What My Lola Told Me That Day

Here is something I wrote on April 26, 2015:

One of the last few encounters with my grandmother was that one scene when she came out of her room and she saw me in the living room, crying.

She asked me, “Bakit ka umiiyak, anak?” She sat with me while brushing her hands against my shoulders. I was crying heavily that I couldn’t even speak. Then she told me, “Pabayaan mo sila anak. Maganda ka, mabait, matalino. Makakapunta ka ng Amerika. Basta magdasal ka lang lagi.”

How could someone speak of such encouraging words when she didn’t even know the reason why I was crying? But then I believed her. In times when your strength and endurance are tested, I hold on to her simple words.

My lola is one of the gentlest spirits I’ve come to know. And what a gracious miracle from the Lord that she died peacefully this morning on her bed, with her loved ones around, at the age of 99 without even a single illness. For that, I am more than grateful, not to mention the fact that I have a new guardian angel now. I love you, lola.