One Gift at a Time

Here's a story I wrote that was inspired by my Grandfather. Not only was he a hero who survived the Bataan Death March; he was also a loving husband, father, grandfather and mentor to many. He will always be remembered for his selfless and affectionate nature towards others. In this story, a little girl named Rita is awaiting to return to her Filipino roots and reunite with the person that she admires most...

Growing up as a child, I had fond memories of vacationing to the Philippines. Though the trips were very long, I was always eager to reunite with my extended family once again. However, there was always one person that I look forward to spending time the most. My grandfather was very special to me. Some of my fondest memories of him was when he was cooking authentic Filipino dishes, and I would always be the first one at the dinner table to taste the food. “Sarap? Is it good, my little Rita?” He would always ask me and I would always answer “Lolo, you make the best food in the world!” Not only was he an excellent cook, he was a wonderful friend as well.

He was always there for us when we needed him most. We loved to play in the park, and since my grandfather did not own a car he would walk with us instead. Often times in the hot sun, while I was out playing with my little brother, he would bring along some pineapple juice when we looked thirsty. Sometimes, he would buy us ice cream and pastries at the bakery on our way. Everyday, we always looked forward to spending time with him.

My grandfather was a very simple man. His home was sparsely decorated, and he did not buy much for himself. Though he didn’t have a lot of money, he was content with what he had. My aunts and uncles would always give him nice expensive clothes and gifts for his birthday, but he would politely say "thank you", return the gift and ask for money instead. They returned the next day with money at hand, and he was grateful for their blessings and generosity.

I recall asking him once why he didn’t accept the gifts and he said, “Rita, I don’t need these fancy clothes and shoes. What I look forward to on my birthday is being with the people that I love and my grandchildren that I miss dearly. Since we live so far apart, I am blessed to have the opportunity to spend time with you and your brother. Material items are very flattering, but it is not something that I truly need. I’d rather save the money up in case of a rainy day, and be with the people that I love.”

Soon it was time for us to go back to San Francisco and I cried on the way to the airport. The last that I saw him was when I was holding on to my mother, as I saw my Lolo smiling and waving outside the airport window. My grandfather died five years after our visit to the Philippines. We returned to the Philippines, and visited the lawyer.

In his will he wrote, “My dear loved ones, I will always miss you all, but I am comforted that I am experiencing the pleasures of heaven. I will feel no more pain from my illness. But, before I leave I wanted to give a gift to everyone that I love. Under my bed, there is a pile of cash that I have saved up from all of the gifts that you have given me. Please, use this money however you want to. Giving is what gives me happiness.”

All the cash and the presents that my aunts and uncles were neatly hidden under the bed and we were all surprised and touched by his generosity. Lolo will always be my hero, and he has taught me the pleasures of giving and loving others,one gift at a time.