Bye For Now, Lola Inay

My sister-in-law lost their mom last Sunday. I’m not sure how old she was but what I’m sure of is that she’s more than 80 years old. She was fondly called Lola Inay. She has been sick for sometime now due to her old age. She was hospitalized last December. They all thought she would be gone few days after she was brought out of the hospital. My sister-in-law and her siblings opted not to have her operated and requested that they bring her home and just do home care. I was secretly praying for lola inay to not go in December because I thought it was sad having a wake on Christmas, or January, because it would be too much for my brother to have 2 death anniversaries in January, 1 for our father, and for his mother in law. And she held on, until last Sunday, which also happens to be my nephew’s birthday. While it would be weird in the coming years, I at least hope that my nephew would take it as a reminder that he should always celebrate life, the way her lola did.

 I don’t know how my brother is holding up, with loses in such a short interval. She has been his second mom for more than 20 years. She treated her as his own son. When we visited them last December, he said that they were ready. He even had the guts to kid me that I might just be the one last visitor that lola inay was waiting for before she says goodbye. Nangilabot ako don, ang adik ni kuya. Buti na lang hindi hahaha. But then again, as with all loses, I know it will be hard, especially at the beginning. But I also know, that in time, they will be able to find their new normal.

 Dear Lola Inay,

Nakakalungkot man ang po ang inyong tuluyang pamamaalam, mainam na rin po at tapos na ang iyong paghihirap. Ika nga nila, no more pain.

Salamat po sa lahat-lahat. Salamat sa pagtanggap sa kuya ko at pagturing sa kanya bilang tunay mong anak. Salamat sa pagkupkop at pag-aaruga sa akin nung mga unang buwan ng pagtatrabaho ko sa Manila at nakitira pansamantala sa inyo. Sobrang malaking tulong po yun. Kung wala po siguro kayong pwede kong pakituluyan noon, siguro hindi ako naglakas loob na sumama noon sa mga kaibigan ko para maghanap ng trabaho sa Manila. Kaya salamat po talaga.

Salamat din sa pangungulit sa akin na mag-asawa na ako hahaha. Para ka ring si Mama. Minsan ata na-eenjoy ko masyado ang pagiging single. Pero napapa-isip ako tuwing kinukulit nyo ako hehehe. Salamat na rin po sa pagreto sa pamangkin nyo. Yun nga lang, pasensya na po at hindi tumibok hehehehe. Pero tumibok naman po para sa iba hahaha.

Salamat at ngumiti ka nung dumalaw ako sa inyo noong Disyembre. Natutuwa po akong makita kayong masaya pa rin kahit hirap na hirap na kayo noon. Bilib na bilib po ako sa katatagan ninyo. Sana ikinatuwa mo po ang ibinalita ko sa iyo.

Tulad ng hiling ng isa nyo pong apo, pakitulungan po sila upang maintindihan at matanggap ang iyong paglisan.

Maligayang paglalakbay tungo sa kaharian ng Poong Maykapal. Paki-kamusta na rin po ako kina Mama at Daddy. Pakibulong na rin po sa kanila ang ibinulong ko nung huli kitang dinalaw hehehe.

Dadalawin ko po kayo sa Sabado at makikihatid na rin sa inyong himlayan. Kita-kits. Mahal ko po kayo at salamat po uli sa lahat lahat. Hanggang sa muling pagkikita, maraming-maraming taon pa mula ngayon hehe.