Remembering My Grandmother

It’s kind of rare for a kid like me to have a great grandmother as a part of your life; especially in this generation. I’m one of the lucky ones who had one. So, I was tasked to stand in front of you guys and deliver a speech about how great a person my great grandmother was. But to tell you the truth, I really don’t have much to say. Yes, I was lucky to have such a sweet and loving granny like her. The problem is, I didn’t quite take advantage of it.

My brother and I were always dropped off at her house from school back when we were little kids. I hated it because after lunch, we were given an hour to do whatever we wanted before nap time. And like most kids, I hated nap time. I pretty much faked sleeping every single day. She told me that sleep is important because our body needs energy. I didn’t listen. Now, I thank God for every hour of sleep I get because of my studies.
Before we leave the house, we kiss her hand (mano). Being a religious and sweet woman, she always tells me to take care, respect my parents and pray before I sleep. Take note that it’s always late at night when we leave the house. But every night, I immediately go to sleep without praying. It’s like I commit a short-term memory loss every night. I’m actually lucky to receive all the blessings I have now without me thanking God regularly. Maybe she did all the praying for me.
Every Sunday, we visit my great grandmother’s house. It’s kind of like a mini-reunion that has become a ritual. After kissing her hand upstairs, I immediately leave the room because she tends to ask plenty of questions. Being a kid, I wanted to play all the time. So I can’t afford any delays and wasted time. My brother and my mom stays to listen to her stories, I don’t. So on the way here, when my mom, brother and dad were talking about her redundant stories about how my great grandfather courted her, I couldn’t relate. And I won’t be able to hear it now that she’s gone.

I know I should be talking about how great