Ed

When i was younger, Papa's girl daw ako.

Sabi ni Mama when I was still a baby, nagigising daw ako kahit madaling araw na pag umuuwi ang Papa ko from his byahes delivering shrimps from Calabanga. When I was about three or four, I was cheering in the bleachers when he was playing basketball in his alma mater's gym. Pati sa jogging (our family's fave exercise hanggang ngayon) sama din ako lagi.

My father came from a poor family, the third of seven children. He told us na when he was young, nag-aagawan silang magkakapatid sa am ng sinaing. Ang dami nyang stories during his childhood na di nakakasawang ulit-uliting pakinggan.

One of the stories he told us was about him working at a very young age. He was juggling jobs to help his family and support his schooling as well. He told us he went to "catch" shellfish in the river in the middle of the black night. Nagtinda din sya ng plastic bags sa wet market para magkabaon. When he got through college, ayaw maniwala ng barkada nya. hehehe.

Isa sya sa mga pinakamasipag na taong I have the pleasure of being related to. To support his 10 children, halos naikot nya buong Pilipinas just to find work and something to sell. Nagfishball sya sa Central Luzon, nagtinda ng banana from Mindanao, kalamansi, kamatis, tahong from Luzon and Visayas, at marami pang iba.

And he trained all his kids how to work to survive. Maliliit pa kami pinagtinda na kami sa kung saan saan. Dala dala bilaong latagan ng tahong, nag-squatter na kami sa wet market sa gabi para magkabaon out of our own efforts.

He also showed us how to treat people fairly, sincerely. He taught us never to be ashamed of who we are. He taught us that simplicity is the best policy.

Back in highschool when i was complaining that my classmates were receiving better grades than I was because they were affluent, he told me that my classmates were eating the same rice as I was. Di na ako nagreklamo ulit after that.

As perfect as he may seem, he wasn't faultless. But when you've been shown how to love unconditionally, forgiveness becomes almost a given.

Tomorrow, my dad will celebrate his 50th birthday.
Forever, we'll celebrate his life.
Forever, we will be thankful for the life and love he shares with us.