recalling the lolo i wish i had
today is my lola and lolo's (maternal) golden wedding anniversary. unfortunately, my lolo passed away in 1982 so lola celebrated this special day with me and nanay.
lola and lolo got wed in june 6, 1954 at the UST church. nanay recalled that they've had a "grandiose" wedding. their wedding was supposed to start at 7pm. on that same day, the church had an earlier wedding appointment at 6pm. however, the groom for the earlier wedding was not able to make it, he's got himself into some accident (?). nanay told me that it was a rich couple. the church was lavishly adorned for the earlier wedding. white flowers are scattered everywhere with white linen on the aisle. since the groom was not able to make it to his own wedding, lolo and lola's wedding pushed through earlier. lucky, huh?
came after that was years of blissful marriage. they've had 3 kids, my mother the eldest, followed by ninong (i call him ninong since he's my godfather) and lastly, tita leby. to nanay, they were a picture of a happy and contented couple. she would often tell me "wala nga silang masyadong pera pero maligaya ang nanay ko sa tatay ko. napakabait ng tatay ko". how i wish i have met lolo!
somtime in 1981 (?) lolo was diagnosed to have cancer. he was confined at the PGH for about a year. march 22, 1982 was lola's birthday. lolo mustered every strength left in his body, and greeted my lola happy birthday. the Lord took him following day.
i was only 2 years at old the time of his death. not yet aware of what's happening around me. it was so unfortunate that i haven't even got a single memory of him. i could only see him through my lola and nanay's story - on how great he was as a father and how loving he was as a husband.
so back to where i was telling from the start, lola celebrated this special day with me and nanay. lola said she wanted to hear mass at the antipolo church. we got off at 5:30am and reached antipolo at almost 6:30am. gawd! the church was already packed when we came. lola found a space to sit in. nanay and i stood up until the mass ended. when the mass has already ended, the priest invited all of the birthday celebrators as well as those who are celebration their wedding anniversary to come forward. wow! good timing, don't u think? lola came forward. the priest then showered the celebrators with holy water. afterwards, lola told me that she wanted to have her picture taken with the priest. the priest was kinda cute. hehehe, naughty me.
when we're done, we decided to have breakfast at chowking, which was a few steps away from the church. after breakfast, nanay dropped me at work.
lola posing with father de guzman
two cuties
