Grandma's 88th Birthday

It had been a long weekend for me, a weekend filled with fun and happy memories. Today was my grandmother's birthday, but the celebration was yesterday so the entire clan in my mother's side gathered the whole day.

Saturday, after a quick enrolment at Kabacan, I immediately went to the nearby city, Kidapawan, about one hour away, and there in the terminal, I waited for my mother. Goodness, it was another hour of waiting, and when she finally came, we ate our lunch and hurried to my mother’s old, old place – Barangay Luvimin.

It was one heck of a ride via tricycle over gravelly clay grounds. I really had to grip tight on the supports or I would surely be thrown away. Nonetheless, after some good minutes over a good distance, where fresh grasses abound and tall trees cover the skies, we reached my grandmother’s place.

As we had expected, my 87-year old Grandmother was already waiting for us at the door. She greeted us with her hearty smile. I miss old “Lola”. It had been six years since I last saw her. Typical of her, she kept offering us food, seat, and whatever she could grace us.

It was almost nightfall when we came and no sooner did my cousins, uncles, and other relatives arrive. Over food and drinks, we chatted and reoriented ourselves to each other. And after a long time, I had my stomach a huge fill of alcohol. I could not imagine that much had been drunk that night – endless long-neck bottles of rum and cases of beer.

The next day, Sunday, despite the sleepiness and ****ing hangover, we boarded two jeepneys and went to Dawis Resort at Digos City. It was an at-least-two-hour drive over winding highways and broken roads. I was struggling to fight the nausea and headache. LOL

 
Again, it was another day of feasting and drinking. Plus swimming on violent waters of the beach. Running on the smooth sand. Enjoying the music of waves and smell of salt. But more than that, the family (my grandmother and all her children) were gathered to discuss some important matters and plan for more similar celebrations in the future.

On top of everything, Lola was beyond bliss that day. I often caught her teary-eyed and it touched me deeply. Such a strong woman to raise thirteen children, to be left behind by some of them and by her own other half, and to spread her arms to gather her children again. Time has reduced her to a small woman, and yet time had made us look up to her more.

And time had sped fast. The east wind blew and we set for home. Another long ride. But not as long as the ride that Lola had gone through. By Monday, her 88^th official year of life was to come.

 
We love you, Lola! Long live!