In Heaven's Timeline

Ah yes, that time I went back home for a visit to the Philippines… It was the twenty seventh of May when my trip to my former hometown was booked. I was already deeply concerned and sadden by my father being terminally ill with stage IV kidney failure.

He was staying in the local General Hospital for three to four months now since February of 2019.

He was still his very positive self while making visitors by his sick bed still smile. What a strong fighting spirit he possessed despite a literal wasting blackened lower right leg.

Upon my first visit there I rushed to the hospital on my 46^th birthday to gift myself with a tear jerked run feeling within myself – my present to papa and myself was the meeting of father and daughter bond after more than a decade living in Albany, NY. I wasn’t sure how to keep a strong straight face containing my emotions of concern, anxiety, and pity.

I saw him at the dialysis department all the while lying in the hospital bed and having an oxygen mask on his face and attached wire tubes from his left arm to the dialysis machine filtering his blood and body to feel better again. Every other day for the rest of the June month he was to be hooked to a dialysis machine to keep fighting for an inspirational moment for the others also sick as the same plight like him.

Life is Beautiful. This was his mantra all the while getting very sick and bed ridden till his time came to leave for the other side of life.

It was 7:10 am, I woke early getting ready for another visit to the hospital when something stern quietness was felt by me but my cousin -in-law was just giving me a halt warning not to be surprised by what I was to witness at the hospital dialysis department. As soon as arriving there, I was coaxed to hold on to my father’s hand. From a distance I was dumb folded too numb to move near his right bedside.

Yes, it happened a month on the 27^th of June, he expired.

His five day wake was a commemoration of his very fruitful life. Elena , his sister reiterated of a dream she had that my father was not to forget a list of names when he went to the afterlife. This list was all of the bereaved family, closest friends, his co-workers, people of all walks of life that he directly and indirectly helped while working as a newsman or press information officer for the city mayor’s office and other local papers back home.

The ones that approached me somehow managed to whisper how they got to know the workaholic newsman that he was. Each had their own story of encounters with him asking for help for a civic project like the city renowned Eco-walk environmental tree planting for kids or be a manager for a grassroots Cinderella football team who were always been lifetime champions trophy after trophy. He also pioneered the campaign for free dialysis for indigent patients. This was his last but not the least civic project. He was always a strong fighting spirit till his last breath.

My childhood family helpers, old neighbors, childhood friends were to my greatest surprise were all present during the wake. It was indeed a checklist for reminiscing the innocent good old life back there at barangay Pinsao. This was a consolation for me since seeing them once more felt so good despite the loss we all had.

All of us were in the midst of feeling grief and sadness since the lowly city up the hill lost a humble public servant , in fact also considered himself more of a known Samaritan to be of help to the less fortunate ones whether fund raising for a cause or just be there for them to spare a word or two about life’s wisdom. Being a witness to other people’s suffering and hardships made him a local hero. He just offered his talent in writing , time, and effort to help most of them.

The day of the burial was on July 4 last year. We all mourners gathered at the Baguio Cemetery for his remaining farewell rites. It was a long procession from the wake site to the Roman Catholic Church and the Baguio Cemetery. It was still a sad day and last flow of goodbye tears was still felt by us witnessing his coffin lain to rest inside a brown and black veined cemented pantheon. I just noticed not everybody left when they began closing the cemented box left for the undertakers to manage close and seal for some time again. This staying gesture of the people was that of more than respect and especially love for him while still he was alive.

After a while, we all went our way for my father’s thank you luncheon at the third floor hall of the neighborhood mall near the cemetery. It was somehow just time to go and thank the people who bid their last respects and farewell to my father demise. I was just very concerned and shook hands and gratefully embraced their well meant love and farewell to papa.

The luncheon was almost done with after two hours, when one of my papa’s God son was in a rush to get out even before everybody left. To my curiosity, I approached him and asked him why the commotion of leaving so soon. He told me that his wife just had a baby an hour ago at the low lands. Hmmm, I told myself that’s not bad for a sign from heaven when a body was put to rest , another fresh life is welcomed for a shot for living the so called “Beautiful Life” . It made me smile and like a warm hug from heaven this is indeed how God blessing worked. He takes, but brings forth another as new hope looms from this celebratory announcement.

Back now in the plane to Albany, NY, and as I was seated next to the small window, my view from the skies really takes me wondering if I’ll see a glimpse a fatherly care for me was out there … still again another blessing of spiritually formed newborn could be out there too… I wish and contemplated I were and one way or another am also in the same plight of life sensing the deep beauty of life’s unending cycle.