God giveth, and God taketh away

"I gave your grandmother three bullets", I recalled my grandfather telling me. "I promised that when I returned from the war, I would reclaim the bullets from her, and I would marry her", he said.  I had been sitting with my grandfather, affectionately known as Lolo Pards to many, for quite a while now.  It was my last night to my recent trip to the Philippines (click here).  He was sharing many stories about his service to the Philippine military during World War II.  We talked about chivalry, bravery, cowardice, near death and eventually his love affair with Lola Isabelle.  Sadly it would be my last and fondest memory of Lolo Pards, for he passed on August 13th. 

During our conversation, he showed me his many scars - where the shrapnel penetrated his body, where knives had struck him.  Inside I thought, his mental scars were the ones that never healed.  And for the first time in my adult life, I saw my grandfather for the real person that he is and was, the embattled veteran that endured a terrible war to start a family of what is now has grown to 27 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren (and counting).  I often wondered what life would've been like had my grandfather's fate changed in an instant.  Would he have ever met my grandmother?  What if he never fulfilled his promise to return?  Did he ever think while he was being held hostage that he would live to see  several decades of life fulfilled?  Would I have even existed to write this very blog post?  I know it is often cliche to say it, but I really do feel blessed for everything that has happened in my life, my family and everything in between.  Thanks Lolo Pards for making me realize that in your presence and absence.

Several days before Lolo passed, I met my nephew, Alden, for the first time.
Alden is Lolo Pards' newest and youngest great-grandchild.

Here is my cousin and proud mother.

Here is my my uncle Fred, son of Lolo Pards, grandfather to Alden, 

and father to Christine (wow just had a Lord of the Rings moment there).

Like many other grandparents, Uncle Fred was very happy to "show off" baby Alden.  He was willing and ready to be a part of the photoshoot and show his public affection towards his grandson.  Often times, I also wondered if Lolo Pards had a similar moment with myself as a young child growing up in his house.  As I sat there and quietly observed this bond between another lolo and his 'apo', I prayed that Alden will have a different relationship with his grandfather.  I prayed that he will sooner, than later, see Uncle Fred for the person that he is now and not the person that he will be.  That it won't take him until his adult years to appreciate the difficult life that Lolo Fred endured to give him the life that he is blessed to live.  (How's about that for putting pressure on the kid?)

Welcome to the world baby Alden!

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