It has almost been 5 months since the first butterfly took off, and now, a second butterfly took off and followed the first...
Dear Daddy,
"Daddy-Long-legs" has been my favorite story ever since I watched the animated series aired on local channels. I've read the e-book and plan on purchasing a second hand copy of the book, plus it's sequel "Dear Enemy".
Why am I so fascinated with this book? Because there are just times that I feel Judy and me are one. How?
- We were both abandoned. Jerusha by her parents, me by you.
- We both prefer being called by our nicknames.
- We are both bibliophiles.
- We are both suddenly exposed to an unknown society.
- We have the same number of close friends. (And same personalities too.)
- We both had had hand me downs. (And hated them)
- We like to splurge ourselves with every opportunity.
- Both of us had a sponsor that took care of the tuition fees.
"Tita Elsa" was a prominent person. She is known for her charitable works and donations to numerous churches and seminaries throughout the Philippines. She had also paid visit to the late Pope John Paul II and the recent Pope Benedict XVI, gaining a commemorative certificate from both. When she is not absorbed in her Spiritual duties, she enjoys herself doing a little ikebana, watching Wowowee by noon, or eating any food that suits her fancy. She was not diagnosed for any ailment, save her gout problem that runs in the family. That was why it was indeed a great shock for us when we called to check on her only to receive news that she had passed away.
I just came home from work around 6:30p.m last Saturday, February 23. Mama appeared from the bedroom with a confused look. On her phone was a missed call from Tita Elsa. Thinking that maybe something had happened, she quickly called her house to check up on her. To our surprise, the nurse informed us that Tita had just passed away. Mama was filled with disbelief, and was quite hysterical as the conversation went on.
She died in the hospital, suffering bone cancer. She had been confined for two weeks, enjoying the prayers of her friends from the ministry while undergoing the medications. But last Saturday, she took God's firm grip as another attack came to her, and she did not let go of God's hands. Like Nanay, she passed away with a painful death.
She was embalmed at the same place where Nanay was embalmed, and taking the trip back there had the painful memories flashing back at me. I once again saw my old self, in my canvas jacket, crying in the rain, upon realization that Nanay had gone and will never come back again. I went back to the washroom, and could "hear" myself crying. Even if it had been 5 months ago and a lot has changed, it seems that time went back to that dreadful night once more.
A lot of changes had been done to the place. The administration office had transferred, and there's now a flower shop and a sari-sari store at the ground floor. There had been awfully a lot of people now, and a lot of dead ones. Maybe God had began to pick the wheat from the grass already.
We met up with Tita's son, and Mama cried her heart out to him. He related to us Tita's pains, and how her death was a relief, since she wouldn't have to bear the pain anymore. Her body was still being embalmed, so we went to the room and waited for the arrival of her casket. Once it was put in place, Mama was caught once more in a crying fit. I couldn't help but cry myself, since she was the humblest rich person that I know of, as she had considered us as a part of their family, even if we were just her step-relatives.
We had her last mass, courtesy of her priest scholars, where an eulogy was given by the priest himself about Tita's generosity. It dawned to me then that she wasn't just putting me to school, but hundreds more, and most of them were the ones who had their hearts set to God.
"She had been preparing for this day all her life." the priest said. Indeed. Looking back, you can see that she had been fully prepared when God took her. Plain, simple and beautiful like an ikebana. She had been so devoted to God, I believe that she is in the "Fast Lane" to Heaven right now.
For all her love and care, I thank her. And I will never ever forget her.
Respectfully yours,
Jerusha Abbott
