We all have experienced love ones come in to our lives and we’ve also seen them go.  It seems such a blur that life just passes by so fast that time spent with them isn’t just enough.  Death indeed comes like a thief in the night. Just last week, after being distraught by the death of our beloved “Cory Aquino”, our family was once again devastated now directly when my 89-year-old grandfather died.  It just seems so sad that in reality, we do live in a fast paced life, even hospital staffs won’t give you the time to grieve with all the paper works, not to mention the bills to be taken cared of first. Sigh… During those moments, time seemed to be so little with so much to accomplish.  

When that faithful day came, thank God for cellphones and text messages sent to multiple people in just one go, my mom having been left all alone when my lolo passed on, flustered and agitated as she had ever been, was able to relay the sad news to us without wasting much time and effort.   With all the stuff needed to be taken cared of…wake, burial, flowers, etc..., one daunting and tedious task is how to spread the word to everyone in the entire family tree making sure no one is left out.  With no time wasted, technology came in to the rescue exhausting all possible means of communication.  Of course, phone calls and text messages spread like wildfire.  Posts on facebook, friendster, twitter and other social networking sites became so reliable in spreading the news. Friends and relatives overseas were able to send prayers and condolences easily and instantly.

My sister, based in LA, would have loved to be with my mom just to hold her and console her during this time of grief. But because of the unsteady employment lifeline brought about by the recession, with much sadness in her heart, she decided not to go home.  We resorted to unending use of video calls through Skype and YM chats making use of the ever-reliable web cam.  She and her family were able to see the wake as it happens, online.  It was actually just like she was there with us.  She was even able to send a wreath to the wake by ordering it online.

My mom’s older sister was likewise based in the US, juggling with both work and school, still my aunt decided to go home just in time for the last mass and burial of her father.  Sadly, time wasn’t on her side.  Her connecting flight to Manila was delayed for more than 3 hours making it truly impossible for her to get to Manila on time.  Luckily, she had her handy laptop with her and as she was stuck in the airport she made it through to us by way of video calls and she was able to see her father for the last time through the web cam. 

With a heavy heart, there was no exchange of messages just the eerie sound of silence that makes it so heartbreaking.   I can just imagine how painful it must have been for her not seeing her father face to face even for the last time. For her being online even for a short while, saddened and frustrated for being placed in that circumstance somehow made it a bit easier.   At that moment, things that were left unsaid and expressed somehow made it through.  

Even though some of our family members weren’t able to be with us physically, through technology their heartfelt loss were expressed and their sincere presence were somehow felt.  Painful as it was for them for not being here, it is through these times that we need to hold on to each other as we go through life’s grief together as a family in every possible way.