Remember Loved Ones Mga Nobela at Kwento

I once tightened my hold to let him know how much I liked getting close to him like this. Our memories were the product of everything we did in the past, and they let us revisit each moment whenever we wanted—others might just cross our minds randomly or when triggered. We treasured all of the good times we had with the people we loved in our memory. We kept all of the happy moments we had with others in our minds. Even if we attempted to disregard it, the occasional sad days we had endured could be remembered. “So about my family’s grave… They are in a private cemetery, right?” I opened a new topic, this time, about our destination.

Pero. Mas lalo akong hindi maaaring manatili ng matagal dito, dapat na akong bumalik sa mansion dahil kailangan kong maalala ang nakaraan ko. I felt like there were a lot of memories removed from me. Malalabo pa ang mga pumasok sa isipan ko kanina, pero nasisiguro kong malaki ang kinalaman ng Lolo sa mga alaalang nawala. Lalo na at... a-at pakiramdam ko, may kinalaman siya sa pagkamatay ng mama. If it's true... paano ko ipapaalam sa papa? At... paniniwalaan ba niya ako?

They respect people who visits their loved ones to reminisce the memories when they’re still breathing. “Gio, bakit ganun?” mahina niyang sambit at hinaplos ang pangalan nito. “It’s been three years but it still hurts me knowing you’re now really gone. Knowing you’re not here with me anymore. Masyado namang seloso si Lord para ipagdamot ka niya sa ‘kin nang ganito kaaga. Ni hindi ko man lang nasabi sa ‘yo at napairama kung ano ang nararamdaman ko para sa ‘yo.

At may mga pag-ibig na kahit ilang beses mamatay—bumabalik pa rin. “Because the heart always remembers… even when the world forgets.”

Maybe this was exactly what we needed. We talked casually about many things—small stories, family updates, and moments I missed during the years I was away. They told me about the birthdays I never attended, the family trips I didn’t even know happened, and the milestones of my cousins who had already built families of their own. Listening to them felt like opening an old chapter of my life that I had closed a long time ago.

Death anniversary kasi nina Mama at Papa ngayon, kaya pag-uwi namin kanina ay hindi na ako pumasok. Dumiretso ako sa kanila to pay respect, saka ako dumiretso kay Mom. Hindi rin kasi ako madalas na nakakadalaw sa mga umampon sa akin dahil medyo malayo ang libingan nila kaysa kay Mom.

Mukhang maganda ata ang gising. "Hindi ka pa ba maghahanda? Death anniversary ni Kelly ngayon. Nakalimutan mo na ba?" "Of course not, mom! Napasarap lang ang tulog. Napanaginipan ko kasi siya," I replied. Tuwing death anniversary niya, parati ko na lang siyang napapanaginipan. Siguro iyon ang way niya para sabihin sa akin na masaya na siya kung nasaan man siya ngayon. And I know that she's watching over us from above.

"Thank you for being there beside her." Kinabukasan ay libing na ni Amaya. We are all here at the most expensive private memorial garden. Her whole family are here and also my parents tsaka ang brother ko. But I didn't pay attention to them 'cause I know babalik lang sila mamaya sa states pagkatapos ng libing. We gave our last messages to Amaya because we still know she can hear us. Nakapag message na ang ibang friends ni Amaya, her cousins, her whole family and lastly was me.

“Madaming paboritong pagkain si Mommy pero ito pa lang ang pumapasok sa isip ko. Haist… pakiramdam ko maulap ang utak ko ngayon.” Marcia let out a long, heavy sigh and sank lower onto the edge of the table. She was probably missing Mommy again. Just a month ago, we had marked Auntie’s one-year death anniversary, and now her birthday was here. I could see how hard it must be for Marcia, and it made my chest tighten just watching her.

And most importantly, a Family lost a pillar. It is really tragic to lose a loved one, connected by blood or not. No one can explain how hard it is to accept that the one you used to talk to cannot respond anymore. The one you used to tell how your day went can't commiserate with you anymore. It's like missing a piece of board game, that without it you can't proceed anymore or maybe you can, but you might felt incomplete.