You came out from your mom’s womb out of her misadventures and rebellious actions and yet out of that misfortune is you, one of the biggest blessings in the family. You are definitely an angel in your own little world.
I have the urgency to write something about you, not only because I miss you terribly but because you inspired me in a lot of ways. Your lola and I never taught you to defy your parents, yet you stood for what is due, for what is right, for what is proper and most of all for what love is all about.
You were too young to experience the misfortunes of the family and yet you remained good and strong. You remained simple, lovable and even sometimes you tend to reject discipline, you still do what is due and good.
There are a lot of things I always long about you. How we manage to do your projects, memorize lines for class recitations, jamming sessions, guitar lessons, playing WarCraft, movie watching every weekend, travel, “asaran” every now and then. I miss those times when you call me “Tito Pugo” because I’m bald and I used to tease you to our neighbors and call you “kulangot” or booger because of your skin tone. I miss everything about you.
Thank you for giving me the reason to become an instant father to you at an early age. Thank you for the trust, for opening up to me about your problems at school, love life, home, everything. Thank you for listening to me every time I give you insights about the hard lessons of life. Thank you for standing firm between the brokenness of the family. Thank you for those times that you’re crying over the phone about your pain and sufferings. Thank you for teaching me to love you more and to love my family more.
Most of all, thank you for those times that I have to detest your parents because of what they’ve done to you and to your siblings but have to forgive them still because of you.
I love you Gin and I can’t wait to see you again. Happy 17th Birthday!
-Tito
