GOD KNOWS BEST

This is the story of my life  ..................



I was born on September 16, 1953, baptized as Maria Myrna Vergara Abenido,  the
fourth and the youngest daughter of Mauro and Constancia. Mauro is from Basdiot,
Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines while Constancia is from Burgos, Toboso, Negros Occidental. Basdiot is now worldly known as Panagsama Beach as scuba divers
paradise.

I have three older sisters Lindy, Helen, and Evelyn, all are successful in their chosen
fields. I have three younger brothers Nelson, Jerey and Eldie. They are all so close to my heart. Jerey, now I called my Brother Angel Jerey died at the age of 45 on October 13,2003.  Nelson is a politician and also owns Nelsons Scuba Diving School in our
village. He is a very responsible family man and a dynamic leader whose actions speak
louder than words. He sings beautifully that everyone loves to hear and to watch him singing with feelings. Eldie is a Math professor in our town university and also an Engineer, and always brilliant, who is cool and like my father wears the most beautiful smile.

My childhood with my younger brothers, older sisters, and my parents was most memorable to me.

At the age two I died or stop breathing for a while but my mother never gave up. She
raised my small body and yelled to Mama Mary to give me back my life, and to the
surprised of everyone, I cried.  This is the main reason why I honor Mama Maria, or
Mama Mary or the Blessed Mother forever.God wants me to live, and God Knows Best.

By the way, my nickname is Naomi. It is biblical as the mother..in ..law of Ruth, while
my name Myrna was derived from a Biblical Church called Smyrna in the olden times.
I am happy to be me and I love my names.

I studied my Elementary in Basdiot Elementary School in our village and my High School in our town, San Juan High School in honor of our patron Saint San Juan Nepomuceno. I excelled in Literary/Musical. I was always the favorite of all the teachers and they all said I was so easy to love. I won singing contests, Declamation
contests and all my Essays and Poetry were posted in the Bulletin Board. During my
High School days I was assigned to write in the Moalboal News which was written in a big blackboard at the main road of our town.  I stopped doing it when I collapsed due to so much heat of the sun.

At age 13, the Director and Musical Producer of Moalboal School of Fisheries selected me as the Leading Cast of an opera in three acts called The Chimes of Normandy. I was the youngest of all the participants. I was chosen for the reason that I have the voice quality with the highest pitch without even using my falcetto. I was young and
all I could remember was all the town people and the students in schools were calling
me Germaine, the name of the character I was portraying. It was well..applauded and
I considered it my shining glory.

My college days at ICC Davao City, Philippines was not as interesting as my high school days. I stayed with my aunt as well as my older sisters and I was attending the store of my aunt as well as attending classes. It was for me a very tough life. Everything happens for a reason and God Knows Best.

August 21, 1972, President Ferdinand E.Marcos declared Martial Law.
I decided to go home to our very home sweet home in Basdiot. I was welcomed gladly by my parents and my younger brothers.

August 25, 1972
My cousin Nita who works as an accountant in Montebello Villa Hotel in Cebu City came home for a visit. The city is about three hours by bus.She showed me the brochure of the hotel and invited me to see the place and stay with her for an overnight stay. I accepted the invitation with my parents approval. The next day I went with her to the hotel. At that time the Information Officer was absent, and Nita requested me to
sit at the Information Desk and to wait for her as she went to the bundy clock for her
attendace report.

While waiting for Nita people were coming at my direction and I greeted them all with
a warm smile and a Good Morning. Men and women, young and old asked questions
and I answered all their questions to the best of my ability according to what I read
and understood at the brochure writings. I was wearing my Mini Skirt and my two inches clogs or sandals. I stand five feet six inches with my bare feet, with my sandal I
thought I was the tallest Filipina in that crowd. I let my jet long hair down and I was the
sexiest lady in town as that young girl was telling in front of me. I was so embarrassed but honestly I enjoyed answering all the questions.

Almost lunch time and I felt so hungry. Seeing Nita walking to my direction made me so glad. She was with a Spanish man, matured and respectable. The Spanish guy told me to start working that day but I told him the truth that I did not go there to work but just to see the place and be back home in the province by afternoon. Another Spanish
lady came, I learned later that she was one of the owners and she convinced me to work for them and that everything will be provided, my food, my transportation, my accommodation. I did not reply. Nita said YES ! to my surprise. She winked at me, and true to their words, I was provided as promised, Nita sent her sister back to the province to tell my parents that I was the person that they were looking for the job.
That started my Hotel Career for fifteen years on and off.  On and Off because I was also employed for five years in General Foods Philippines in Metro Manila for five years as well as in Norkis Trading Cebu for ten years both jobs at the communication Center. GOD KNOWS BEST !

