At 55, I HONOR my dear departed Parents thru The ELDERLIES @ Davao Veil Geriatric Home Care, Tigatto, Davao City
Today, January 31, 2019, I turn 55.
Number 5 in the Spiritual realm means GRACE.
Numerology says – number 5 is letting go of the old and bringing in the NEW.
Year 2019 is no. 3 (2+0+1+9=12 ..1+2=3) three is for Synchronicity
The Bible is explicit on number 3 – it speaks of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection.
Simply put, number 55 is Grace upon Grace that I AM letting go of the old as I bring in the NEW. Fifty-five is looking forward to live in a way that BENEFITS OTHERS, yet never forgetting myself.
As I turn 55 today, I would like to celebrate it in loving memory of my dear great departed parents – ESTER MISSION LIMPIADO & REMEDIO CARMEN CABRADILLA and my great-great grandparents and the thousands of ancestors who had gone before me.
History and research tell us that we are not here on our own. We owe our lives to the generations in the past that paved the way to our existence.
So to speak vividly from my memory, my parents were the best versions of themselves. They championed on perseverance, hard work and trust in the Divine, who continues to bless those who honor and acknowledge Him.
Our DAnDy Joe
I remember Dandy (our eldest bro in his childhood had difficulty saying “daddy” that he resorted to DaNdy) Joe bravely deciding to enroll me in an exclusive school in college, notwithstanding his meager salary as an ordinary employee.
Dad’s work then at the Dietary department of Brokenshire Memorial Hospital necessitated him to work from 5 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. After an hour of rest from work, he would indulge himself with his natural love and gift of tilling the land and planting crops, trees and veggies. For more than 30 years of living in Wireless, Brokenshire compound, he was so happy and grateful to have planted and sustained the more than 200 fruit-bearing trees and root crops. His bamboo culms and trees had so flourished to the point that he joyfully and willingly did the cutting to fencing our house in Jade Valley Homes back then in the 90’s.
To sustain my quite expensive college studies, dad courageously sorted to doing little businesses from slaughtering to selling pork and dressed chicken. It was a time of learning on my part, the slaughtering and dressing of chickens. I didn’t bother anymore learning how to slaughter live pigs as it was too much for me to bear.
Dad’s green thumb made him a champion as a farmer. As his fruit-bearing trees yielded fruits of assortment, they also became part of the family income.
My love and appreciation to have veggies and fruits in my meal was his imprinting on me.
Back to my memory lane was one unforgettable time in my college days when we were asked to make an assignment based on TV ads. My heart bled to an extent and asked dad, “Why don’t we have a tv set?” Challenged by dad, I brushed off such resentment and put on my creativity instead. The following meeting in that particular subject, I just heard our professor announcing to the class…”Miss Judith Cabradilla got the highest score in this assignment.”
To work in a company. This was the very reason why he directed me to take up Commerce major in Accounting. Unfortunately, I didn’t finish my first course.
Dad Joe never wanted me to become a teacher, but as what our bloodline dictates, I became one, a teacher-turned-principal. During my graduation in BEED, hubby requested my dad to do the honors of receiving my 4 medals. He was so proud of me becoming an academic scholar, a Dean’s Lister and the Most Outstanding Student Teacher Awardee with three (3) other awards.
It was when I got to my Master’s degree that dad transitioned in year 2000. He was more than happy and proud of my beyond-his-expectations achievements. Year 2011 manifested one of my desires. When I finished my Doctorate in Educational Management in Southwestern University Cebu, how I wished he was there to witness such milestone of my academic journey.
Perseverance, dauntlessness, assertiveness and the ‘Tiger’ Waray spirit in me must be from my father dear.
Our MOM Ester
Our Mom Ester exuded beauty and grace in many ways. Much of who and what I have become could be traced back to my mom’s character. Her thoughtful, gentle spirit and generous singing heart truly amaze me up until now. My curly hair and my fair complexion are clearly hers.
My weekends then were spent together with mom to buy native delicacies from the market and deliver them to Brokenshire.
Mom imprinted on us a life of hard work, endurance, respect and belief on the Divine.
Keeping a heart of humility is her legacy. She was my first teacher. Some quotes I learned from her still continue to work in me like “The higher the bamboo grows, the lower it bends,” “Beautiful hands are those that work,” “Early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.” These are just some of the values she has taught and left us with.
