This was an exchange of e-mails between Rory and Mila
regarding the Santiagos' recent visit to Toronto.
Subject: Re: see you in Toronto!
Date: Sun, 12 Jul 1998 19:36:10 EDT
Dear Mila and Hermie,
Thank you so much for all your warm hospitality and thoughtfulness
during our
short stay in Toronto. Part of the reason why we
did not give you a lot of
notice is that we did not want you to go through any
extraordinary trouble to
entertain us. As it turned out, na-abala kayo ng
husto! But everything was
such a wonderful treat for the three of us to have everything
organized and
planned for us, and all we had to do was to show up at
the designated place
and time! From the completely unexpected stretch
limo pickup to the treat at
the Skydome Philippine Centennial celebrations, from
the lovely Centennial
book set for Nina to the delicate and artistic framed
Canadian flowers (we all
love flowers), from the strategic planning of bringing
our change of clothing
so that we could change at Metro Hall to being brought
to the church and then
back to our hotel where the wedding reception was held,
and down to the
typical soft, ever thoughtful Mila touch of three glasses
of ice cold water
waiting for us after that rather adventurous change of
clothes partially in
pitch black darkness--it was like being a kid in the
candy store all over
again!! I can't think of a better and more accurate
way of conveying how we
all felt. Thank you so much. And please tell
Danny thanks a million, too.
He was a lively and delightful conversationalist, and
such a warm person.
Please tell Efren Toralba I was glad to see him, too.
It was especially heartfilling for me to see and talk
to a dear, old friend
again after so many years. The distance and time
expectedly made no
difference whatsoever in connecting and in heartspeak.
I am too full for
words about our long chat, Mila. You are a remarkable
person as is your
family, and it is such a jewel of an experience for me
to hear about your
incredible life because it is the essence of what a good
life is all about.
It is all about hope and strength and love, and the best
that one can be in
this short time given to us to "bloom where we are planted."
You are always welcome to our home, wherever it is.
For now, it remains in
Washington and will remain so for the forseeable future.
Ever so appreciatively and with much love,
Rory, Ned and Nina
Dear Rory, Ned and Nina,
You're most welcome, and indeed it was our pleasure having
you. Please do
come for a longer visit -- we'll show you around Toronto
-- our home now
for 14 years -- and we can also drive to the Niagara
Falls -- a spectacular
sight, then on to Niagara-on-the-lake -- a beautiful
romantic place I'm
sure you'll all love.
I doff my hat to you, Rory. You'll never know how
deeply you have touched
my life -- from that unexpected letter in the early 80s,
to all the candor
of your sharing from a very special wife, mother and
human being. For all
the goodness in your heart, your life will somehow always
be blessed, even
with all the challenges you've faced.
Thank you for all your kind thoughts and words,
love,
Mila