When one reads a book about the Baudelaire orphans one can’t help but get entertained by the story. As a reader, reading pages after pages of adventure and difficult situations gets me hooked and I applaud Violet, Klaus and Sunny for keeping their heads up amidst all the impossible situations that they are thrown in.On April 27, 2007 at around 11am I received a call from my dear cousin Patti. She was crying on the other line trying to inform me that her father, my uncle passed away. This is the third death in my family in less than a year --- this is my own version of A Series of Unfortunate Events. This is yet another proof that reality is stranger than fiction.
Tito Jerome was 52 years old, he was healthy and strong when the Lord called him home. In less than a year’s time my family had three trips to the morgue, three times that we had to “fix up” a wake and three times we buried our loved ones in Manila Memorial. This happened in five to six months’ intervals --- can’t help but ask the Lord “Why?” on the third time.
As Christians, my family and I hold on to our faith, to the truth that our loved ones went home to our Lord. Tito Jerome served God on earth as His “good and faithful servant”, my uncle has been an inspiration to many people, he touched people’s lives and to his family he will always be our inspiration to lead a life in God’ presence.
In less than a year, I lost a grandfather, a father and an uncle all of whom played a vital role in my life. These people were instruments by God to help make me who I am now. I will miss my three fathers.
My lolo, I will always miss his constant presence, his unending support in all things good for my career and education. He was the one that was easy to please and I wanted to please. His smiles were scarce but when I do make him smile, it always warms my heart.
My papa, I will always miss his ready smile and big-heart. I realized just now that he is a person who seeks for love and was ready to give his love. He had such spunk in life that made it really exciting and adventurous. Most of all, I would miss the lost time that I was not able to understand him and was not able to spend with him.
My Tito Jerome, I will always miss his calm presence. He was the one that the family looked up to when things go chaotic; he was always ready to extend his help in his own special way. I will miss the sound of his laughter and light disposition in life that is contagious.
Through these stormy events in our life, my family remains faithful in God and grows closer than ever. We are learning the real meaning of what becoming a real “family” is. At one point, we know that what happened is all God’s plan and that Our Father has something beautiful in store for me and my family which will unfold in the future.
Indeed, A Series of Unfortunate Events in real life is not amusing after all. For now, I close my eyes in prayer and lift my family’s worries, health and future to the Lord. In faith I know that everything happens for a reason and because it is the according to the Lord’s plan then it will be all-good. AMEN.
