One very unfortunate coincidence. That my family in the Philippines are also experiencing grief at the same time that my family in Japan have. But what is more unfortunate though is that you passed away with a broken heart. I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything about it. At least now though, there’s no more pain for you. And I hope and pray your kids, my cousins, will one day visit you.
Rest in peace Tatay Jaime. Know that you are loved and will never be forgotten.
It was a short seven and half years compared to your 95; not enough to get to know each other deeply especially since we live in separate regions and we have the language barrier to be scaled. But it was more than enough time for me to grow very very fond of you.
In these two days, whenever we go over to you and look at your peaceful face, the words that comes foremost in my mind are “thank you”. Thank you. I am so glad I was able to express my heart to you and Hiobaachan last year; about how thankful I am to the both of you. But I wish, I could have said it in person, look at your round eyes that so reminds me of Atsushi. Nevertheless, there’s no sense now to regret. What I can do now is to live my life fully, as I know you have lived yours.
I will never forget. You will always be in our hearts. Thank you. Rest in peace, enjoy heaven; Hiojiichan.
Today, I made you walk the equivalent of three bus stops; roughly 2 km but made more difficult as it is on a hilly area. Yes, we missed our bus and you cried when the bus didn’t wait for us even when the driver could probably see us running towards it; we were merely twenty steps away from the stop. You cried because you know I will scold you for being late; you fully know it was your fault because you dilly-dallied.
We were late (I’m late for work) and it was cold and raining and we have to walk because the bus won’t be coming for another twenty minutes and there was no taxi in sight.
It was supposed to be a difficult walk what with the rain and the biting, cold wind. But with your sunny disposition it became an enjoyable one. You pretended we were an umbrella train and were imitating the sound of a train of decades gone by. You announced the bus stops ahead and announced our arrivals to said bus stops.
You made an otherwise dreary walk into an enjoyable and memorable one. You banished the irritation I was feeling in having to endure the cold and replaced it with a happy and proud feeling.
Thank you.
I pray and hope and wish my dearest Yui that nothing and nobody, least of all me and your Dad, could dim that sunny disposition of yours. And may you keep it, and make it even brighter and sunnier as you grow old.
Love,
Mommy
I went Japanese this New Year. Or at least I tried to observe some of the auspicious traditions in Japanese New Year; for one, I bought a special set of flowers in which each had a special meaning. This beautiful one was the littlest in a stem with five buds. I actually thought it wouldn’t ever bloom; that the whole stem would already die down before this one would reach her time. I even already stopped refilling the vase with fresh water. But she did, she did, and she did bloom today. She was the last, but she did bloom. And the marvel was that, she was the most beautiful of them five. Somehow, the line in Mulan comes to mind,
The flower that blooms in adversity, is the most rare and beautiful of all.
I smile too whenever I gaze at these orchids which have been in bloom for more than two weeks yet still looking as fresh as ever (the third though was also a late bloomer; just the other day! And I thought we wouldn’t have new blooms anymore.
And because I want to mark today.
Cheers to the new year!
It’s only been a few days into the new year and our little girl has already been teaching me a lot about Japanese traditions and the language.
She taught me about Shishimai / Lion Dance as we made our queu for her head to be “bitten” for protection and goodluck (hopefully for the whole family, with Yui as our representative). Albeit she didn’t really lecture me about it’s significance and history, Yui did teach me about the different forms of Shishimai.
Here’s to a great New Year!
A beautiful day. Arigatou. Yokatta.
