Last Sunday, after watching the UP-Ateneo basketball game at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, I took the LRT to U.N. Avenue after my mom SMSed me that my grandfather was rushed to Manila Medical Center all the way from Cavite.
Just the previous day, we had the usual extended family lunch at Emerald Garden Restaurant along Roxas Blvd. We’ve been spending the extended family lunch at the said restaurant for almost a decade now. It has become a tradition. I’m honestly very close to getting tired of going there, not aided by the fact that the elders order pretty much the same things over and over again all these years. The past years, every time I had a good excuse not to come along, I’d use it. That’s not saying that I don’t like it there. I love Chinese food. It’s just that the tradition has become monotonous, and engaging in the elders-talk was never really my thing. Anyway, I decided to come along last week because I somewhat felt that the tradition’s days are numbered. The only reason we have extended family lunches is because of my grandfather, and it is due to his preference that we’ve been going to Emerald all these years whenever he has his medical check-ups in Manila.
My gradfather’s health is continuously deteriorating. I’m not keen on how long we can all hold on to things. If my schedule permits me, I’ll be at the next family lunch, or the next, and the next. And I’ll be thankful.
law student, leftist, national democratic, film school graduate, photography hobbyist
kumusta si lolo? ingat k mabuti bikoy.
I get CRS, so the only Chinese food I really like are the MSG-free ones like Super Bowl and Zouk. But either way, old age is inevitable, I don’t know if you ever lost a grandparent, but I think it’s enough that you’ve interacted with them, and that they lived a “satisfying” life. So as long as their children don’t squabble over inheritance before death passes by, it should turn out all right.
I like Shanghai bistro in Eastwood. Then again, Chinese food = love. That’s coming from someone who barely gets any chinese food, so i can’t complain.
hope you’re grandfather is doing okay. i’ve got no more lolos so i’m kind of jealous that you have one. my lola just turned 80 and she “cant wait to die.” i dont know how i’d handle that though.
that’s cool. family is a constant, that’s why it is normal to get used to it. but the other side of it is that family is the only thing we can hold on to till the end.
God bless your grandpa and your family.