lolo

it was sad, happy, enlightening, heartwarming, uplifting, inspiring... my lolo's passing. the past few days were all that rolled into one.

he lived to be 105 years old. he lived a very long and full life. he early on learned the value of hard work, discipline and education, values which he continued to follow throughout his colorful life. not many are blessed with this, not to mention being acknowledged and awarded for his achievements until his dying day. with all of god's wonderful blessings, he has remained simple and always grateful for all the big and little things which came his way. he was never amiss letting each one know his or her worth by showing just how appreciative he is for everything. even in his last hours, he thanked the priest after his last sacrament, and his ever efficient and dedicated caregivers after his final meal, before he lay himself to rest. not only did he show us how to live, he also showed us how to die. dignified until the very end.

during the past few days, we have met many people who shared us their encounters with lolo, experiences which they will never forget of him as a strict and fair mentor, a hardworking colleague to emulate, a caring and real friend to cherish. we praise and thank god for allowing lolo to inspire many people with his life, even outside our family, and well beyond his own generation.

he embraced life with a passion and a happy heart as he fervently believed that god is his shepherd and there is nothing else he shall want. we thank everybody for witnessing parts of his life, for sharing these experiences with our family, and for praying with us. as we celebrate the fullness of lolo's life, we praise and thank god for welcoming him into his kingdom, a place lolo has long prepared for, and a place he truly deserves to be.

thank you lolo for inspiring us with your life. and thank you for continuing to watch over us from heaven.

coming home

all i know is that my world stopped. for a couple of months or so... preparing for our silver year, our homecoming which was held last sunday. the endless meetings, practices, get-togethers with friends from many years back. despite the laugh lines, love handles, everything else stays the same... such as the giggly exchanges, the teasing, the camaraderie, the concern for one another that comes with growing up together.

some excerpts from "the silver book: coming home"

this is our time to meet... again.
for like at the end of the day,
we are drawn to home.

let our school's classrooms and halls
roar and hum with the joyful clamor
we make on our return journey.

and oh, what tales we have to tell
of the roads we have travelled
these past 25 years,
of the adventures we have taken,
and how we have dealt
with life's twists and turns.

let our doors be thrown open
to welcome each other back
with open arms and tight embraces,
happy voices, and belly-deep laughter.