I Wrote a Last Will During EDSA 1

EDSA is the Philippines—survivor, resilient, loved by the Filipinos, etched in the living history of the world, alive in the memory of God.

When the Filipinos heard the voice of the late Cardinal Sin on the radio on February 23, 1986, asking the faithful to go to EDSA; I personally felt that God was drafting us to fight evil.

But it caused me a heart wrenching dilemma. It was not easy for me to bring all of my four children—with ages 5 to 11. EDSA could turn bloody.

And so my husband and I decided to bring with us our youngest child who we felt would be most vulnerable if left behind. The three other children, Joey, Val and Therese were left with their baby-sitter, Evelyn with instructions to always stay close to one another, pray the rosary and leave the radio on--all the time even while praying.

I wrote my last will and testament stating my wishes for my three older children in case my husband, I and Marlon perish in the battlefield of EDSA.

The moment of goodbye was for me a most scary and solemn one. I looked at my children intently to immortalize them in my heart. But when we arrived at EDSA—just about 3 km from our house—all my fears vanished.

There was a mood of celebration despite sporadic screams and panic sweeping through the crowd from time to time. The big throng of people were marching jubilantly from all directions.

Marlon wanted to climb a parked tank and his Dad placed him atop one. As I watched him grinning, I prayed, “Lord save our nation for our children.”

Despite interrmitent surges of fear, I felt safe and calm. I felt united and invulnerable with the multitudes who have responded to the call of God and country.

EDSA will live in perpetuity. Always pulsating with hope. So does our beloved country!

Valentine Love in a Flash

Earlier at around 6:00 in the evening, I was dropping some lines for my third son, Val who is currently in Irving, Texas for his further career training.

I wanted to compose a special Valentine message for a son who was so far away I couldn’t hug him but at the same time was pressured by time to meet my 6: 30 P.M. date with my husband and only daughter, Therese.

Under time pressure, I opened my e-mail thus: “My dearest Valentine,” It just hit me that that could be the most compact and love-filled message I could send my son. All it needed was a hyphen and I reframed it as: “My dearest Val-entine.”

Swiftly and smoothly I was able to send my love to my son in a jiffy and still kept my dates with my daughter and husband on time.

May our jiffy messages on Valentine’s Day last a lifetime!