Nanay Rosa
My 76-year old grandmother passed away last Monday and the entire week was devoted to her funeral wake and burial.
She might be old but it was still totally unexpected. We just had a reunion last Saturday and she seemed healthy compared to her previous appearances. We had a family gathering then because my youngest uncle came home from Australia. Being the youngest, or the bunso, in a brood of 11 children, they always consider him as the favorite of Nanay. The first time Nanay saw him last weekend, she cried out loud and said she was ready to die having seen her son once more. We brushed it off as one of Nanay’s dramatic moments never knowing that it was for real 
I grew up in my grandmothers’ house. My family didn’t have our own house so we live with my grandmother for 17 years. To say that I have a lot of memories with Nanay would be a grave understatement.
When I was young, I use to see Nanay as the enemy. She was the Gestapo, so to speak, in my life. I was usually left under her care whenever my mom and my dad are in the office. She would literally force me to take my afternoon siesta while the rest of the neighborhood kids are wallowing in the afternoon sun. She wouldn’t hesitate to chasten me, my sister or my cousins at the slightest sign of disobedience or laziness. When I was in high school my classmates have turned my house as the unofficial tambayan. And Nanay Rosa was right there to remind me to please be careful and not turn her house into a wasteland. She was a strong, opinionated type of woman. She speaks her mind and I believe the women in our family got that trait from her. She does what she wants and she doesn’t wait for anyone’s approval but God’s.
At the same time, she was the woman who taught me that family is one of the greatest gifts God can ever give us. She raised 11 children and she tried her best to make sure that each one of them is given opportunities to live a good life. I saw firsthand, how her children constantly communicated with her despite their hectic schedule and distance. Some of them migrated to another country yet they never fail to call her at least twice a week.
She taught me to love books at an early age. I remember sneaking in her room to read my very first Grisham novel, A Time to Kill, and my first Sheldon novel, Nothing Lasts Forever. I was only in 5th grade then, and the books were too mature for me but I read them. Her house was always filled with books, old and new, and she will pass on the books to me whenever she’s done with them. I even read the incestuous novels of VC Andrews because of her. (I can’t imagine why I read those books but I did 
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Despite her serious stance, there were also lighter moments with Nanay. I will never forget the time when we were obsessed with finding the elusive Sarimanok in an ABS-CBN show. Finding 10 Sarimanoks and sending these as an entry will give you a chance to win P1M. We would literally watch every imaginable shows in that channel and hoping to see the elusive creature. I remember coming to her bedroom just to bother her whenever I feel bored. The fragrant scent of her powder will always greet as I enter the room. She had lots of knick-knacks that captured my sister and I’s attention. We would normally joke around and ask her to please pass it on to us when she’s dead 
The past few years have been cruel to her body as she suffered from parkinsons, hypertension and diabetes. I wasn’t used to seeing her so fragile and weak since I grew up seeing her independent from everyone else. I wouldn’t say that I am happy that she’s dead. But I am relieved that her suffering is finished and she is now in a place where no pain or disease could ever follow her. I know God has taken her to her permanent house and I know she chose to spend Christmas there 
seeing people from all walks of life (doctors, entertainers, univ. students, children, housewives and even grandparents) all following Gods’ mandate to evangelize the lost and make disciples does wonders. hey, i am human after all. there are days when i get discouraged and wonder what the heck i’m doing following up someone who doesn’t even reply to your messages 
i especially like the children who won awards. there was this one kid who won the pioneering award for starting a discipleship group on a place where one didn’t exist before. everyone can use some child like faith in their life 