Eugenio LopezThis year, more than one years, was a blur that just flew by. It was like a tornado of events hat sucked us all in then spat us out the other end, dazed and bewildered.

We were glued to our TV sets following Senate and Congressional hearings. The Bureau of Customs, the antidrug war, the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion Act (TRAIN) and the Sereno impeachment trial were but a few that caught center stage.

Day in and day out, we went through the perennial pain of braving the unsolvable problem of traffic. We agonized over the sorry condition of the MRT and its plethora of ailments covering lack of maintenance, incompatible parts and lopsided service contracts.

We were astounded at how bureaucracy made license plates and drivers’ licenses as hard to get as gold nuggets in a flowing river.

Aside from the rerouting of traffic, declaration of holidays and the Canadian Prime Minister enjoying a local hamburger, we continue to hope the ASEAN summit delivered more concrete gains for the nation.

And of course, there was the Marawi siege, which roused the admiration and respect of the nation for our noble military and, as always, our compassion for our brethren who lost homes and loved ones to the war.

I’ve heard it uttered many times: “Sana matapos na iton gtaon. Nakakapagod na.”

Yes, we’ve finally come to the home stretch and the end of 2017 is in sight.

But let us take pause and allow silence to usher in the spirit of Christmas.

Let us look past shopping, gift giving, gatherings and festivities.

While Christmas is the celebration of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, it for me is also a reminder of the many rebirths we go through in our lives.

Each challenge we face, each burden we take on as we serve the Filipino is a renewal of self.

Each time we become vulnerable in the service of our fellowman is a return to our shared humanity with that very person.

nity with that very person.  For how else can we serve but with ourselves? We can only serve with who we are. Then and only then can we serve with humility and love.

For me, this is the essence of Christmas. Christ did not save us from above. He started in a manger, feeble and helpless. He started by sharing our humanity.

Grasping the significance of this lets us know we are "just loved" for who we are.
This triggers an unstoppable groundwell of gratitude.

It is overwhelming when we realize how much we have to be thankful for. Imbued with gratefulness, we see in a new light the many things we unconsciously take for granted—the food on the table, the bed we sleep in, our health, our loved ones who love us unconditionally, our being Filipino. The list just goes on.

Yes, 2017 was a difficult year, standing out even among the more difficult years we have lived through.

Yet, as I allow myself to look back in silence, I can only commemorate 2017 as a year of rebirth and gratitude. I am certain it is the same for you.

Merry Christmas, Kapamilya, thank you for all you have done this year, and, oh yes—JUST LOVE.

EUGENIO LOPEZ III

Chairman, ABS-CBN