We have to travel at times to say good bye to our loved ones and people close to our hearts who have gone ahead of us. Within a year, I had traveled twice to do so: for my first cousin Jeremiah “Jerry” Sales in Cavite and for my ninong and pastor, Jessup Bahinting in Cebu.
The suddenness of their deaths (at least to my human timetable) was quite a painful shock. Jerry had collapsed in their home that day in November, incurring a fatal head injury while Sir Jessup also figured in a fatal plane crash in Masbate last August. Jerry and I were still connecting through Facebook the week he passed away; Sir Jessup had asked me two months earlier to stay in their house (which I did) while I was in Cebu; I had hugged him, his wife and daughter before leaving for my flight home. Who would have thought those were my last moments with them?
I could still remember the stories they shared with me and yes, even the sound of their laughter. I will always remember Jerry’s simplicity, his gentleness. He was always willing to help. As for Sir Jessup, I would remember him best as the caring father I had while while I was growing up as an awkward, at times lonely teenager in Cebu in the 90’s while pursuing a college degree away from home, One of my most memorable moments with him was actually in Apo Island way back in 1996 during our church youth camp. Just to make sure that I would snorkel and see the beauty underneath the sea there, he swam along with me, holding me by the hand because I was not really a swimmer.
Ah, thank God for these men, for the beautiful memories they left behind not only to me but most especially to their families and many others. I should say here that I also traveled to their wakes and funerals not just to say good bye but to say see you again in the next life 🙂 You are missed but see you again!