I consider myself fortunate in that I haven’t had to deal with many deaths of close relatives. In fact, the only death of someone close that I’ve had to deal with was my grandfather’s death in 1997. My uncle had gone back home from Libya to the Philippines prior to that day to celebrate with the rest of the family there. When he arrived, my grandfather was happy to have him home and was said to have said something cryptic to the effect of “Now I can go home, too”. He died shortly after. It happened on Christmas Day, at 3 pm.
It hit us rough because we got the call in Brampton early in the morning, just before we were about to head out for Christmas morning mass. All I can remember upon hearing the news was looking at myself in the mirror starting to tear up. Since that was my first death in the family, I wasn’t sure how to act. Lord, I can only imagine how my mother was feeling at the time.
So, it’s been years since I’ve had to deal with such feelings. Today, I received a phone call from one of my aunts in New York. She informed us that my grandmother passed away earlier today. I wrote a while back that I was happy to see her when I visited earlier this year. She still remembered me clearly. When I heard of her passing, I immediately thought back to when she grabbed onto my hand firmly, telling me how I had grown so big. The last time she had seen me was when I was in my mid teens. Indeed, it was a long time.
All in the past now.
I’m comforted a bit by the fact that it wasn’t sudden. I hear she was already at peace with the fact that she was nearing the end. I wonder how her immediate family are dealing with it all. I wish I was there to comfort and be comforted.
I need sleep.
Possibly related posts:
Recent Comments