To my Dearest Nana…
You were an angel in the shape of my mom
The woman with the kindest heart, purest soul, and a treasurable smile. She once said to me: “grandparents often love their grandchildren more than their own child”, which is basically true— showering them with gifts, unlimited food, and unconditional love.
She was like an “all-in-one package” that you’ll want to receive on Christmas Day as she can be your best friend, your hero, and a teacher. For me, she was like my “second mother” in life because she was the one who took care of me since I was a child when my mom and dad had to work abroad, and she raised me to become a woman I am today.
My grandma as a best friend
She knows almost all the tiniest details about you— what you like, dislike, and she might be your best “partner-in-crime” too because she won’t spill your secrets to anyone; you may also share the same pet peeves and interests. Both of you might laugh at a certain person at the same time, crack inside jokes with each other, and have your own “sign language” to one another that no one would understand.
She was so amazing, you know why? Since I mentioned earlier that she knows the tiniest details about a person— her grandchildren, she seems to have a telepathic ability as she can easily determine what you’re feeling at the moment even if you aren’t telling her anything yet! She was an observant person that’s why by just looking at you, she can distinguish if you‘re okay or not: maybe she can decipher it through your body language and facial expressions. It feels special when you can talk to her anytime you want and she’ll listen attentively without cutting you off, she won’t judge you too therefore, it makes you feel like hitting two birds with one stone.
My grandma as a hero
I remembered when I was still in my primary years in school, people would describe me as a frail and short kid who’s a “one gust of wind and you’ll fall” type of kid as I was so thin that even the smallest size of my uniform might seems to fall off of my shoulders at an any given moment. Looking back at my old childhood photos, I awe myself as to “Why do I look like this? My shoulders looks like they were a clothes hanger!” I don’t have any eating disorders as a kid, it’s just that I was a picky eater back then that’s why my body was once like that.
Because of my vulnerability, she was always there to protect me at all cost. She knows that I am sensitive and fragile, (not just my skin, but my inner self also) that it hurts her the most when someone tries to bully and belittle me at any forms, may it be verbally, emotionally, or physically.
My grandma as a teacher
Not all lessons are taught inside the school, some came from home, the people around you, and the experiences you once had. Yes schools can teach you knowledge that will be beneficial for you in the long run, but life lessons are inevitable and different: they are taught by experts who once struggle, learn, and rise up on their own. My grandmother had this gold Filipino proverb that goes: “papunta ka pa lang, pabalik na ako” (You’re just on your way, but I’m already going back).
Her words of wisdom are not just the ones I learned from my grandmother but also the value of patience, gratitude, and compassion. She also taught me on how to be brave despite of all the shortcomings and the criticisms that other people aim towards me in order to destroy my ego; she once told me that “other people doesn’t define who you are; it’s not about them, it’s about you.”
She’s also the one who teaches me how to crochet, and it became my hobby since then. To my Lola, thank you for everything, even if you cannot see physically how much I appreciate and love you, I knew that you can feel it every single time that we are having our conversations together every day.
