a few hours ago, I was watching this video that my sister made. It featured photos of our family in different occasions, most of them taken during our childhood. While we both watched decades of our family’s story unfold through the smiles, hugs, laughter, tears, and loss, she kept on expressing her longing for our eldest sister that I cannot but agree and feel the same. I was suddenly reminded of one of the pain
s in life: experiencing a blissful moment only to realize later it may be the last one. No one knows the next time our whole family will be together. Heck, only God knows if it will ever come. Although I find comfort in positively thinking that we will surely be completed again, I wish so bad that that moment comes before long. I was about to add that this is probably one pain that we humans have to endure from fate’s mercilessness, but I was reminded that we always have that choice to take the unthinkable path. To take that much coveted leave to be with our wife and children for even just a day. Or probably get out of the routine weekend and simply get together for lola who’s not getting any younger, yet seems to find strength in her children’s touch and her children’s children’s smiles. Sadly, it seems that only characters in movies get to wake themselves up from the zombie mode and muster the courage to cross borders and simply be there for their loved ones. “Being there” is not equal to the occasional physical presence that most parents offer their children although coupled with the conventional ways of caring like serving them food or buying stuff they need or want. Being there for them is tantamount to the true essence of the phrase “quality time”, being physically present while establishing that rapport with them, this special connection which gives both parties 
learning which may be simple yet the most profound in life and vital in their family life. I know my thoughts are evolving into a cliché but maybe clichés came to be to remind us of certain things which must be emphasized and given a second thought or even a third thought.
