Four things you can’t recover

I believe that things don’t just happen but are designed to happen in ways that only God understands.

A month ago, one of my uncles on my mother’s side informed us that Lolo Doro, one of my grandfather’s brothers was already weakened by his illness, inability to walk (he got an amputated leg), and perhaps old age. In an instant, Mados went to visit his uncle who asked for “Tinola”, a chicken dish.

Meanwhile, knowing Lolo Doro as a cry-baby, I hesitated to come along. Instead I planned to visit at a later date so that I could introduce Arvid Matthew, his great grandson to him.  I knew Lolo would be so happy to meet my little tot as he loves and appreciates every one who drops by to see him.  In my mind, the plan included asking a few of my cousins to come with me so we could take turns visiting our grandfather. That never happened.

One night upon coming home from his wake, I received an email from Mom Sandy that talks about the four things we can’t recover. The email did come on a right time!  It was sent to me for a reason.  Be with me as I read it again.

These reminders, especially the last two came down on me like bombs, exploding slowly but with a blast, one after the other. 

The occasion, after it’s missed…Lolo lived only a few minutes from us, but I never had time to visit nor greet him on any of his birthdays.  It’s only when he died that I found out he was born on April 01.  What good did knowing his birthday do?  Nothing.

The time, after it’s gone…Lolo lived to be 87 years old, yet I couldn’t say I’ve spent a whole month of it talking to him, sharing laughter and jokes.  I did spend more than that when we lived with him when I was still studying, but not when I lived somewhere else.  Yes, he’s not my immediate grandpa, but I still felt I owed him more than just remembering him.  As it happened, he didn’t even know I have been thinking of him a lot because he, in his simple ways, had been a part of who I am now.   I could write so many good things I learned from him, but he would never read them anymore.  Truly, actions speak louder than words so we ought to SHOW our dear ones how we love them every moment we’re with them.

God knows we love our families, our parents, siblings, husbands, wives or children; but it’s not enough that we THINK of that love.  Let’s SHOW it, and what better way to start that than by TELLING them “I love you!”

If you think it’s a hard thing to do, just think how harder it would be not to be able to do it at all.

God bless us all!