Yesterday afternoon, we drove all the way to Fairview, Quezon City, to visit my wife’s grandfather. He arrived a few days ago from General Santos, where he generally stays and manages a farm that I have yet to see. He was really happy to see us, to the point of shedding a tear or two. And it was great seeing him again, though he looked rather frail, not as frail as those carrying a portable oxygen concentrator, but very delicate nonetheless. I remember bringing him to Cafe Breton in Tagaytay for an afternoon snack of hamburger and fries. I sure wish we could do it again.
Getting old sure ain’t a walk in the park. I can only hope that when we reached that point, we have our loving family to care for us. In other countries, people send old family members to a facility where they can be taken cared of. I can only imagine how lonely that is, spending my last few years with people I don’t know. Fortunately, here in the Philippines, most old folks get to spend their senior years with family, with grandkids who listen to all their war stories. It’s all very Filipino to have an extended family and care for loved ones.
One of my fears is getting old and having no one to take care of me, coz I have this feeling that when I’m old, I’m going to be such a pain in the butt, my family will disown me. 
My fears exactly! That’s why we should value family ties, because at end of it all, when we are cranky little buggers, they will be there with us.
Posted by thehusbandspeaks at August 12, 2008, 9:07 amHey, you should come and visit Gen. Santos City. It’s a nice place, I can come show you around. We have lots of goodies here, TUNA is the best here.
Posted by sheng at August 13, 2008, 10:07 amAre familiar with Lagao, Dadiangas? My wife’s family lives in a farm there. My in-laws actually export tuna to Switzerland, and they are the best tuna I’ve tasted!
Posted by thehusbandspeaks at August 13, 2008, 10:51 amhewoo from another General! 
they export tuna to switzerland? then i must know them, or heard of them at least. i was assigned in the bank’s extension office at the fishport for a time, and our clients were, mostly, tuna businessmen.
Really? Small world huh! Maybe you know them. Their surname is Mercado. Ring a bell?
Posted by thehusbandspeaks at August 16, 2008, 1:15 pmA husband's weblog of thoughts, observations, interests, opinions, and adventures. For comments, reactions, suggestions, and donations, you can contact me at thehusbandspeaks@gmail.com.
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i feel sad when my mom talks about how she wishes she could die when she is still fully functioning. she has this fear of being a pain in the butt to us. she has been talking about this ever since my 70+ old grandmother came home from the states last month. my lola (my mom’s mom) is getting a bit forgetful and my mom is terrified at the fact that she will be like that as well
but like you mentioned, i’m really glad we have strong family ties here. i can’t ever imagine sending my mom away (even if she ends up as a cranky lola!) 
Posted by kate at August 12, 2008, 2:32 am