Among the people that I terribly miss is my grandfather, and not only that I miss him, he has been my idol. He is a man you would care to listen to. I’m writing this so as to express how much I love him and of course to give him credit for being the best father and grandfather I’ve ever had.

My grandmother used to tell me about him. How she admires and loves her husband. I could say how proud she was when she tells me his stories mmm over and over again. Through the years of listening, I have memorized and imagined line after line how he had lived his life.

Papa that’s how I call him, would let me ride on his back, when I am too lazy to walk. I was so skinny back then, so most probably he could feel my bones against his back. We would stay in the tiny hut in the middle of the field guarding the rice grains that are almost ready to be harvested, from the eager sparrows. Then my grandmother would be there to bring us some food for lunch. Papa made this scarecrow and poled it in the middle of the field so that I wont be running to cast the sparrows away, because I always end up tripping over in the mud.

People in the neighborhood come to him whenever they needed some advice. My Papa welcomes and sits with them for a while. He became the captain of the tiny village where I grew up. Well this is part of my Mama’s story. I wasn’t born yet during that time. He was a good leader and after some terms of serving his fellow villagers, he then became one of the town’s counselor’s. he even got the highest votes which made him hold the position of the mayor when the mayor’s away. Well so much about politics.

My Papa loves social gatherings and he’s always in his best suits. Shiny shoes, carefully picked polo shirt and pants. My Mama would spent hours ironing them. I clearly remember she was using the coal-powered iron.. hehehe I don’t know how its called. I used it a long long time ago to iron my uniforms but I only got achy arms and muscles. It isn’t a joke for my Mama. But of course she loves doing things for him. That’s why he loves her so.

He is a potential man. Such a hardworking husband and father. He traveled to some regions to trade goods and many times encountered accidents along the way. Many times my Mama cried, all she had was a strong faith that he would be safe in his journey. Then he’s back home. New clothes for his kids, new bag for Mama, then he’ll throw a little party. I haven’t witnessed all those grandiosity he gave his family. When I was very little, my head doesn’t even reach the edge of our dining table, he would read me stories. Same story every night ’cause I like hearing it. He’d set up the hammock in our backyard tied in two guava trees and lull me till I fall asleep. I still get a vision of that from time to time.

He’d buy me new dress and a pair of new shoes every recognition day at school. Regardless of any occasion, he would still buy me something that I ask, bag, clothes, fancy hair ribbons, pins as long as I’ll do good in class. So that’s the reason why I was in the honor roll in my elementary days. hehehe…

In the year 1992, he was hit by a stroke and paralyzed half of his body. He continued his therapy and later on recovered though the signs were still present and were totally obvious. However, Papa continued his fight against his disease. I quoted his line, “I have a strong spirit”. This is what he always tells his friends and relatives who come to visit. “I have a strong spirit”.. Which I truly apply in my life this time. He was able to beat his stroke and continued living his life normally, with my Mama at his side. After 10 years of battling his stroke and living and inspiring people, his time had come to say goodbye. 3 days after my Mama’s burial, well he just sent her off first., How amazing true love is. They’d been married for more than 60 years. A marriage filled with bittersweet times which just made it to last till their dying day. 10 o’clock May 10th in the year 2002, he passed away.

How my heart ached and cried. But since he left me his principle, “I have a strong spirit”, I think I could be able to endure even the hardest of life’s challenges. He made it till his last breath. I’ll make it as well.

Tags: family, granfather