LOS ANGELES (L.A. Zamboanga Times / John L. Shinn lll) Ever since we were kids, me and my three younger brothers -- Kenny, Sandy and Joby -- always looked forward to the Christmas holidays because our birthdays fall in December.
Despite the huge expenses behind preparations for our parties, our parents always managed to make sure each one of our birthdays were celebrated. I remember when I was in Grade 6. My mother decided to celebrate our birthdays with just one big party which was held at the family home in Zamboanga.
Many of our classmates were invited. Our birthday cake was designed to look like a calendar showing the month of December similar to the oversized calendars with huge numbers that Chinese businesses in the city give away at the end of the year.
When I turned 16, my birthday celebration lasted three days and we consumed 32 cases of San Miguel beer and 15 cases of Black & White whiske, not to mention the volume of food that was catered.
Then twelve years ago, I was invited to a birthday party that changed my outlook in life forever. Also that year, I decided to stop celebrating my birthday thinking of the millions of people around the world who could barely eat one good meal a day!
Last month, I (Dec. 16) and my brothers -- Kenny (Dec. 28), Sandy (Dec. 28) and Joby (Dec. 23) -- celebrated our birthdays with a simple party. Our brother Sandy, who is still in the Philippines, and Kenny were born the same day (Dec. 28), but one year apart.
Instead of spending thousands to celebrate our birthdays, I told my brothers, I would rather have a modest party and donate some of the money saved for a good cause such as feeding homeless street children in Zamboanga City. (JOHN L. SHINN III is LAZT Founder-Editor based in Los Angeles)
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