Lifetime Achievement Award

“Congratulations, Tita Grace!” was the first message I read on my phone on the 8th of March. It came from a young writer, Alvin, whom I always meet in literary and arts gathering.

“We have the same interests and you are brilliant,” I joked in one of those events. “We must be related.” True enough, after tracing roots and family trees, we discovered that somewhere down there, we share the same forbears.

From then on, he has called me Tita (Auntie), an honorific that delights me, especially when they come from young kindred souls. Here’s what Alvin uploaded.

Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Francisco Balagtas is an award given by the UMPIL (Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas), founded in 1974. Transliteration: Union of Writers of the Philippines. It is a lifetime achievement award for writers in various Philippine literature. Mine is for children’s Literature in English.

Francisco Balagtas (1788-1862), for whom the Award is named, was a prominent Filipino poet and author recognized as the “Prince of Tagalog Poets” and was likened to William Shakespeare for his contribution and influence on Philippine literature. The famous 19th century epic romance, Florante at Laura, was his most defining work.

Alvin’s message that day was totally unexpected and it shocked me, to say the least. I ran out of clever words to say. But a silent prayer, thanking the Lord for this recognition of what I do to serve Him, burst out of my lungs. Then I came to and clicked on a sticker showing a cartoon character jumping with joy. Send.

I stood up and did exactly that.