My singing prowess is from her. The love for flowers too. The confidence to speak to high-ranking officials in schools and offices I evidently learned from her. Her personal stories and my experiences of her assertive confrontations with my elementary teacher and principal who may have practiced injustice had great impact on me.
I attribute my leadership skills to her. I must be the fulfillment of her many unfulfilled desires.
We lost her in 1990 after she had suffered from leukemia for three fast months.
An enduring life — MY PARENTS’ legacy
There’s this one remarkably simple yet powerful line coming from both of them — “IKAW ANG PAG-ASA.” I almost resented my parents for this, as day in and day out I would hear this line, especially when I got to college (being the first one amongst the six of us to reach that far, academically.)
Maybe, with my resistance, I was not able to finish my first course chosen by my dad for me. I reached my senior year though but due to my first work as posting clerk promoted as accounts custodian in Davao City Water District, (that started as OJT in my senior year in college)I never made it. I had great challenges as a working student then with an international (day & night) schedule.
Then I got married, blessed with four (4) wonderful sons. My parents were there from giving birth to taking care of our first two sons. I went back to university life (as encouraged by Tay-Sir Ernesto Abella – my spiritual father then) and with hubby’s and my father’s full support, I finished with flying colors. I was pleasantly surprised to have become an academic scholar despite my role as a Pastor’s wife, a mom of 4, housekeeper and a student – mixed into one.
With my life’s rollercoaster of happy and sad, highs and lows, painful yet gainful experiences, I know that dad and mom have been with me, watching over me and my siblings and our respective families.
The secret to my BEING who I am today are my GREAT PARENTS. They were far from perfect, yet lovingly, they guided and honed me in their best capacity.
So now, how do I want to pay back my parents for everything they have done to me.
It was towards the end of 2018 that the thought of feeding the elderly dawned on me. I had considerations of feeding the children in other foundations too. Then, this epiphany trickled vividly on me as I was preoccupied with sorting out books and magazines donated by a great Filipina Spiritual teacher who is now based in Las Vegas, USA.
“WHY NOT FEED THE ELDERLIES in HONOR of your parents?” Tears automatically flowed from my happy eyes. There and then I knew that I have to do it.
So to my dear parents, great and great-great-grandparents together with the thousands of ancestors that had gone on before me, I give my LOVE, GRATITUDE, HONOR and RESPECT to you as I live my life and nurture the generations under my care.
It is grace upon grace that I am able to let go of the old and continue to bring in what’s NEW with a heart open wide in loving service to humanity.
Grateful I am… @ 55.
…
You don’t have to wait ‘til you’re 55.
TODAY, as you read this, think of ways by which you can show your love, honor, and respect towards your parent/s while they can still see, hear and feel…or… if they have already gone on,… PAY IT FORWARD <3
Parents and Sunflowers
By Judith Limpiado Cabradilla,(Bacarro) Ed.D.
Sunflowers-fierce as the sun, lovely like a dance
Yellow for freshness, happiness, positivity and charm
Enlightenment, intellect, honor and loyalty
Yet, our parents like Sunflowers fade away
And each time they bow and bade farewell
The seeds they have imparted remain
They grow and become another of their kind
It’s such a WONDER how sunflowers come and go
Like our parents do
They may not be around yet their children continue
Living their lives in one way or another too
Their BEAUTY and ESSENCE is perpetuated
By generation after generation
Here today and gone tomorrow
Our dear parents, a thousand BOWs to you
…
A Poem dedicated to our departed parents
Remedio Carmen Cabradilla & Ester Mission Limpiado
whose lives I with my siblings and our children now continue to live
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
for all your love & support
My dear family Jason&Sherryluz James&Hannah, Josh&Elisha, Joseph&Lyza, Grace&Daden
My Bro Jonathan & Sis Joerna together with my other siblings Jeremy, Joyda & Jerome
My niece Leah Jule
My Southpoint School family
Nay Neng Suelto
Nay Marilou Bolongan
Evenagelina Villarmia
Lady Bam for hosting
Mother Angel Princess Buendia
Liberty Suelto & Pangging Verga
My ACIM & IWCPI sisters
Sir Dwayne & Teacher Rea Demecillo
Southpoint School Council
Constance Gok-ong
Mr. & Mrs. Leo & Nora Sungkip
Mrs. Elsie Paragas
Sir Dante & Dra. Imelda Susi
Dorothy Lenore Llariza Tome
Davao Veil Geriatric Home Care Admin & Staff
This post originally appeared on Judith Bacarro’s Blog.
