Happy 1st, Tonyo...

Today is the first death anniversary of my father.

I did not really get an opportunity to write about him when he passed on. I was away from home and I had to keep myself busy. That was the only way to keep myself together.

On this very same day in 2013, I woke up at my usual time before 6AM. Like almost everyone who owns a handphone, the first thing I did was to reach for my phone to check messages. I saw a few missed calls from my best friend Tey and I saw some messages.

I knew that Dad had already returned to Our Creator.

There was no point in calling the fam at that time. What I did was to get ready for work and as soon as I reached the office, I called my Mom. I asked her how Dad passed on.

She told me that the night before Tonyo was already looking like he was ready to go. In the early hours of 25 June 2013, she was by his side and they prayed the rosary. He breathed his last before 5AM.

It was a good death I think - your wife by your side, praying with you. There was no more pain on his part. There would be some sorrow on ours. But by God's grace, I knew (and I was right) that things would all be okay.

I didn't go home to say goodbye to a dead father. I went home a month or two earlier to say goodbye to my father when he was still alive. To me, that was more important.

For a few days, I was by his side to care for him. The roles have been reversed. The son now takes care of his ailing dad. I changed his diapers. I saw how deep his wounds were and I couldn't imagine at how extremely excruciating it must have been for him while the f-kin doctor cleaned my Dad's wounds as if it were just another wound.

The most important thing for me was that our relationship was healed before he went on.

Months before the fateful day, I was on my way back to PG Boy's home from the morning Mass. As is my routine, I called Manila. I spoke to my Mom before Dad asked for the phone.

His immediate statement was "Please for give me for all my shortcomings."

The good thing was I was at the void deck of PG Boy's place and there was no one around because that was when I burst into tears.

There is no need to detail the conversation but I must say that phone conversation was all that was needed to mend our relationship.

Tonight, I will say a prayer for our dear Tonyo. I miss him but I know that he is with Him now. What could be more beautiful than that?

Since we're on the subject of passing on, I guess I must say that the almost three-year relationship with PG Boy has also passed on. It was earlier this month. But this is reserved for another post..