I had been hearing a lot of this "protocol" term from natural farmer, Jojie. Whatever usage the word has, it still connotes ways and means, propriety and decorum.
Yesterday, there was an impromptu meeting of three (3) childhood friends. I haven't seen them in like more than 30yrs! Childhood ways never leave you and just get louder when thrown in that company. We picked up and its as if we have always seen one another. I brought another friend with me, and she fitted right away :)
One of us got a text from another childhood neighbor too, that the father of another neighbor passed away. We decided to go.
We got there to an empty room. Just Boying, our friend, who also just got there. He was so surprised to see us, out of the basketball courts and not eating BBQ from the grocery. His sister was there. We felt we were all in Philam and hanging around in our corner Kalachuchi tree!
I remember their father working with UN or something foreign post. At that age, we were more interested in the food stuff the homecomings were sending to our corner in the banketa. Now we were served korpek from Brunei, Chocolate Cake that the Sultan of Brunei loves....the stories were not interesting, it was the eating and cheap thrills of being together.
As we were making kwento amidts the giggling, she came home from her tour or Brunei and was now protocol officer. At that point still small talk for me...the kropek was good.
A lady in a cane, who just sprained her ankle, walked in. She was introduced as Ambassador XXX of XXX. Ok, a new face. Good looking gentleman walks in. Introduced as Ambassador YYY of YYY, whom she replaced as protocol officer. Ok, so they were very friendly and nice. Geez....I am no smiling and chika chika person. Next ones to walk in were all introduced as Ambassador so and so....At first you think it was a joke. It didn't dawn on us that YES they were really our Ambassadors. And YES, they are so amiable and nice. Greeting us. Us, the noisy kids. But she was so personal and enjoyed introducing her childood neighbors.
This isn't a norm at wakes. I didn't even get introduced to all my sister's friends during our mom's wake. Neither did I do that to her.
But then...of course they are protocol officers. It is a way of life for them. It was so nice to see them in a big bunch in the element of being friends also. They were not there for work. They were like us, just a step higher as they were prim and proper in their laughter ahahahhha.
Signing out....we thought HOW? Do we go around everyone again and say proper goodbyes?
Well....we remained ourselves and just said goodbyes and waved...much like after a game at the court.
Protocol is proper. It is designed and set in place for a reason. It is tried and tested over time. Let's learn from experienced ones. I have to reread Jojie's protocol for Sunshines. It is changing and being improved always. But that is reality....science dictates that there are basic things we do.
Yesterday, there was an impromptu meeting of three (3) childhood friends. I haven't seen them in like more than 30yrs! Childhood ways never leave you and just get louder when thrown in that company. We picked up and its as if we have always seen one another. I brought another friend with me, and she fitted right away :)
One of us got a text from another childhood neighbor too, that the father of another neighbor passed away. We decided to go.
We got there to an empty room. Just Boying, our friend, who also just got there. He was so surprised to see us, out of the basketball courts and not eating BBQ from the grocery. His sister was there. We felt we were all in Philam and hanging around in our corner Kalachuchi tree!
I remember their father working with UN or something foreign post. At that age, we were more interested in the food stuff the homecomings were sending to our corner in the banketa. Now we were served korpek from Brunei, Chocolate Cake that the Sultan of Brunei loves....the stories were not interesting, it was the eating and cheap thrills of being together.
As we were making kwento amidts the giggling, she came home from her tour or Brunei and was now protocol officer. At that point still small talk for me...the kropek was good.
A lady in a cane, who just sprained her ankle, walked in. She was introduced as Ambassador XXX of XXX. Ok, a new face. Good looking gentleman walks in. Introduced as Ambassador YYY of YYY, whom she replaced as protocol officer. Ok, so they were very friendly and nice. Geez....I am no smiling and chika chika person. Next ones to walk in were all introduced as Ambassador so and so....At first you think it was a joke. It didn't dawn on us that YES they were really our Ambassadors. And YES, they are so amiable and nice. Greeting us. Us, the noisy kids. But she was so personal and enjoyed introducing her childood neighbors.
This isn't a norm at wakes. I didn't even get introduced to all my sister's friends during our mom's wake. Neither did I do that to her.
But then...of course they are protocol officers. It is a way of life for them. It was so nice to see them in a big bunch in the element of being friends also. They were not there for work. They were like us, just a step higher as they were prim and proper in their laughter ahahahhha.
Signing out....we thought HOW? Do we go around everyone again and say proper goodbyes?
Well....we remained ourselves and just said goodbyes and waved...much like after a game at the court.
Protocol is proper. It is designed and set in place for a reason. It is tried and tested over time. Let's learn from experienced ones. I have to reread Jojie's protocol for Sunshines. It is changing and being improved always. But that is reality....science dictates that there are basic things we do.
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