January 4, 2008

• It is a somber feeling that comes over me when I hear that an elder has passed away, even if they have lived a long life. Early yesterday morning I heard that another veterano passed away. My Rizal Lions Club and the Association of Filipino American War Veterans (AFAWVet) will be having a memorial for him on Saturday.

  Last night I read an e-mail that Uncle Mel's father passed away. Uncle Mel, as a moral leader in our community, has done a lot for my peers and me that are interested in Filipino culture and history. At 101, Manong Nazario lived a long life, a good one by many standards. Uncle Mel spoke and wrote of him regularly, and although I only met him only once, I knew his life through Uncle Mel. As I shed tears for the Orpilla family, my prayers go out to them. You can read more about the services on the Orpilla Web site at http://www.orpilla.com/index.html.

  There is a kinship that I hold with these individuals. Part of it must stem from my position as a caretaker of my lola, who at 89 is my last direct family member. However, most of it is founded in my respect for them and their lives. I believe that people only walk the earth if they still have some sort of purpose to fulfill, a goal to accomplish. Once they have succeeded in doing that, their time expires. Furthermore, my Roman Catholic religious beliefs direct me to look at death as a transition from life on earth to life everlasting. In my own view, it is a reward for fulfilling their destiny.

  For the Veteranos, thank you for defending our freedoms and giving is so much to be proud. I promise that the day will come that the United States will fully and equally recognize you for your services to the U.S. To Manong Nazario and the rest of the Manongs, thank you for working so hard to contribute to the success and prosperity of this nation that we live in now, and providing us so much to inherit. Finally, to all the historians and activists, thank you for not allowing us to ever forget what really matters, even when TMZ would rather we worry about which stars were paid to host New Year's Eve parties.

  • 3:37 am
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