mama hely

things about filipino culture: you call your grandmother "lola" and most everyone has a nickname for their full name. our family is a little different. we have the nickname part down- "hely" is a nickname for "consuelo," but we call my grandma "mama hely" because she helped raise a lot of us and is basically another mother to us.

it breaks my heart that the last time i saw her was 8 years ago. i regret working almost every summer since i was 15 and going to greece last summer. why didn't i go to the philippines? why do we wait until times are desperate to finally do things we planned for the distant future? one of the things i've learned from all of my traveling is that if you want to do something, you can do it. it may seem too expensive, or unlikely, but if you want it bad enough than you make it happen. you save and save and make it happen.

mama hely, i'm sorry i didn't come sooner. i'm glad that we were able to see each other and that even though you have "bad days," you still have good days. that you're surrounded by family that loves you and that you still enjoy ice cream when you can't eat other things. i wish that i could have stayed longer but you're always in my thoughts and prayers. we love you so much. please keep strong.