My grandmother, a woman who was truly a second mother to me was a goddess of a woman. A Thetis or other demimortal. A survivor of Japanese shrapnel in her back, breast cancer, she helped oust a dictator in her home country, fought for people’s rights, lost a son to AIDS, became a 3 term Congresswoman, and gave literally millions of her own money to help to help the poor in her native (3rd world) country …somehow took the time to play this for me ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWpV7L4YHuU&feature=related )
daily as a 3 year old as I sat by her on the piano bench (or under the piano). It had earned her a spot in Julliard in the 40’s, (a woman and Asian) .She’d later play it in a tapedeck as we drove a jeep through sugar cane fields when I was 12 and she’d play it small soirees of expats and ambassadors upon request when I was a young man of 20. I’m imagining her with me now, playing it again.
This is a woman who was born in a village with no electricity in the Philippines before WWI and lived to day wherein she’d Skype with me not just 5 months ago. When I told her she looked really beautiful (at 91) she said matter of factly: “Of course.” (and pointing to her skin): “Oil of Olay”. (Vanity in my family runs deep).This is a woman who encouraged me beyond most odds to make less obvious choices, to pursue my love of arts and live an adventuresome life. So, in some way I owe her everything. She in died in late November (the night of the NYC Jessie Lee benefit, infact and less than two weeks after Dad). I’ve been too busy or sick to process this and honour her properly. But it’s time to now.
I’ll be posting some photos, but for now that’s me as a baby with her and a photo of her in her 20’s.
I love and miss you profoundly, beautiful grandmother. Mahal kita, talagang walang iba.
