May 15: Daddy Sailed Away

MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN

One day, while I was talking with our parish priest, he expressed surprise when I told him that my father was a Protestant. He was in fact, the son of the first Methodist Bishop in the Philippines. He was a PK (pastor's kid) and I believe that he wanted to be like his father.

When I was too young to go to Holy Mass, my mother asked my father to watch over me and those Sundays were extremely important in my development as a person.

He would get out his 8track and record our times together. He would let me play with his army tanks and toy cars, or we would be singing and joking around. He was an expert at making people laugh with a few words. He was an excellent extemporaneous speaker. He had a magnetic smile that made the provincianas' hearts pound faster and their lashes would be all a-flutter.

He was the ultimate homme fatale hahaha (I think he would have laughed at that term coming from me).

He taught our family all he knew and the best of what he knew. He was the greatest mentor I ever had the honor of studying under.

He helped me build my elementary school "grand canyon", watched King Kong with me even when no one else wanted to, went to the carnival with me even when he thought it was boring, let me tickle him even if it was undignified (and he was quite the opposite).

My mother did not like to write things down but my father was fastidious in organizing, labeling things and knowing where things were. He would never tire of providing for the things I needed at any given time.

Both of them did not really write but their fathers both wrote a lot of books and I believe all of us in the family have this gift of writing (and I am trying haha).

My father was the documenter of our family life. He would sit us down and let all of us sing. He would be like a radio announcer and then he would introduce the next performer. I would be the distracting voice in the back making up my own tunes.

My mother desperately wanted to sing and yet the notes would escape her (but she probably has perfect pitch by now).

My dad was the traveler! He would plan trips and the whole family would go wherever we could afford to go at the time. But, we went to learn things. It was never a frivolous time. It was always a learning experience. Life was a constant classroom for both my mom and dad. My mom, when traveling apart from my Dad would get homesick (even in Europe). I think I got both the travel bug and work-from-home bug from them.

Those were some my fondest childhood memories!

He and my mom, put together, made up the perfect person and business person. Dad had the skills and Mom had the tenacity to keep doing what Dad developed. Dad was R & D and Mom was everything else that was needed for our business to grow.

Together, they didn't know it but they were ecumenism in the flesh. Some of the best years of my whole existence was spending time, home alone with them, my best buds forever. I know that even if I am physically apart from family and friends, I am always one with them in spirit. That is, I think, the beauty of family life.

I am so very happy that my Daddy knew until the very end that I loved him, even from miles and miles, across the big ocean, away. Thanks to the big guys who've developed technology so that our special moments can still be recorded, maybe not digitally but forever etched in our hearts and minds.

Thanks Dad! I love you to infinity and beyond and thank you for helping me to be a good giver to whoever God sends my way. May I be like you - generous with whatever God has given. Happy anniversary of your new life!!!

Please say a prayer for him if you can. Bless your heart!

Here is my honoring tune for him on Soundcloud. He used to sing to her every night and she would try to sing a song back to him. After she passed on, he would this very romantic song to her.

calej · La Mer Beyond the Sea