Trinkets (standard:Flash, 400 words)
Author: jopoguerrero	Added: Dec 23 2008	Views/Reads: 3342/0	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
The love of children

A co-worker guffawed when he accidentally saw these things in my work
bag: broken Rosaries, an old medallion of Our Lady of Manaoag, a 
chipped laughing Buddha, faded marbles, a small toy car, batarangs from 
Batman's utility belt and a Kung Fu Panda figurine. 

“You are the oldest kid I have ever seen! What are these trinkets for?”
he chuckled as he continued to poke around my belongings. 

“I have more of those in my apartment,” I smiled. He left giggling and
buzzing the latest news about me around the office. 

Due to distance and the nature of my work, I only go home to my family
every other week. My position in our company's regional station is 
vital, hence I can only spend a maximum of two days per vacation – and 
that includes the long drive back and forth. 

Thus, every vacation of mine is like Christmas Day. I bring home gifts
to my wife and children. We attend the Holy Mass. We dine at the best 
restaurant. We go shopping. At home, we watch together the latest DVD 
we bought or rented. We swap stories and jokes. We play games. We fill 
the house with hearty laughter till I tuck my kids to bed. 

When I prepare to travel back to work, my children would help me fold my
clothes, roll my towel and find my things. And in the process, they 
often slip in some extras in my battered travelling bag – beaten 
pocketbooks, coverless Archie Comics, old religious items, tortured 
toys and the like. 

At first, I thought it was their way of telling me that I should buy new
ones. 

But later on, I realized that my children never really bugged me for new
items. I also observed that the “trinkets” they have given me are their 
favorite things – things that they really loved and enjoyed. Matters 
they cannot really throw away or substitute with new ones. 

It finally dawned on me that what my children are doing is pure
sacrifice. Their favorite “trinkets” have become parts of them. And 
they are tearing off parts of them so that we can be together no matter 
where I go – innocent yet true love. 

So, as much as possible, I always bring with me a Rosary or a toy or a
pocketbook or a figurine from my kids. 

My co-worker calls these things trinkets, I call them treasures. 


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