3 posts tagged “family”

Well, I've virtually forgotten all about my Vox account. :p I think just about everyone who's on my friends list here has. Which is too bad.

Life has been pretty topsy-turvey for me during the last few months. My uncle died unexpectedly (by that I mean he wasn't sick or experiencing anything that would have caused his early demise), and my aunt flew in from Florida. Talks about what to do with the family property uncle was responsible for ensued. I saw my cousins after a long time, and it was sad that we had to be together this way. My uncle was a good, kind man, and though he had his faults, we love him. He will be missed.

Got to spend time with the family during that week, which was good. I realized that I should take better care of my family and various relatives. We plan to spend Christmas in my dad's hometown.

Art
I haven't been drawing lately. I haven't written anything either, be it a story, or a decent blog/journal entry. I recently purchased a Moleskine Reporter notebook, and though I carry it around with me all the time, I've yet to really use it. Hoping some inspiration strikes, or at least I get in the mood to use it :p

Holidays
Like I said, Christmas is coming and we'll be celebrating it with the family. New Year we might celebrate here, with my mom's family as it's her sister's (my aunt and godmother) birthday on January 1st. There's plans of visiting relatives in Davao next year, but I guess that'll depend on whether we can save enough for the fare and other expenses. I would really love to go there.

Onesimo S. Banares 1929-2004

Today marks the 3rd death anniversary of my father, Onesimo Salazar Lim Banares. He was born in 1929 in a small coastal town called Bacacay nestled at the foot of Mount Mayon in Albay. He was 6th in a brood of 15 children. He ran away to Manila with his brother to study. He studied High School at Cosmopolitan College in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Because he couldn't pay for his tuition fee, he worked as janitor for the school. After graduating, he took up political science at Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU). Again, he worked as janitor part-time to cover for his tuition. He graduated in 1956 with a degree in Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) in 1956. He passed the bar the next year and worked for the legal department of the Bureau of public works. In between studying and working, he managed to buy a house and get married. He then worked for Mantrade, then went on to First United Bank (FUB) as a legal officer. this is where he met Don Pepe Cojuangco, owner of the bank. After FUB became UCPB, he was made manager of the legal dept. and was instrumental in the creation of the bank's Blue Book, which carried his signature for quite some time.

He has won every case he handled, and to my eyes he was the nation's, if not the world's greatest lawyer, which is why it was painful for me to see him deteriorate physically. He was always a vigorous man, choosing to walk when others would ride*, and he was a great orator and debater.

When he was diagnosed with cancer in 2003, we were devastated. He took it bravely, even asking the doctor if he would make it to his 75th birthday in 2004. The doctor of course said yes. True enough, he was able to live long enough to see his 75th birthday. That was Feb. 16, 2004. He was also able to celebrate their wedding 47th wedding anniversary at the hospital on Feb. 29, and my niece's birthday on March 1. He passed away the next day.

He was such a great influence to me. He was the reason i wanted to become a lawyer**, and the reason i took up political science. In my heart, he will always be the world's greatest lawyer, and the world's greatest father. He will be missed not just by me, but my siblings, relatives, friends and the many lives he managed to touch in the 75 years of his existence on this earth.

Papa, I miss you.

Written by my uncle.
My Tita's entry for today.

*Now I know where I got my "If you walk to where you need to go, do," philosophy!
**Me too...

As I was reading this, I couldn't help the tears that came to my eyes. I hastily wiped them away with my jacket sleeve (which had its share of my tears before). I can't read my aunt's blog entry without ending up bawling. I can't even write decently. Later, maybe.

I miss you, Lolo.

To my shame, I have no idea how exactly did my parents meet. All I know is they met in college, graduated, and got married at the age of twenty-two on my dad's birthday.

And here they are now, twenty-six years later, with five grown kids. From my perspective, I'd like to think that my parents have a good marriage. Far from perfect, but good enough for me think (while growing up) that it was perfect. I don't see them arguing much, so the rare times that they do, I would get very scared and often create a scene so they'd be mad at me instead.

Now, I don't see them as scary arguments, but little verbal sparring that's part of their life. My mom and dad have opposite personalities, with my mom having the tendency to flare up on things that irritate her, while my dad would usually be calm about it. In fact, my siblings and I would say, the more quiet my dad becomes, the more angrier he is; and my mom... well, we usually just let her air out what she feels.

When I was younger, I favored my dad more than my mom. Like when they'd pick me up from school, I want my dad to do it than my mom. Probably because I felt that my dad would embarrass me less than Mama would, as she's more talkative and ma-kwento than Papa. I value my privacy, and will only reveal what I want when I want, so Mama's openness wasn't favorable for me.

As I grew up, I see that it's really just how they are. My mom's an outgoing person by nature, while my dad's the more laid back one. My siblings and I often say that we're more like Papa, but once in a while, some of Mama's "star quality" would emerge.

You know the famous Jerry McGuire phrase "You complete me"? It somehow applies to my parents, though they may not actually know it. They're a tandem of sorts, where one ends, the other begins. It's funny sometimes to see them together because of how they talk or act. For example, when my dad got a new phone, it was Mama who played around with it, figuring out how to change the wallpaper, ring tones, sending MMS. Papa, once he found out how to send SMS and call, was happy. Sometimes, he'd even give the phone to Mama so she could tap out the words while he dictates. You could say that though Papa is the public official between the two of them, Mama isn't going to sit quietly in the background. She's his strongest supporter, but she's not a quiet one.

Life has changed for them, for us. When I was a kid, I was used to going out on weekends and going home with a new toy or a new book. Often we'd have out of town excursions or vacations. But life was tough, and when business failed, the toys and the outings weren't as much as before. My mom used to say that Nunik and I were lucky because we got to experience that, because my younger siblings didn't.

But despite the financial trouble, my parents were able to --- and are still --- pulling through. I told my brother that I firmly believe that anything I ask for, Mama and Papa will be able to give. Maybe not immediately, maybe not until after several years even, but I know they'll be giving it to me. Most important, they're able to give me and my siblings the things that really matter --- a home, good education, lots of love and laughter. And maybe because they can't give everything we ask for, when they do, it makes it doubly special.

So here's to your twenty-six years, and may you get twenty-six more.

And I'll be nearing senior citizenship by that time. :) I love you, Mama and Papa.

P.S. Happy birthday to Papa as well. :)