school projects. Until one day, one of our friends (either Summer or Oly) complained and suggested that we have to ‘share’ our intelligent to the rest of the group. Hahaha!!! But Jeanette and I started to have a very solid friendship when she came to Dubai in 2006. Living in one roof, serving Christ through SFC community and loving midnight conversations add meaning to our individuality. The rest is history!

In 2006, Marie Christine and I had our first spur-of-the-moment one-on-one over a cup of coffee at Grand Moov Hotel during one of the leaders’ assemblies (which was her first treat!). While all SFC UAE leaders were having their discussion, Christine and I were having our own ‘personal’ discussions too (plus MEC 2006 preps on the side). The friendship even developed during MEC 2007, when both of us were assigned to head one of the committees. And again, the rest is history!

The three of us have a lot of things in common. Needless to say, we have more innumerable differences that add spice on our journey and excitement in our battles. The salt-and-pepper situations and ordeals in our lives allow us to stand for what we believe is right and fight for our points of view. Undeniably, if love is genuine and same-same, it doesn't really matter if our beliefs, rules and strokes are different.

(same-same is an expression in the middle east, meaning the same)