Death in the Family

My Tito Danny passed away last January 31 and things have been quite busy at the house, what with mom [his sister] going to and from Manila to help in the funeral arrangements. He was well-loved by my mom and her sisters, even though he was a wild kid who caused a lot of problems for them in his youth.

His death was made acceptable to the family by the fact that he was already suffering from an advanced stage of cirrhosis of the liver. This weekend, he is to be laid to his final resting place so we hope he attains the peace he deserves.

As a kid, I have always thought my mother, aunts, and uncle were invincible. But this death in the family was a rude wake-up call for me to be reminded of the mortality of our loved ones. I guess time also has a hand in it all, and works with the grand design to ensure the cycle of life and death.

Here I am getting all philosophical -- but honestly, it only sunk in that I'll be 29 this year when I heard about my uncle's death. My first thought was that he was too young, but after I determined my own age... things do have a way of escaping our consciousness!

To Tito Danny, good luck on your final journey.