You were Pops\u2019 oldest sibling and the one assigned to be my\nGod parent,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I was aware of your presence on the family tree but\ninteractions before elementary remained kinda fuzzy,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Met you for the first time five years after we\u2019d migrated, I\nwas eleven and English had become my first language,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unrecognisable, maybe, from the kid you once knew, and the\nlanguage barrier was a minor issue,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Back then you seemed kinda strict, not the type to be\ntrifled with,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A veteran in the field of parenting, seen and heard every\nexcuse and act of mischief,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet beneath it all lay a core of warmth and you were\ngenerous to a tee, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Granted us lodgings whenever we visited, unfazed about\nadditional mouths to feed,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cooked us meals during morning, day and night while\nattending to daily life,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Taking care of Grandma and running the home and family\nbusiness, tell us, Ninang, how\u2019d you ever do it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Encountered obstacles growing up yet you knocked \u2018em all, no\nwonder Pops spoke of you in reverential tones,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clearly admired his big sister, the one who soldiered on\neven when the years took their toll. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reunited five years later, another trip home in my mid-teens,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your fa\u00e7ade softened slightly, the disciplinarian replaced by\none more grandmotherly,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet your generosity remained intact, the passage of time\nain\u2019t diluting that,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Still didn\u2019t suffer fools, though, the grandkids found out\nfast!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I remembered the trip\u2019s conclusion, you and Grandma shed\ntears,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wondering, maybe, when we\u2019ll return if ever, no such thing\nas guarantees,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019d meet again, Ninang, but not until thirteen years,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Had plenty of growing to do, conquered school and university\nthen joined the workforce, too,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A family reunion was on, 100 years since grandpa was born, <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Grandma had passed, me and the grandkids had all grown,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019d reached septuagenarian status then but remained sharp\nmentally,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another surprise lay in store for me, that you\u2019d learned a\nbit of English,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Also cooked up a generous serve of the dish that pops said I\nliked best,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Widened our lines of communication and kept me well-fed, tell\nme, what\u2019d I do to deserve it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Getting up in age but you remained and elite-level hostess,\nkeeping us housed and comfortable while still maintaining the family business,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Travelled back two years later, this time for Grandma\u2019s 100th<\/sup>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n Glad to have spent additional time with you as you traversed\nthrough life\u2019s sunset,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another teary good-bye followed, perhaps more painful than\nthe others,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The years are adding up, time\u2019s forever marching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hoped to meet again, that was the plan anyway, <\/p>\n\n\n\n Caught up in life and ambitions, a health scare the icing on\nthe cake,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fate intervened just when it seemed all was in the clear,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Borders locked up by Covid 19, brought the entire world to\nits knees, <\/p>\n\n\n\n The beast still out there though significantly weakened, progress\nmade in subtle ways but can\u2019t be hasty when reopening,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prayed for your continued good health, another meeting was\nway past due,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then heard from folks back home, some not-so-great news,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lord had started calling, you delayed the inevitable for\na time,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you earned your wings then ascended towards the sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But while we mourn your passing there\u2019s a sense of comfort\nover the end of your suffering,<\/p>\n\n\n\n That it\u2019s a beautiful world up there to where you are going,<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a testament to the way you\u2019d lived, that your deeds\nwould not be soon forgotten,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The kids and grandkids, they are missing you, the next\ngeneration, too, are missing you,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rest In Peace, Ninang, it was your time to go,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though face-to-face was limited, your love I\u2019ll always\nremember it, glad it was you whom Mom and Pops chose,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe we can chop it up sometime, catch up like we should\nhave years before,<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a manner with no barriers, for now fly high and soar,\nhappily up there with the Lord.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You were Pops\u2019 oldest sibling and the one assigned to be my God parent, I was aware of your presence on the family tree but interactions before elementary remained kinda fuzzy, Met you for the first time five years after we\u2019d migrated, I was eleven and English had become my first language, Unrecognisable, maybe, from … <\/p>\n