One of the biggest negatives of this Covid-19 pandemic was the literal distance it put between families. For us, it meant going two years without seeing our family in Manila. Now two years might not seem like a long time for some, but for us, it felt like a lifetime.
In April, during the Holy Week, we finally got the chance to fly to Manila again to see the Pascua side of our family. It was a triple-celebration of sorts: first, it was Holy Week, the most important week in the year for Catholics like us, second, it was my parents’ Golden Anniversary, and third, it was a homecoming-2-years-in-the-making.
While we were only in Manila for about a week, it was a week filled with memories. Seeing my parents’ eyes light-up at seeing their two youngest grandchildren again was something I will never forget (and I suppose they were happy to see their son and daughter-in-law as well!). Seeing my daughters talking and just being with their cousins again filled my heart. And just being with my family again, in Manila, filled me with such joy.
Now, I pray that this erstwhile pandemic will continue its path towards become endemic, so the lockdowns, quarantines, and restrictions of the last 2 years become nothing but bad memories. Now, I look forward to our next trip back to Manila at the end of the year, when my parents’ eyes can again light up, my daughters can spend more quality time with their cousins, and we can create more memories in the city that will always have a place in our hearts as “home”.
*This is a really late post, coz I’ve been kinda busy!