Yesterday, Mom got busy fixing her things, arranging and rearranging her clothes, her medicines, some groceries that she has to bring home and as usual reading those medicine prescriptions (she does it almost every day) that she has accumulated while arranging them with the newest one on top.
She came to my room with a copy of a passport size print and said “keep this in your wallet so you won’t forget my face when I die”.
I wonder where that came from, I mean her statement on dying. So in jest I answered, “Mas mauna pa ako sa inyo” meaning I’ll die earlier than she will. We both laughed. True, while she visits her doctor regularly complaining about the normal wear and tear of growing old, she looks hale and hearty at 87. I’ve visited the hospital and been confined for a number of illnesses more than I can count. I had a phobia of going back there, just the smell of antiseptics reminds me of those days when I was struggling with my health.
She is going home tomorrow and she said that there are lots of things to do there. I will surely miss her and her appreciation of anything that I put on the table. She said, “parating special ang ulam natin”. Those are ordinary fare I serve every day but in her eyes, they taste even better.
Life with mom, there is never a dull moment when she is around.
Dreams And Escapes 