Last Saturday, our family attended the second grand reunion of my father’s clan, following the inaugural reunion in 2020. To ensure our father’s legacy was shared, we created a short audio-visual presentation specifically for the younger generation who had not had the chance to meet him.
Here’s the short presentation I made.
ERRATUM: Tatay died in 2001, not 2002. I made a typographical error towards the middle of the video.
I was lucky because my mom was with me while I was doing the task, so she was able to contribute key details about my father that I did not know. I gained a unique glimpse into my father’s life, especially the period before he became my father and I, his daughter.
Reviewing the video was an emotional experience, bringing tears to my eyes on multiple occasions. I was deeply moved by his hardships, his disappointments, and the challenges he faced throughout his life. Sadly, my father passed away before our family achieved greater financial stability. He never experienced the comforts and opportunities that came later. Our family’s financial struggles persisted until his passing.
It’s my heartfelt wish that he were here to share in our experiences, to enjoy simple pleasures like watching a Manny Pacquiao fight in a lively sports bar, indulging in a buffet meal, or relaxing during a hotel staycation. Most of all, I wish he could have attended the reunion, to reconnect with the relatives he was unable to see while we lived in Mindanao. Even after 23 years, the ache of his absence remains strong.
I envision him looking down from heaven, smiling with contentment. I’m certain he rejoices in the reconciliation I shared with my siblings before the reunion. How I long to hold him close, to share the positive developments and the journey I’m about to begin. He would have taken pride in his ‘bunso.’ I know that wherever destiny takes me, he will be there, guiding my way, sending me tokens of his love…
Louella Papa Virtual Services 