salamat, manang

Manang is in her mid 50’s.  But she looks a lot like someone in her 70’s.  Manang is from Tabacco City, Albay.  She used to sell native products for a living but when Typhoon Reming devastated the region, everything she worked for was flooded away.  She was left with nothing.  And as though adding salt to injury, her husband got sick.  He needed to undergo a CT-scan but they couldn’t afford it.  He downed painkillers instead.

A couple of months ago, she came to Manila to work for us.  She didn’t want to leave her husband behind but she needed the money.

She was very hardworking and the whole family got along with her.  We thought she’d be staying with us for quite a while.  But yesterday, around 4:30am, my mom went into her room and discovered she’s gone.  On her pillow was a neatly written note on a piece of notebook paper.  And here’s what she wrote:

Sa inyong lahat,

         Sorry kung hindi ako nakapagpaalam ng personal dahil baka hindi ninyo ako maintindihan.  Hirap na ako sa kirot na nararamdaman ko sa aking likod at tagiliran lalo na ‘pag may binubuhat.  Sa umaga paggising halos di ko naitikom ang mga daliri kong parang tinutusok ng karayom at sinisilihan.  Hirap ko ng pigaan ang mga damit lalo na kung nag-aarmirol ng mga "bed sheet."  Sa paghuhugas para ko nang mabibitawan ang mga plato ‘pag namamanhid na ang mga daliri ‘ko.  Kaysa naman umabot sa puntong puro kapalpakan na ang trabaho ko umalis na lang ako kahit gusto ko pang kumita ng pera.

         Diyos na ang bahalang gumanti sa mga kabutihan ninyo sa akin.

                                 Di ko kayo makakalimutan,

                                                                        Manang

Nalungkot ako, sobra.  It’s one of those moments when I wish I could do more.  Sabi ni Mommy, sana raw nagpaalam siya para natulungan man lang namin kahit papa’no.  And I find it ironic that we’re the ones more capable of helping her yet she’s given us something more than whatever financial assistance we can offer.

Sometimes we complain too much about our problems which are actually so trivial that we forget others like Manang who only has three pairs of clothing to her name.  We act like it’s the end of the world when THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE IT WORSE.  Much much worse. 

It’s not about feeling good at the expense of someone else’s misery.  It’s simply about counting your blessings.  May pamilya ka, may trabaho ka, may mga kaibigan, nakakakain ka araw-araw, magpasalamat ka. 

And I thank Him for everything that I have. 

At salamat, Manang.  Ikaw ang hinding-hindi ko malilimutan.