STREET
"A happy childhood with you can't be cured. Mine'll hang around my neck like a rainbow, that's all, instead of a noose".
(February 23, 2011)
It was Monday (February 21, 2011) afternoon and I was reading friends wall posts on facebook when I saw one of them posted a message for my cousin. I was shocked after reading the wall post. His message was like, “Please pray for the soul of our dear friend Curt.... he passed away today.... Funeral details will be posted soon...” So I visited my Kuya Curt’s facebook page and read his friends wall posts for him and I asked my mom, “Mie, Kuya Curt passed away?” So we ran outside and asked other family members of what happened and they said “Yes, he passed away this afternoon.” I started to cry…
Kuya Curt and I are like second cousins but we grew up together, cried together, and laughed together, I know him since we were little kids. I was with his brothers and sisters last night with our other cousins and friends, we had the chance to talk about our childhood memories. When we were kids we used to play monopoly at my house, play touch and go (who gets hit by the ball is out), we built and played see saw at the back yard, we used to adopt kittens and cats and when they die we make a small casket and bury them and put a cross and flowers on top of the grave, we used to steal guavas and alatiris fruit in the convent and the priest dogs used to chase us, Mrs. Pong our neighbor, always caught us because we used to steal her plants and flowers, We used to built a huge tent and catch the fishes when it’s high tide, we used to plant and make a little garden in our back yard, we used to swim at the neighbor’s bathtub size swimming pool, we used to dance and sing for our church, eating at my Aunt's house after cleaning the whole street and helping our neighbors to organize games, put banderitas, and lanterns in the street whenever that Feast, Christmas and New Year’s days are coming. I still remember that he joined a beauty pageant on one New Year's Day and he won, he got a Barbie Doll for the price. That was all happened in the place where we grew up and in the place that we had shared memories to treasure… That was all happened in our street.
His identity had never been an obstacle to achieve his dream and to serve the Lord as part of Teatro Mensaheros (Choir) in our church. I have just read his Last Note on facebook today and I couldn't help not to cry. His said to his note,
(OCTOBER 13, 2010)
Dearest God,
Thank You for the chance You have given me. For everyday, that I still open my eyes to have a glimpse of the new day in my life. Thank You for reminding me that life has never ends here but this is the start to go on. Thank You for giving me friends who I can lean on if there are times that I am feeling to give up. Thank You for the challenges that almost drain my tears away and that makes me realize that I should not cry on my problems but I’ll just have to get ready instead of it. I don’t know how to thank You for being so good to me. I don’t know if loving You or surrendering to You my life without any hesitation is enough. Lord, I don’t have the right to rebuke You for all the challenges that I am having right now. I would like You to know that even if how many thousands pain I endure, even if how many bruises I surpass, even if how many blood transfusion and even if I don’t have enough tears to cry, my faith in You will be always on top… Because from this day, I will surrender to You my Life.
Curt… =)
Teh Curt (March 11, 1985 – February 21, 2011),
I didn’t even have a chance to tell you that I passed my Nurses Licensure Exam, you were always asking for it whenever we see each other. I would like to thank you for being part of my life, for being one of the coolest cousins, for the encouragement, for the faith, for the laughter, for the tears, for all the good memories, for making me realize that I HAD THE BEST CHILDHOOD EVER! It’s hard to accept that you’re now with Papa God that we can’t see you anymore and talk to you again. He has reasons though, because he knows that you had been through a lot and this is the time that for you to be in peace. Like Rev. Father Allan said last night “YOU ARE NOW MISSION ACCOMPLISHED”. This is the end of your pain but the start to eternal life. We will always pray for you, we love you and we will miss you. Until next time Teh! Goodbye for now…