Good Mourning

It has been so many years since the last time I set foot in this place. If it wasn't for my grandmother's passing, I wouldn't have been able to revisit the place where I spent summer vacations riding a bike, hunting for spiders, playing with cousins and riding a carabao.

Of course, over the years, a lot has changed. There's now electricity in this town and most of the roads are paved. What's great though is, despite all the changes, the mountains remain green and the people are still kind and welcoming. Here, I am "artistahin" and my growing up seems shocking to the elderly folks.

But we didn't come here for a vacation. Another big change is the absence of Lola. I certainly felt that depression when I was sitting at the balcony. For a second, I expected her to come out of the door with open arms and a gentle smile, obviously glad to see me. The rest of the town shared this feeling.

Along with the grief though, we felt relief. We're glad she's no longer suffering and like the cliche goes, she's now in a better place. We may have lost a loved one, but we gained an angel.

So perhaps, in a way, it was indeed a vacation after all, a meaningful, bittersweet one with crying and lots of fresh fruits involved. It was also a good chance to reconnect with relatives not seen in years. I even got to chat with two of our former helpers.

That's the thing about grandparents. They may seem so out of touch but, unconsciously, they bring all the important people in your life together and make you realize the things that matter most.

When my time comes, I can only wish I had touched the lives of as much people the way my grandmother did.

For the last time only in this blog, enjoy eternal happiness and peace Lola.

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