When I wake up early in the morning around the crack of the dawn, I gently open my eyes, watching if my Lolo was already awake. Seeking him through the slow motion of my eyeball, I saw him on the other side of the room bending his head low and kneeling down on the floor. “He must have been saying his morning prayers”, I thought to myself. I crouched to get some sleep again since it was untimely for me to get up. The moment I was about to leap on the second stage of sleeping, I heard my Lolo talking (as what he regularly does). He was preaching again like was in the crowd, well in fact, he was facing his grandchildren; they were sleeping and snoring on the floor like a new born puppies.
Since I couldn’t get my sleep back and I can’t stop him, I leisurely prop myself up on the other elbow and sit down as I say, “Good morning, Lo”. There’s enough light in the room that I can see him smiling back at me but it doesn’t stop him from delivering his lines. My Lolo has bold eyes, pointed nose and beautiful teeth though they were just “postiso” but all in all he is a good-looking man cocooned in a wrinkled skin.
I really didn’t get much of what he was saying but all I knew he’s speaking from the verse in the bible that talks about success. Hearing him speaks; I curled my legs that my checks pressed my knees as I hug them. Snoring just right behind me were my cousins, the world’s best links I’ve known! They are the one who are best in bullying and driving me up the wall with the reality that I look different from them which makes me feel inferior sometimes. But they were also the preeminent individuals who painted my colorful years with laughter’s and tears. The sight of them laying there brings on me a smile. A given that the sun has not appeared yet I hope catch a little nap with them.
After a while, the slam of the door wakes my senses with an old voice of a woman saying, “Pangmata namu! Udto na kaayo!” it was my Lola. She used to wake us up to get ready for school, and that also serves as our alarm clock. It’s already morning! I quickly get up from being seated and run to the CR but before long I reach the door, Lolo asked “Naka ampo naka Kin?” and before I could utter my reason, my Lolo continued “Naglingkod ka natulog ug wala ka nag-ampo.” A bit dismayed, I look around and thought “gipa-ampo pud kaha to sila?” but then I went to the closest chair there I prayed the way I was taught.
My Lolo knew what exactly I have felt and he would talk to me, to make things clear and understandable at my very young age. Faith in God and positive disposition in life are the things he coached in me. In so many aspects of my life, Lolo has been a part of it. My talents, wit and posture (not including my face-profile) were entrenched with my Lolo’s qualities that make him proud of me. In my elementary years whenever I am called for competitions, recognitions and show, I often have him around than my parents.
After school, I would run to my grandparents house and my Lolo would play his “solindron” (harmonica, the thing he used to lull me to sleep when I was a baby) then teach me how to play guitar, despite the fact that my fingers were too small to seize the strings that were hurting me; I kept on trying just to see my Lolo smile every time I make the stringed instrument sound. I could recognize that every little achievements that I have, paints him a thousand reason to be proud of and smile a lot that sometimes went far like inserting what i did in a conversation with his friends. (I guess that’s just how proud grandparents sound like). The whole time being together is spent with music and talking about everything and anything under the sun.
Lolo has been my confidant in almost everything until, I and my parents moved out to the town that was distant form them. In our new environment, my parents have to wake up early for work and return home that I’m already fast asleep. I oftentimes left home alone and for that, I barely visit my grandparents place but I’m not missing my Lolo that much because he goes to visit me every first, second or last day of the month. It was also a good time for me to take a walk in the plaza and share to him anything about school and our new place.
Time came when I finished high school; he was so strong of sending me to the School of Ministry in Negros Oriental before taking BS-Bio course which he has been planning for me, because he will be living there at my Tita’s house, with my grandma for medication reason. Studying with all his boundless support made me do my part of returning to him along with my parent’s expectations. I opt to give them good return they deserve. I know that I’ll once again make him proud and would have no doubt to support me in taking the course he wanted for me which I also dreamed of. Unfortunately, weeks before my 2nd year recognition, he passed way with a disease called colon cancer.
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At this time in the balcony, while I am waiting for my name to be called for the Alumni photo shoot, I hark back to the barrage of to many memories. Some are priceless and cherished, some are painful and pale. Despite the setbacks by God’s grace, I now inch away to receive my diploma though not of medicine as what my Lolo wished but I know he is whooping in excitement in somewhere for that moment when I will proceed to accept the coveted certificate of completion.
We may have plans but God has the last word. Everything starts and ends in him, just as my Lolo’s life that he used as one of the instruments to mold me, who is now in God’s better hands. And I quote; one has to live in present. Whatever is the past is gone beyond recall; whatever is future remains beyond one’s reach, until it becomes present. Remembering the past and giving thought to the future are important, but only to the extent that they help one deal with the present. Just as what sir Herbert Spencer said, “The wise man must remember that while he is a descendant of the past, he is also a parent of the future.”
Soon as I’ll hear the march rings out, it will indicate that my determination and the persons behind me who have spent serious knee time praying for the awaited outcome are finally rewarded. The setbacks, cramming session of making projects and sleepless nights will finally end. Especially to my family who obviously fueled me strength, support and love, I know their happiness and pride are doubled than mine.
Then, I’ll march the isle with head held high and say, “With love, faith in God and hard work, joy does come in the morning”, as my what my Lolo used to tell me.
