Sail On

We were in high spirits and why wouldn’t we be? It was the merriest season of all. We were spending our time together, taking advantage of the holidays before the busyness of life could physically separate us again. We travelled across the globe to be reunited as a family and we were having the time of our lives, exploring new territories and experiencing new cultures together. In reuniting with old friends, we made some new ones along the way. During our 2nd week, we spent a week with my sister and my counsin with their families. Though it was short and sweet, we savoured every minute of it. The past two weeks’ adventures have definitely been one for the books!

Just as the four of us embarked on a new adventure aboard a cruise ship to the Carribean,ready to tick off a holiday bucket list item, we received the very sad news of the passing of my beloved brother-in-law, Kuya Nemic. All of a sudden, we were enveloped by pain, heartache and sorrow. The air in our cabin became heavier than the realisation that, being in the middle of the ocean, we were far from the comfort of home and family.

Kuya Nemic is the 2nd of 12 siblings. Orly, being the youngest, missed out on seeing the first 2-3 decades of his brother’s life, as was the case with a lot of his other siblings. Despite this, the huge age gap didn’t prevent Orly to grow up tightly bonded with his siblings. Kuya Nemic has always been special to us all. He had a kind, generous heart that was always quietly sharing love to everyone to the best of his ability. He had a curious mind filled with questions that he chose not to verbalise a lot of the time. He was a man of few words. It was those very few occassion wherein he started a conversation that never failed to bring a smile to my face. Perhaps allowing us to see those fleeting glimpses of his soul, his thoughts and his being was his way of reminding us that the simple things in life are what matter the most.

I had the privilege of celebrating my birthdays with him, as our special days were just a day apart. Year after year, whenever we asked him what he wanted for his birthday and for Christmas, his wishes were consistent; simply, good food, comfortable shorts with deep pockets or coloured underpants. And for the simplest wish granted, we always got the sincerest gratitude from a simple smile and words uttered ‘Thank you! / Salamat sa inyo!’ The only constant change year after year was his waistline.

Being on a Carribean cruise with the loud, lively, colourful vibes and people with joyful spirits, we found ourselves staring into blank spaces, opting for a more quiet corner to mourn the sad fact that we have lost a great brother, uncle, a beautiful soul. We were sailing along the Atlantic, trying to make the most out of the time we have together, providing each other comfort; especially Orly, supporting him through that cruise through the void.

Today I found myself staring at the ocean, watching the birds flying freely, diving into the water. A sight of freedom, of life and of being — the exact same vision I have of you now, our dear Kuya Nemic; in a place where God has summoned you to be. Be free, be alive and simply be. We love you and we always will.