Written on Sept. 2007
Alvin have lots of stories to tell about her ‘lola’. He fondly recalls the days when he would untiringly sit for hours to just listen to ‘her kwentos’. Though the stories were told more than a decade ago, he recalls everything as if he heard them yesterday.
One of the greatest regrets that I have in life is not being able to spend time with my grandmother. We affectionately call her ‘mommy’. She died a few days before Aethan was born. I would have loved to hear her stories, her memories of daddy, her recollection of our youth. I took her presence for granted for a long time not thinking that the Father will call her home soon. When I realized what I have been missing, I started to talk with her and listen to her stories but it was too late, a week later, her alzheimer’s got worse and things were never the same again.
Last week, as Alvin and I were cuddled up, we were talking about the survey that wives usually outlive their husbands. Teary eyed, he said " When I am gone, I wish our grandchildren will listen to all your stories about us. Please tell them about their lolo … about our love…" I was stirred with the way he said it, I felt how much he loves me.
Alvin is a very good listener. He patiently listens to my unending ‘kwentos’. In our marriage, He taught me how to listen too …to hear his hurt and frustrations as well as his joys … to hear the memories and dreams especially those that mean most to him … Everyday, I keep in my heart everything I hear from him, all things about us … that someday I can faithfully recount them to our grandchildren … over and over again. And I pray they will listen too, just like their lolo.
Alvin have lots of stories to tell about her ‘lola’. He fondly recalls the days when he would untiringly sit for hours to just listen to ‘her kwentos’. Though the stories were told more than a decade ago, he recalls everything as if he heard them yesterday.
One of the greatest regrets that I have in life is not being able to spend time with my grandmother. We affectionately call her ‘mommy’. She died a few days before Aethan was born. I would have loved to hear her stories, her memories of daddy, her recollection of our youth. I took her presence for granted for a long time not thinking that the Father will call her home soon. When I realized what I have been missing, I started to talk with her and listen to her stories but it was too late, a week later, her alzheimer’s got worse and things were never the same again.
Last week, as Alvin and I were cuddled up, we were talking about the survey that wives usually outlive their husbands. Teary eyed, he said " When I am gone, I wish our grandchildren will listen to all your stories about us. Please tell them about their lolo … about our love…" I was stirred with the way he said it, I felt how much he loves me.
Alvin is a very good listener. He patiently listens to my unending ‘kwentos’. In our marriage, He taught me how to listen too …to hear his hurt and frustrations as well as his joys … to hear the memories and dreams especially those that mean most to him … Everyday, I keep in my heart everything I hear from him, all things about us … that someday I can faithfully recount them to our grandchildren … over and over again. And I pray they will listen too, just like their lolo.
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