Grandma never saw the light again since then, but her eyes says otherwise. It glows like moon orbs, radiates like the sunbeam's reflection, her eyes full of wonders and of still and frozen memories. She never let the darkness enveloped her being albeit it enveloped her sight.
Grandma came from a poor family in the mountains away from our town. But despite of being poor she was raised rich with morals, values, and perspective of the world. She was bright, she told us that. Never got to finished high school for being poor never stopped her from moving forward. Because having the chance to graduate elementary back then in their years here in the Philippines means so much already. She was bold. Trained by time and experience of being poor, made her resilient and persevered to push through doors that are heavy to budge in.
As the bread winner of her family, at the age of 16 she decided to apply on becoming a maid. She often tells us her life stories in our bedtime. Travelled to the city, at that young age, she experienced being lost and almost never got to find the house of her employer. So what she did with wobbling knees was to seek a police station where she could request someone to help her go home. However, she told us that it was her biggest regret and she was so naïve to trust a police officer that time. She was almost sexually assaulted, she did not elaborate the details however what saved her was her employer asking for the police to help her find a young lady.
Through years she experienced hardships and early death of her parents. But Grandma assured us that challenges were always going to be there but it will eventually go.
She managed to graduate high school in the 10 years of her work as a maid. She was smart. She is undeniably witty and courageous for managing to have a tailor business at the age of 27 at their time. It lasted well until now, in her house lives sewing machines that made half of her world stitched altogether.
She married my grandfather who's kind, hardworking, and loving that was from another neighbouring province. They have 9 children in all, 7 are alive and kicking, while 2 were deceased in consecutively months that have been a wrecking ball for her.
However, as what she thought it would be the most heartbreaking thing that she would only experienced, she was caught off guard by the death of my grandfather because of asthma and stroke. She said they did not have any sufficient money to bring him in the hospital, and living back on the hills already have destinies for the sick dying along the way. She was pregnant with her 9th son back when my grandfather died. Her second to youngest was only a year older, and my mom who was second to oldest was 12 at that time. She told us that the destruction is still there, she's living in it until on this day forward—heartaches burried but not forgotten.
As the years passed, my mom have become the bread winner following the generation cycle of their family. Grandma stayed at home and worked hard for what's best for her children. When her children aged and got married, she thought at first she could retired from working, however circumstances knocked in and one of her children's first daughter got diagnosed with ASD or Autism Spectrum Disorder. So since then, she dedicated herself to look forward to her grandchild.
It didn't turn worst just until the last 5 years. Exactly this day of 28 September. Maybe because of stress and excessive working on always prioritising my cousins on the other town where my aunt lived in, she got sick. Grandmas, especially Filipino Grandmothers are known to be passionate and give love unconditionally to grandchildren. They defend their granchildren (or Apo in Filipino term) even if it's their fault. They shower us love, and take good care of us the most.
At first it was just a fever, she even managed to laundy her grandchildren clothes, but as night came she said her head seemed like to break and vomit because of the dizziness she was suffering. In that time they brought her to the hospital fast. She suffered from a high blood pressure attacked that lead her to be stroke, it was rare because it her eyes that got stroke because of the intende pressure. I didn't know what Glaucoma was. But when I heard it from the doctor's mouth, my world fell apart when I knew she wouldn't be able to see us anymore.
Months and years were so slow for her that time. She was sad and stressed that we were worried we would lost her. She tried to be optimistic at first, she requested to her other children to attend treatments for her eyes. She haven't accepted her blindness for almost 2 years, I felt her hurting, I felt how hard it was to not see the world and the family that you love the most. She refused her children's offer to go check her mental health and have herself a therapist. Instead, she called us all, her grandchildren to live with her for 3 months, in that way we will be all her therapy.
On the following years, I saw her progress and acceptance of the dreadful faith she have now. I am saddened that she could not see us anymore but as her as to what her children always say, that even though she could not see us, as long as she is here with us, can touch us, can hear us, can speak to us, everything would still be alright.
She was my best grandma I could ever have. Coincidentally today is her 5th anniversary of how she got blind. But it is with no more sorrow now, only joy and love. She glows again, radiating all the beautiful wonders of the world. And although she couldn't see, she still stitch clothes carefully as her leisure time.
She's the woman that I am admiring the most aside from my mom. Her bravery, her courage, and how she's living stronger and stronger each day.
My Grandmother picture at the park year 2016
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An Entry for the 101st LoH Community Contest Number 2:
Let's talk about a resilient woman, it can be your friend, family member, co-worker, etc. What is her life challenge and what did she do to overcome the trial she faced?
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An aspirant writer and artist. To be found is my greatest dream and never be lost. Hi, I am @rene.neverfound, you can call me Rene or Esme if you like. I specialized in prose-poetry and poetry, and now I am trying new things and writing styles. I am a 17-year-old girl living life in the Shrine City of the Philippines.
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I am a total bookworm who loves to read mangas and novels with particularly Fantasy, Action, Sci-fi, Mystery, Adventure genres because I love the feeling of the rushing adrenaline and thrill. I am as well an otaku that loves to watch genres which were aforementioned. I am a music enthusiast and a grade 12 student with an undying passion on everything I do. I am still making up my mind what to course should I take in college in these top three choices: 1) BS in Psychology, 2) Veterinary Science, 3) BS in Nursing.
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Thank you so much for the patience and for reading!
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