Rest in peace, Tatay

Last December 17, my grandfather whom we fondly call 'Tatay' passed away. It was a very sad time for our family, but we also take comfort in the fact that Tatay had a great life that he shared with us, his family, and his friends.


We laid Tatay to rest a few days later, on December 21. The 9th day was actually on Christmas itself, so it was a new experience for me celebrating Christmas in the cemetery to say prayers for Tatay.


Tatay was always around for my entire life and it will be very different not having him with us anymore. I will miss hearing him brilliantly play the piano and the violin. I will miss bringing him and my entire family out during holidays, birthday celebrations, or whenever we felt like going out. I will miss seeing him at home on Sundays, watching DVDs and VCDs, and I will miss driving him to his home afterward.


I am happy though that I have no regrets about not being able to spend enough time with him while he was alive. He lived to be 86 years old and I am comforted by the fact that in his 'twilight years', I was able to bring him to different places, including Singapore which he got to visit for the first time. Despite being in the hospital for the last 2 weeks of his life, he left peacefully and without pain. Most of all, it was great that at different points in time during his confinement, he was able to say goodbye to everyone. One of the last things he said to me was 'I love you' and I was able to say 'I love you' to him too.

With Tatay in Singapore

Rest in peace, Tatay. We love you and we miss you.

Eternal rest grant unto Tatay, O Lord
And let perpetual light shine upon him.
May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace Amen.