REFLECTIONS
TIME MOVES ON
Teresita Bacani-Oropilla, MD
Mt. Apo in the Philippians
T
he perception of time is relative. Sixty years to a child of eight is an unimaginable forever while, to one in
her eighties, time presents a kaleidoscope of
scenes and memories that entertains endlessly.
In 1956, 60 years ago, four large sections
of youths, three of boys and one of girls (sex
segregation was the rule then) graduated from
the University of Santo Tomas Medical School with dreams of
“Serving Humanity.” True to their dreams, the remnants of that
group, about forty strong, met in Manila, Philippines this year.
Called the Diamond Jubilarians, along with their peers who stayed
in-country and made illustrious names for themselves in different
fields, those that left converged from different parts of the world
where they had served in myriad capacities. In the USA, they were
practitioners of different specialties, instructors or professors in
universities and hospitals. Some had seen combat in Iraq and the
Persian Gulf, treating war casualties of friend and foe alike. Some
had gone to Thailand and the mountains in the Philippines to
remove cataracts and restore sight to the blind. Some had started
nutrition programs in Africa or made periodic medical missions
to the cities and barrios of the Philippines.
Still on their feet albeit some with limps and aided with canes,
the group, both local and visitors, were feted and congratulated on
their stamina and continued zest for life. Honored with medals,
pins and commendations, they went to picnics hosted by former
local classmates, told their stories, bragged about their children and
grandchildren, shared their aches and pains, and their emotional
losses. They danced to their music and the more invigorating seemingly unstructured dances of the present. They performed before a
younger crowd of jubilarians with the lyrics of a song thus;
“Those were the days, my friend,
We thought they’d never end,
We’d live and dance, forever and a day,
We’d live the life we choose,
We’d fight and never lose,
For we were young and sure to have our way!
La la la la lala, la la la la lala
For we were young and sure to have our way!”
(continued on page 12)
MARCH 2016
11