TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE

an old man, a young man, and life's greatest lesson...

Inconsequential that I finished reading the book on a tuesday. It's a story of a dying man's view of life (and death) in general. Among other things, it says that only after we accept that dying is for real that we begin to live. We begin to focus on things that really matter and eventually found happiness and contentment.

The book also vividly narrates how terrifying Morrie's last few days were, and only the old man's peace with his existence softened the blow. I felt a pit on my throat everytime i came accross the phrase choking to death .

Memories came rushing back. Somehow, Morrie reminded me of someone very close to my heart, someone I'll remember till the very end. I remember my father...

He drove me to the airport in 1996, the year I decided to leave Pinas for Singapore for a greener pasture. At the time, he was still the man I used to know, a man with strong hands-- callused by hardships in life.

It's funny that I finally became at peace with my father when we were distant to each other. Even more when we had his stroke. I began to hug and kiss him everytime we meet. Tried to be as close, figuratively and literally, to him. Those were precious moments, inhibiting affections would really be a sin.

"Maiintindihan mo rin lahat kapag may sarili ka ng anak," my father used to say, specially when we were in the middle of an argument. Trust me, there is so much truth in this!

Year 2002, we were planning to have our vacation in Pinas on the month of November to celebrate my father's birthday. Although I kept denying it even to myself, I knew my father's time was running short. Then he had a stroke--his 3rd and final. Multiple nerves broke loose and he was in coma. My sister broke the news to me.

I was in frenzy trying to get a flight home!

My brother told me that it was a hopeless case, they were taking him out of the ICU--a decision, I knew, even my father would endorse. I swear that during same night, while staring out our window thinking of him, reminiscing the days we had, thinking of what could have been, a lump of cold wind enveloped me for few seconds. I knew it was a hug from him--bidding me goodbye.

Love one another or perish...