Life is a spiral: A place where loneliness is a stranger

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By Neny Regino

IN October 2014, the SM Senior Hub opened in a five-story building along Jupiter Street in Makati City.

A project of the SM Foundation, the Senior Hub was the brainchild of Ms Teresita Sy-Coson and aimed at creating a haven for seniors where they could socialize with friends.

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From its initial name of Senior Hub, it would come to be better known as Sunshine Place. It is said that Sunshine is the nickname of Mrs. Felicidad T. Sy given by her family and closest friends.

Aside from socializing, seniors can pursue their hobbies, learn new crafts and skills, and be entertained with concerts regularly held at the hub. Many members have forged friendships there; the many hours spent at the hub became a bonding time for them.

‘Grow old with me. The best is yet to be!’ — Robert Browning, English poet and playwright

The hub has an area for arts and crafts, wellness activities, dance studio, a gym, a music room, a chapel, and a roof deck which can be rented for company activities.

One of the initial classes offered was a creative writing class taught by Tweetums Gonzales, an advertising executive and newspaper columnist. The class became so popular it was decided that the thoughts of Sunshine Place members should be put into a book and that became Finding the Sun.

Another writing teacher from San Francisco, Oscar Penaranda, a masters degree holder in creative writing from the San Francisco State University and a recipient of the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas(UMPIL), Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas has been holding Memoir Writing classes. During the pandemic, his classes were held via ZOOM and his students successfully launched their collection of memoirs: Reflections in Light and Shadow: An Anthology of Short Memoirs. The book was dedicated to Mrs. Felicidad T. Sy, in gratitude for creating Sunshine Place “where we learned how to share the stories of our lives.”

Mrs. Felicidad T. Sy wrote in her Finding the Sun foreword: “Almost every Friday, I come for Mass, then enjoy the potluck lunch. I am always there for their parties, always heartened by the joy I feel, bursting out of the men and women I meet.”

Many of us who take the varied courses offered at the center have discovered our hitherto hidden talents–from painting, singing and writing to flower arranging. To friends in their senior years who doubt that they could still learn new skills, I always encourage them to make an effort to learn. After all, adding more years to one’s age doesn’t mean one has to stop learning.

I have been a member for 10 years and have greatly benefited from the many workshops. Sunshine Place has also opened its doors to non-seniors who want to join workshops and to non-members in need of accommodation for special events.

My late husband and I would spend our Fridays at Sunshine. We would leave our house with filled fiambrera for our lunch. We would first attend a tai chi session (under Sister Mary Manansan of St. Scholastica College) , then go to the noon Mass at the roof deck.  Nancy Ty would assign us to do readings (we take turns doing this) and after Mass, we gather at the dining table where we share our packed lunch with the rest of the group (called the Friday group). One would bring fish, another a vegetable dish and another one some lean meat. “Nanang” Sy was always assigned to make the dessert.

After Mass, some would take a light nap in the TV room, others would play mahjong and even others would go to the fourth floor to the beauty parlor (called Vivify) or to the 3rd floor for foot massage (Foot Zone) or to the 4th floor dance studio for dancing class. My husband would go to the gym for light exercise supervised by his gym instructor while I would join “Dekada,” a dance exercise.

On Saturdays, there are varied classes on the second floor, oil, acrylic painting, watercolor classes under Fidel Sarmiento, the president of the Arts Association of the Philippines. There is an Ikebana class under Marc Tomas, a civil engineer turned Ikebana maestro. There are voice lessons, piano lessons, violin and guitar lessons in special sound-proof classrooms. You name it, Sunshine Place has it., for after all SM says, “we got it all for you.”

Lately, in response to members’ requests, classes have been opened to children, “tag-alongs” who have to be kept occupied while their Mothers or Grandparents are taking classes.

In the beginning, seminarians gave lessons to anyone interested to know how to use their cellphones, laptops and PCs. It was a standing joke that these patient seminarians would repeat day in and day out instructions on how to press buttons in our cellphones and laptops. By the time the seminarians had to return to their studies, quite a few could still not remember their passwords. But in the end, many of them could easily use these gadgets. I bet their children were surprised on how avant-garde they had become.

Sure, the word ‘senior’ can be used to indicate our age but to our minds, we are ageless.

“It simply takes one away from the rigors of daily life. My Sunshine gang and I eagerly participate in most activities offered. This venue is a huge part of our lives now, and I am truly glad that even after retirement, there is a place like this that is conducive to learning and further growth.” — Bella Pilapil

“People say that we are in our sunset years. I still look forward to following the sun at the Sunshine Place where I have enrolled in all kinds of physical exercises, and have started taking art classes.” — Carminda de Leon Regala

“I had envisioned Rocco and me growing old together, retiring in St. Augustine, Florida, and walking hand in hand into the sunset of our lives. When he passed on, my compass pointed me home, back to my roots, then steered me to The Sunshine Place where I could rebuild a new life with a new circle of friends.” — Lourdes C. Vanasco

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“I am still a moon child, still have my bed positioned to catch the full moon’s rays. But I think I am beginning to have a deep affection for the sun in Sunshine Place–for the light of friendship I find there.” Barbara ‘Tweetums’ C. Gonzalez-Ventura

 

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