In January of 2009, months before my 10th birthday, I came home and saw Tatay lying on a mattress on the floor. He was watching the news as Nanay and I entered our apartment. When I took his left hand for the mano po blessing, its weight sank on my palm. I drew closer to him,...
Tag: memories
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Over a hot stove: ‘Ube halaya’ and love’s labors
I was born into a transnational extended family. My father, the eldest among his siblings, married before his brother (younger by only a year), was drafted into the US Navy. As a consequence, slowly, the brother and his parents and seven other siblings eventually came to live in the United States. We, the family of...
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How decluttering helps ease mind and heart
Who wouldn’t want a house that’s free of clutter? Why not dispose of the things that have been gathering dust and eating up space for years and years? Easier said than done, of course, because what might be clutter for others is a trove of special memories for you. Many of us have heard of...