Lolo, this one's for you

My grandfather died when I was in my 2nd year in high school. It was a very painful experience. My cousins loved gathering together every Christmas and New Year at my grandparents’ house. My grandfather was the only link linking all of us. My grandmother… well, she’s just different. She loved gossiping with the neighbors than spending quality time with her own children and grand children. I grew up noticing all these bad qualities that my grandmother has and I have grown to despise people with the same qualities (and I have become an expert at avoiding them too!).

My grandfather was a very gentle man with a very big heart. He was a retired army. A veteran. He also had some medical training and had served at the army hospital during his younger days. He loved dotting on all of us. He had no favorites. All of us were equal in his eyes. We called him “Lolo”. In our dialect, it means grandpa. I remember spending my summers at my grandparents’ house together with my cousins. That was where I learned how to do most of the household chores (I even learned how to cook rice without using a rice cooker!) Birthdays were a big event too. We always had goodies waiting for us all when someone in the family is celebrating his/her birthday. How I missed those times!

Things started to change right after his death. My ever notorious grandma had a lot of things changed. She had the house changed (she took the store out and replaced it with a tiny, weeny room that had poor air ventilation. I honestly don’t think a mouse would survive a night in there!). She got rid of most of my grandpa’s belongings (we couldn’t find any of his tools anywhere!). Then my aunt died – to which my grandma failed to attend both the wake and the funeral. She purposely didn’t show up during her own daughter’s wake and funeral! Can you imagine that?!?! Oh well… have I told you my grandma was just different? Well… now you know.

I miss my grandpa so much. I miss my Lolo Julian. Sometimes I wish it was grandma who died and not him. I know it’s a bad thought but that’s how I feel. Now, our ancestral home (my grandparents house) is about to be taken away from us. My grandma thinks and believes she needs to give it to charity – even when her own grandchildren, who lives right next to her house, my late aunt’s family, badly needs a house of their own! Wow, my grandma is really a one of a kind. Don’t you agree?

Well, enough about my grandma. This post is supposed to be about my beloved grandpa.

Lolo, wherever you are right now, I know you are looking down at us. I know Aunt is with you. Somewhere. In a place we cannot follow. I will be seeing you again – but not yet. This one’s for you:


For the brave things you have done
Serving the country at times of war.

For the gentle way you have loved us all
Looking back surely would make us all cry.

For the many wonderful things in life you have showed us
Thanking God for each blessing sent our way.

For the many ways you have guided us
Our mothers have become the best because of you.

For the many wonderful memories you have left behind
I keep yearning for more.

For all the wonderful things you have instilled in us
I thank you for being the best grandpa in the whole world!


We miss you.