An Open Letter To Ms. Sarah Geronimo

Dear Ms Geronimo,

I sometimes wonder why I am such a fan of yours. I have never been an admirer of any celebrity, local or foreign, until you came. What is it about you that draws people from all ages and walks of life? I hear stories of mothers, daughters, grandmothers, even sons, fathers and grandfathers admiring you. From the banana cue vendor down the street to the Makati executive in her plush office, each of them have their own reasons and each of them have their own tales to tell.

Some may say that your beauty is not as stunning as your other peers in the business. For me, yours is the kind of beauty that the longer one looks, the more beautiful you become. Your face has this contrasting aura of openness and mystery. But what is more appealing is that you seem to be unaware of how beautiful you are. You don’t carry it in your head like the others do. And yet for all of these attributes, your beauty goes beyond the physical. You are truly the embodiment of the saying “beautiful inside and out”. Quite a number of people would describe your face as angelic. And I would have to agree. You have the heart of an angel and it reflects on your face, with the way you smile and with the way your eyes light up.

Others may also say that there are better singers compared to you. Yet you outshine them all. You sing with so much heart that not even the best sopranos in this world could make me choose them over you. Offstage, you are very self-effacing and even very shy given your superstar status. But when you go onstage, wow, the transformation is almost magical. As one TV host aptly put it “Parang sinasaniban si Sarah kapag nagpeperform”. You are such a joy to watch when you perform. You always have something new to offer every time. Fans and colleagues alike await your performances with eagerness and excitement. You once mentioned that you feel at home when you are on stage. And it shows with the kind of performances you give. When you perform, I hang on to every move you make lest I miss something spectacular that you did. I hardly bat an eyelash when you’re up, whether it be at a concert or on television.

Oh and did I mention the sound of your laughter? It is one of the most beautiful sounds one can hear. Amazing how it could lift me up when I feel down. How do I describe it? It is the kind that seems to spring from somewhere deep within you, somewhere full of love and kindness that it cannot help itself but well up. There is such a genuineness to your laughter, even a rawness to it that seemed untouched by the harshness of life.

Two years and two decades in this world. At twenty-two, you’ve accomplished so many things that most people in their lifetime could only dream of. Not a lot of twenty-two year olds could say that they have had multi-platinum albums, box office successes, sold-out concerts. . . . . and  in just six years in the business!  We can only imagine the things you will still accomplish ahead. Success can change people in so many ways. Yet for all the success you have achieved, you have remained essentially the same. Your viewpoints on some things may have changed; your outlook and horizons may have widened; your heart may have gone through pain and hurt; you’ve been to many places, met different kinds of people, from the true ones to the false; you’ve accomplished so much in your career, from films, albums, concerts to endorsements, and yet if we dig down to your very core, you are still the same Sarah who sang “To Love You More” in a singing contest and captured our hearts. The things that matter most – your love for your family, your humility and good heart are still intact. You were able to preserve these values in a profession where one can easily lose them.

You always say thank you to your fans. You never fail to show your gratitude to us every time you have the opportunity. Now is my time to say Thank You Sarah. Thank you for sharing your talents and thank you for giving joy to your countless followers. One day I could proudly tell my grandchildren that there was a time when someone with a name of Sarah Geronimo touched the lives of so many people.  Not only with her loveliness and talent, but more so with the beauty of her heart.

Happy 22^nd birthday Asher.