I was supposed to be on duty... I might not have been in Manila if circumstances permitted... Things did happen for a reason coz..
On January 3, 2006 at 6:56am, my 'LOLA' was taken home to meet her Creator at a ripe old age of 92.
She is survived by my 95year old 'LOLO', their 5 children, 16 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren, and 6 siblings (the oldest being 95).
Maria Pilar Eloisa Bautista-David was a remarkable woman of integrity and substance. She was God-fearing and diligently read the Bible daily WITHOUT fail, even till the last days of her life. I am definite that she is in a much better place now, in the presence of the Lord. She established a personal relationship with Christ, and acknowledged Jesus as her Savior when she was in her early 80's.
Food was her weakness, yet she defied ALL medical wonders, as she loved to have lechon, chicharon, and all the 'fatty-fried' stuff, and she hardly exercised -- but she was never ever hospitalized, not even once. She wasn't even sick... She simply succumbed to old age, and loss of appetite.
She was truly the 'ilaw ng tahanan.' She kept my Mom's family through all their family struggles and hardships. Having survived the loss of four of her children, my Lolo's early retirement from his high-paying and stable job, she faced up to the challenge and became their family's breadwinner when my Mom was still growing up. She made sure she put food on the table, and that all her five living children finish college.
It's strange how her passing seemed to have brought my Mom's family together. They hardly ever see each other, if only about twice a year. However, my mom made sure we went to visit my grandparents in San Mateo at least twice a month. I'm glad I did... I've been blessed to have spent so much time with her the past year.
We had an 8-day wake... The situation forced us to do so. We had to hunt for my Tita who was stuck somewhere in an unreachable island whom we couldn't contact the first four days. 8 days meant HOURS and HOURS spent at Funeraria Paz -- which translated to BONDING time with my Titas and Titos, and cousins (we manned the place till about 12midnight each day.) It's the most time I've spent with them in my 27years of existence. It took something like this to make us all forget our differences, and simply cherish the moments that we truly are family.
I learned so many things about my Mom's family, and Lola, and her siblings. Life lessons. Life struggles. Secret hardships. Hidden difficulties. Lola was RESILIENT as resilient can be. She went through everything without complaint, and bitterness, and anger.
People loved Lola. All 8 nights were noisy and full of people. The room was always filled with flowers and stories of her goodness and their fond memories with her. She is especially loved by all 6 living siblings (there were 12). My lolos and lolas took the time to visit her at the wake, despite being in a wheelchair, or walking with a cane.
I was not exceptionally close to Lola, as my other cousins were. (Most of them grew up staying with my grandparents.) I'd see them a lot when I was growing up, and we would always have fond memories of her. Lolo and Lola would play guardian when my parents were out of the country. They would also stay over once in a while when they were stronger too. Christmases would usually be spent with them staying over for a short vacation.
It had to take Lola's death to have the David family BE what it SHOULD be, a FAMILY. Just as Lola was the tie that binds them together when she was alive, she did just that when she passed away.
She leaves a lasting legacy to us, to her siblings, to her relatives, to her friends, and to the world. Without her, I might not have even existed coz my Mama would've died of starvation and poverty.
I just wish I could live half the life that she has.
Hasta La Vista Lola. We will see you again.
