Last December 25, during our annual family reunion, during our traditional family update (a family member is to update the whole clan on past and future happenings in the family, such as the birth of a baby or future wedding), my uncle, the oldest of my mother’s siblings, gave me something to ponder on. Something he said caught my attention:
As you all know, I turned 73 last August. I’m still working [he’s a lawyer with his own law firm] in Makati, and I intend to work until I die. Why? I remember Tatay when he retired. He grew old fast…too fast because after almost 40 years of teaching, suddenly, he was doing nothing. When he died, I told Nanay, “You musn’t be like that, you must keep on being active and keep yourself busy.” And she did. She was active in church. She visited us here in Manila often. And she died at a ripe age of 89. That is what I’m going to do. I’m going to keep myself healthy, not only physically, but also mentally.
I know all of us are not reaching that “retirement” stage just yet. But looking beyond the obvious in my uncle’s speech, I realized that doing nothing is much, much harder than doing something. And I’d rather be doing many things than doing nothing and watching my life waste away.
So for the year to come, my hope is that we will all have fruitful, not to mention happy and healthy, lives. As a side wish, I also hope we all do something, no matter how small, to make the world a better place to live in.

I totally agree rin! I started missing my Lolo and Lola after reading it. They also never retired from being awesome grandparents until they passed away.
Got one Lola left, me and Garandee are making the most of each day she’s still with us. And at 89, she’s still busy partying!
Happy new year to you and your family!
happy new year sistah!!!!!
Posted by jeanny at December 31, 2008, 8:33 pmhappy new year ate
lablab!
naiyak ako sa message mo mareng grace.
salamat sa message! ingat lagi and happy new year!
happy new year kg. hheheheh awww para akong bulang nawawala.. ahahahha
see u next year kg!
have a bountiful new year..
take care my friend. thank you for dropping..
Posted by louraine at December 31, 2008, 9:11 pmKG, all the best for 2009. May God bless you and your family! Thanks for the friendship!
Posted by sheng at January 1, 2009, 7:31 amhappy new year, KG! =) glad to have found you as a net buddy. let’s keep busy, healthy and happy this 2009, and hopefully, the mental/emotional/material rewards will follow.
Posted by steph at January 1, 2009, 8:34 ammy lolas these days are very involved in household chores. they want to personally supervise everything despite violent reactions from their children. haha.
as for me, i always tell my mom and titas, “dyan siya masaya e, hayaan niyo na.”
happy new year, kg!
Posted by mordsith at January 5, 2009, 10:18 amMy lolo keeps himself active by biking at 86 (visiting his apos at apo sa tuhods) and doing some farming. He gave me three big seedless papayas to take home before I left. Galing!
Posted by Rico at January 6, 2009, 10:32 amthank you i like coach sneakers
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yay, i agree!
remember my lolo kune? many years ago, he told me he would never retire, because then he would remember he is already old and old people are lonely people…which would lead to another lesson for me to always remember the old people! anyways, he never retired, untill, well, he passed away.
like the old adage goes, happiness is having something to DO, something to LOVE, and something to HOPE for.
thanks for the wonderful friendship, know that i really really appreciate your company.
stay safe and God bless!
i’m sending you much much love from cold dublin!
Posted by odette at December 31, 2008, 4:17 pm