Tweet“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” (John11:25,25) I have so much faith in the above biblical passage. Most bereaved families derive comfort from that verse with the hope of reuniting with their loved...
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Tweet (Luijoe’s last Christmas in 1999, Baguio City) Christmas is a special time of year. Although shiny decorations and twinkling lights are the window dressing for this exciting festivity, it is the warmth and love of family and friends that make the holiday season so memorable. However, it can be a painful time for those...
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Tweet For many years, my family greeted the Christmas season with great joy and heavy despair. Every Christmas without my son, I sensed my husband saying “I’m not ready yet….”I’m not ready for the annual flood of memories without Luijoe. “ Butch dreaded the sight of the cheerful [tag]Christmas...
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TweetHave you seen the latest commercial of SMART Telecom on text messaging ? During the first two scenes, I snickered to my husband “what a mama’s boy!” See, the guy in the commercial sends text messages to his mom’s cellphone and talks about the praises from his boss, the breakup with his girlfriend,...
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TweetThey say marriage is for better or for worse. Couples try to support and care for each other, through good times and bad. Usually, when one of us hits rock bottom, the other can try to be the mainstay for a little while, to help the other along. But what happens when our child dies? The couple is now cast into the same dark...
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TweetWhen you remember me, it means that you have carried something of who I am with you, that I have left some mark on who I am on who you are. It means that you can summon me back to your mind even though countless years and miles may stand between us. It means that if we meet again, you will know me, and hear my voice and speak...
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Tweet The poetry therapy at the Compassionate Friends meeting yesterday made Butch and everyone else in a jovial mood. (see pics here) In our meetings, we laugh and cry as we share our stories. But yesterday, laughter rang out more often the tears. Our facilitator, Victor Emmanuel Carmelo D. Nadera Jr. is a brillant poet and...
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TweetThat’s my younger brother , Reuben who died on June 11, 1990 due to fulminant Hepatitis A. He left behind a young wife, a three year old and a three week old infant son. There is more to his death than just an illness. This feature article written by my sister Belen thirteen years ago explains it more. (Read here and...
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TweetUpdate on Cheche Lazaro: (May 8, 2009) Cheche Lazaro and the Wire Tapping Case filed by GSIS To be interviewd by Cheche Lazaro in “Straight Talk” is an honor. Her interview style is excellent. You know, I usually get a pre-interview by production assistants days before a show. This is normal procedure since hosts...
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TweetSix years ago on May 27, 2000 TODAY….six years after on May 27, 2006 at the Loyola Memorial Park, Sucat “TEARS ARE THE PROOF OF LIFE” “How long will the pain last?” a broken-hearted mourner asked me. “All the rest of your life.” I had to answer truthfully. We never quite...
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Tweet “[tag]Fallen Cradle[/tag]” is a book of 22 stories by parents who have a lost a child. It was formally launched today at Powerbooks Greenbelt Makati. What can I say? The Book launch was a huge success. The initial 150 books set for the launch ran out. Anvil Publishing rushed to get more stock from the warehouse. ...
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TweetCreatively-challenged me had a great time at our monthly Compassionate Friends meeting. Instead of our usual sharing sessions, we turned it into a family activity involving [tag]art therapy[/tag]. Cathy arranged a special session with Color Me Mine Philippines just for our group. For this meeting, I also invited my daughter,...
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Tweet“I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” (John11:25,25) I’ve written this many times before. My 6 year old son placed so much faith in eternal life. A month before he died, he bounced up and down on his...
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TweetWhen a child dies, it’s not the natural order of things. For many years, I struggled to find the meaning of my son’s death. Five years and a lot of pain later, I finally found the answers. It all started with an email to Cathy after I invited her to join as co-founder for the The Compassionate Friends Philippines....
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TweetWe started the Sunday by having an early mass. The week we now call [tag]Holy Week[/tag], starts with Palm Sunday. The streets were already lined up with enterprising vendors selling palm leaves. The Holy Week holds a special meaning in my heart as it’s during this time that my precious son talked about eternal life. How...
read moreTweetToday is the 7th death anniversary of my younger brother, Oscar. He died from a failed stem cell transplant. He was only 40 years old. Oscar was diagnosed with Acute myeloid leukemia (AML-M4) on September 1, 1996. Getting sick of [tag]leukemia[/tag] is a logistical nightmare especially if one is looking for blood type AB...
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TweetWhen I first saw the accidental drowning photos from Sidney’s My Sari Sari Store, it looked surreal to me. For some reason, the photo of the dead boy didn’t shock me. Yes, I felt a twinge of sadness. Not that I’m a cold hearted person. That’s because I’ve seen the death of my own child. What is the...
read moreTweetGrief is not exclusive for those who have lost a child , a parent or sibling. In life we experience so many losses such as loss of job, money, health , a love affair and other things. The grief process is universal to us all. We go through stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. As a bereaved...
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My grief journey culled from edited 2006-2010 blog entries are now converted to an ebook format and "Print on demand". Read story behind the ebook.
Touched by an Angel e-book is now available for purchase. For inquiries and reservations, please call Vee Press sales department at +632-712.9156 ext. 350 or email sales@vibalfoundation.org
This is about me ( a Filipina mom) and my journey to a "new normal" after the death of Luijoe , my beautiful 6 year old son.
Recovery is a work in progress.... read more?
Celebrating love , life and experience at the Lady Gaga Born This Way Ball
Bullying in Philippine Schools
A hug is a handshake from the heart
A letter to my daughters. Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough
Being romantic in Batanes : A time to celebrate the beauty, gift, and the blessing of enduring love.
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