We missed you a lot

One summer morning in the Philippines, our Tatang (Dad) awoke and asked our sister Agnes how old he would be turning on his next birthday. Our sister answered him back that he would be 75 years old. Then Tatang said to her..."Do you think that is not long enough for me to live under the grace of God? I did everything that I could do to give my family...do you think that is not yet enough? I can say that I have already finished my mission in this world". Our Tatang devoted his life for the welfare of his family and always affirm what he believed that we live under the Grace of God.

Our father was very loving. He showed us the sweetest love a child could ever experience. Being  the father of eight children was not an easy responsibility, but he was always there for us. As we grew we saw how hard he and our mother worked to raise such a large family. They managed their own farm and a mechanic shop at the same time. When night came, you could count on him to entertain us with his many stories. He constantly filled his life with music. He would play his guitar and led us to sing and that would end up becoming a family devotion. From the early stages of our life he nurtured us with good values, and raised us with a strong faith. FAITHS...that can now help us get through the unbearable sadness of losing him.

We considered our father as our source of strength as well as a good provider. He gave us a sense of security in many ways. He appeared as an ordinary person, but had an extraordinary character that will forever remain in our hearts. He learned to be generous to himself, his family, his friends, and also to the church and community. He didn't have much but he always had a heart to share what he had, with just about anyone who needed what little he had to provide. He learned to live life full of optimism. Our father was an optimist...he learned to live life. He knew that our hope could not be found in this world. He exerted his efforts for the welfare of his family, he had the wisdom to balance life and to guide his family in all aspects: material wise as well as spiritually.

As Tatang lied in his hospice bed on July 11th, our family sang hymnal songs to him and he joined the chorus: "Dios ko patibkerem ala, daytoy a pammatik kenka" in Enlish the song titled "Higher Ground". Aside from the sufferings he undergone...he never lost his Faith in God.

Now...there is an empty space where a good father once worked and spent happy moments. Who played cheerfully with his grandchildren, teaching them funny songs and calling them funny names. No other person could ever fill that space. Tatang we love you so much...now that you are gone to us we are happy that you are now with the Lord, experiencing the everlasting life that God intended us to experience. You are now in a place where there is no pain, no worries and no sadness.  We thank you for sharing your wisdom with us. And we intend to live in your legacy until the time that we will see each other again, and we can become a whole family once again with the Lord.

As time passes by my dear family, friends and relatives, Do not mourn. Do not be sad. He would never have wanted that. Instead, remember the good times, remember his smile. Remember our Tatang happily and let us remember him often.

Tatang we will surely miss you and we are so proud to be able to call you OUR FATHER.