When you feel the world turn

It began on Sunday, when I teared at the news that one of my oldest and dearest friends gave birth to a perfect baby boy. It's Tuesday today, and it feels like the unreality of it all has just hit me.

Alma was the girl we thought would never get pregnant. Although she married a hunky architect (Sancho) at 19 -- because she just wanted to -- she never ceased being the girl with a million parties, bar events and late-late nights that grudgingly creeped into morning. She was a woman with her own plan, her own mind, who remained perenially in shape and was always out shopping for the newest sexy clothes and bags. If she wasn't in Manila she was somewhere in Boracay, attending to some bar or club event. She and Sancho seemed like they were never planning to start a family. For the twelve years we've know each other, my friends and I were convinced that they wouldn't be able to give up their fast-paced, cosmopolitan lifestyle to have a family.

But boy were we wrong. After two miscarriages, a thriving restaurant business and twelve loooooong years, they finally did it. And for some reason, it came as such a shock. I guess our minds were conditioned that, we'd never see her pregnant, or that they loved their party life so much, to give it up would be impossible. But man, they willingly turned their world upside down for this. And I saw it myself, on Friday night at her shower (the first time in 9 months! Now who's the busy one??!!! Some friend). Her belly was all big and round as if she swallowed a couple of watermelons whole.

She was one of the most blooming pregnant women I've seen.

Then SanMig (Sancho Miguel) decided to drop in on the world on Sunday! He made his grand entrance at 3.39 pm and I felt my heart burst. Isn't it weird? I was hardly even there during her pregnancy to really know what she went through. But still, it felt...overwhelming. Maybe it was because all our assumptions were trashed. All those years I "grew up" with her suddenly came rushing back and it made me realize that, egad, time marches on, and the changes are more acute. New chapters are being written in our individual lives. We're all seeing and feeling it now, and it's pushing us all to a different, more mystical and mind-altering level.

And you know what? We're all here. We're all still friends. We still choose to grow up together. We continue to change and and we're together to witness it.

I guess that's the most overwhelming thing. Imagine: Abby's Nikki is a teenager, and now, SanMig has joined the barkada. A new life to look after. A new experience for all of us ninangs. A new opportunity for us to grow.

It's so bizarre. I feel so much love for these people. And to think, that's all through osmosis. I wonder what it will be like when it's my turn? I think my spirit will absolutely explode from sheer joy.

These are the bestest friends any girl can have. And I'm so proud to have them.