(This loving post is dedicated to my grandfather, Federico “Tatang” H. Maiquez.)
I started this blog with the intention to spread good vibes, positivity, optimism and feel-good energies to everyone who reads it. I wanted to chronicle my life while also sharing the lessons I have learned with the readers. I focused on productivity, responsible personal finance, minimalism and balance.
How, then, will I be able to make this post feel refreshing and light?
Honey, when you talk about your family, it’s always bound to be refreshing and light.
Tatang, as we fondly call him, is our cool grandpa. He loves watching PBA and telling corny (albeit endearing) jokes. His hobbies include solving Filipino crossword puzzles, following the cheesy stories on the newspapers and asking his grandchildren to play the Lotto for him.
Tatang, as we fondly call him, is our cool grandpa. He loves watching PBA and telling corny (albeit endearing) jokes. His hobbies include solving Filipino crossword puzzles, following the cheesy stories on the newspapers and asking his grandchildren to play the Lotto for him.
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| You will forever be missed, Tatang. |
In the years that I have known him, Tatang never struck me as the intimidating type. Never did he hit me or LJ and never did he spank us. He was absolutely nice, that’s why I have a hard time believing my aunts and uncles tell us that he used to be like Hitler. Seriously?
Tatang was also extremely generous! Every time he tells us to play the Lotto for him, he gives us P500.00 and, being the kind grandchildren who we are, we persuade Tatang to let us keep the change. Para-paraan lang ‘yan. 🙂 Sometimes I can’t help but feel guilty when he loses the Lotto. He always says, “Natalo na naman ako ng P500…” while looking at us teasingly. Ang lakas ng loob namin, no?
One of his favorite foods also include chicken feet. I remember when he had no appetite, we bought him chicken feet and he finished all of it. I felt glad because at least he could still eat the foods he liked. He was even licking the sauce off of his fingers! He liked mango ice cream, too.
Speaking of foods, he loved cooking. He loves it when he sees you eat the foods he cooks. Minsan kahit sobrang anghang ng ginitaan ni Tatang, kinakain pa din naman para matuwa s’ya. May tubig naman, e. 🙂 He also loved criticizing cooked food. He would always say “nakulbut” which means hard-to-be-chewed when he eats with us. Another one is “walang lasa” or bland. I remember during his 62nd wedding anniversary with Inang, we ate at this seafood restaurant wherein you would choose fresh seafood to be cooked. When we ate the crabs, he said the crabs were already hard so they were already cooked beforehand. Oh Tatang…
We miss you, Tatang. It happened so fast that everything was such a blur. Being one of those who rushed you to the hospital, I still find it hard to forget your sufferings. I could still remember you wanting to go home even if you couldn’t breathe anymore. I remember your eyes as we whispered into your ear to never give up. I still recall how cold your hands felt. I could still hear the monitor beeping 0 when God decided to call you.
I still remember these, Tatang. But I also remember the wonderful things…
I remember when you used to ask us questions about your Filipino crossword puzzles when you already knew the answers. I remember when you used to cheer for James Yap to win the championship for the Governor’s Cup in PBA. I recall when you used to ride my jokes about Daniel Padilla being my boyfriend. I could still hear you singing Ilocano songs and then translating the lyrics so we could understand. I could still see your eyes twinkle when you told us your love story with Inang, when you told us you had another girl vying for your attention when you started to fall for her, when you asked her to marry you and when you were feeling so nervous to go to Abra because you were afraid her parents would do something to you.
We miss you, Tatang. But we are also glad you’re at peace already. We’re happy you’re not suffering anymore. We find solace in the fact that you are with God now.
We love you, ‘Tang. We really, really do.
If you find time, please visit me in my dreams and tell me stories from your past again.
Tell me the winning Lotto combination, too. 😉
Have you experienced death in the family before?
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Condolences to you and your family Lianne 🙁
Thank you, ate Jill. I still find it hard to accept so writing this article made me cope for a bit. May God continue to bless us all.