I CRIED A LOT

One of my working days at the hotel, the waiter came to me with a note inviting me for a dinner by one of the restaurant custumers. There were  many invitations but I declined because I was not familiar with the city and I was also afraid. Invitations were asked personally except for that one in a note. Curious as I was, I wrote at the back of
the note , I am not going out with you or with anybody else. A few minutes after that
a very tall six footer good looking guy wearing in complete U.S.Army uniformed was standing in front of me. Young and very convincing. I was talking to my Boss and he interrupted us and told my Boss...My name is Sgt. Douglas Miller from the U. S. Army
I wish to invite this lady that works for you for a dinner tonight. My Boss looked at me and said, Well, it is up to her . I was caught by surprise and I replied it is okay but the
dinner will be here at the La Puerta one of the restaurant of the hotel. He has the guts to asked my Boss what time was my off and he quickly said I will be here right at five in the afternoon your off time. He said, Thank You and See You.

Dinner was followed by another dinner and more time together and he asked me once if I love him because he love me so. At first I did not reply. He had the patience. Then
one dinner, he asked me again, when I said YES ! he was taking a ring from his pocket
asked me if I am going to marry him and I said YES again and he placed the ring on my finger, kissed me and telling me I made him the happiest man alive.

During my day off he went with me to the province to see and asked permission from my parents to marry me. My father cried because I was and always so close to my father but he gave his consent. We also went to the Parish Priest to get all the requirements with his promise that he will be back for marriage ceremonies right after he completed the necessary papers. He was 22 years old I was twenty.

His departure was one of the most sad moments of my life.
Telephone calls as well as love letters by mail played an important role in our long
distance relationship.Then one last letter came that served like an arrow with the strongest poison came with these words...
I love you very much but I cannot drag you into the world of the unknown and despair.
I am not coming back.
O Dear Lord ! I felt I died at that moment. How to tell my parents, the parish priest, my family and friends, everybody... My heart cried, my soul wept, my battered ego drowned, my life was turned into nothingness...but I survived, GOD KNOWS BEST !

I eventually told everybody with courage and optimism and everybody showed their love
and support. I kept myself busy. I kept singing the happy songs of my life, I worked, worked, worked and worked. I prayed, prayed, prayed and prayed. GOD KNOWS BEST.

Time passes so quickly. Time heals. I eventually got married to LITO a very loving man and I gave birth to our one and only daughter/child Cathy. Lito is an Electronics Engineer. As of this writing Cathy who is already a lawyer works as a Professor as well as owns a Law Firm in the city. She was married to a very nice and loving man, Nasvin last February 26, 2011, a few days ago. She will give birth to my first grandchild by July this year. GOD KNOWS BEST.

When I was young I made 8 Wishes !

1.  To have an honest, honorable, respectable way of living.
2.  To be a loyal, loving and faithful wife.
3.  To be a dedicated and understanding mother.
4.  To be a well..known writer.
5.  To keep singing the songs of my heart.
6.  To have the most beautiful garden.
7.  To have grandchildren and children of my grandchildren.
8.  To be a millionaire.

All my wishes come true except for number 8  but please allow me to say some words about number 4....

I joined Writing.Com. in the year 2007. A year after that I knew a lady whom I called an angel and an answer to my prayers. Another American. Now...A Lady and she made me cry. Her name is Aleta Sowards. She read one of my books with the title, The
Triumph Right On Time. She wanted my manuscript because she wants it to be published in America. I was in cloud 9. I sent her the manuscript by mail and when she received it she sent me a contract to sign which I signed and sent back. We continue the communications for a few months then it is almost two years now since
she contacted me. I never heard her again. I wonder why....

Miles and Miles away, oceans and oceans apart, two Americans broke my heart, and with all honesty I wish that  all is well for them and their dear ones, and  I never lost my high respect and believe in America and its people. I also believe I can
rebuild my shattered dreams because God is with me, and GOD KNOWS BEST !

I never stop singing and I never stop writing for as long as I live. I am writing the scrolls of wisdom. Thousands and thousands of scrolls and I placed them inside the bottles and hang them on big trees in front of our garden. I placed each scroll in every Happy Basket that I made and I sell them to tourists both local and foreign. They all were touched by my writings. Some cried, some hugged me with joy, some sent letters of
appreciation that my writings lighten the burdens of their lives, some visited me personally every now and then. Some posted our place in their websites all over the world. There is no the same message. GOD MAKES A WAY for me that gladdens my heart and my spirit. GOD KNOWS BEST !

Wishes Number 8
This is not happening yet as far as financial capabilities is concerned, I believe God works in wonder and sooner or later this last wish will come true. In my own soul, I believe that God blesses me in so many million ways that in one way or another I am truly a millionaire.

I continue my journey called life without fear. I asked for forgiveness and I choose to forgive. Nobody is perfect. I traveled a long way, and I keep on traveling keeping the
memories of all my experiences, harmonizing with smiles and laughters all my given
efforts, and to Cheer for all the wonders of my existence, and the friends and strangers that I met, meet, and will meet along the way, each moment will be cherished in my wholebeing.

Affirming that GOD KNOWS BEST. YES !
IN GOD I TRUST........................






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