It’s been 12 years since my father passed away leaving us beautiful and fondest moments to cherish. I was pregnant with my eldest then and it took me months to talk about him without shedding tears. He died old, happy and loved by us all. Of all his children I was tagged as his carbon copy having the same features as his. I even remembered the times when he will bring me to his office and all his officemate will comment that I looked like his junior the only difference is I’m a girl. I took not only his features but some of his traits, characteristics, hobbies, his love for music and his photographic memory as what my Mom always telling me up to now.
He’s a jack of all trade mastering tailoring, carpentry, and house designing and building even if he’s a law graduate. He’s a very good speech writer and I got my writing inclination from him too. Though he’s all of the above he doesn’t force us to be like him loving us as we are. In our house with my parents like them – my Mom was a teacher – they let us do our studying the way we want it never enforcing any strict rules on us which makes us love learning with our heart. I grew up in a family where siblings never quarrel; we just love each other’s company come what may.
Up to now when I passed through the mountainous road of Laguna I can still remember how my dad would stop his car at the top of the mountain, take a view of the Laguna Lake and help my Mom bring out our picnic bag. We always do that when we travel from my Dad’s hometown in Rizal to my Mom’s hometown in Laguna.
Sometimes we would go to our fishpond and enjoy the fresh grilled catch there. On summer days we will pack our things and food to go to the field and spend the day over the fruit bearing trees of santol, mango, coconut and guyabano. He and my uncle would make a spoon out of the coconut husk and served buco with milk. Those are lovely memories of my childhood spent with my loving parents and siblings. Now I still miss my father especially when I see my little Josh, a perfect replica of Him!
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