Wednesday, November 02, 2005

All Souls' Day Wish

November 2 is marked as All Souls' Day in Catholic Calendars. It's supposed to be the day when we solemnly celebrate the lives of our departed loved ones. But since time immemorial, we observe this "tradition" during All Saints' Day (November 1).

It is during this season, which has been commercially known as Halloween, that people, continuously, talk about ghouls, ghosts, and those things that come bump in the night. TV Shows would also have specials that were designed to scare the crap out of anybody.

Last night, I got to thinking... If we could make wishes for our birthdays, why not make a wish that concerns our dearly departed?

I have always wished, since I was a kid, to see my Maternal Grandparents just for one day. My Maternal Grandparents died just 10 Months apart, back in 1988. It was quite a traumatic year for us, when they died.

Both of them had sudden deaths. My Grandfather died after suffering from a massive stroke in their house in Malolos, while my Grandmother was visiting us in Manila. After just a mere 10 Months, my Grandmother died at the Light Rail Transit Station, after suffering from a heart attack. Both were declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

I was only 8 years old when my Grandfather died, and 9 years old, when my Grandmother passed. I loved them both very much and I've since longed to see them once again. I want to know how they've been... How they've felt about everything that happened to us... How everything could've been a lot more different had they been alive.

But what I really want to do, most of all, is to hug them and kiss them both. I haven't touched them for 17 years, and life has been really cold and miserable without their touch and presence.

Just writing this entry makes my eyes water. I miss them so much. And celebrating All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day doesn't ease the pain.

If God could just grant me that one wish, I would be happy.

I miss you, Lolo and Lola. I love you. Until we meet again.

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