Artifact: pinagdasal ko kayo (I prayed for you)
Story: this is my sister's memorial photo that i designed (she's on a stairway to heaven, dw she had a good sense of humor lol). we lost her just last may to ovarian cancer. everyone knew her by the nicknames duey brown or tootsie. but i called her ate (ah-teh). she had just turned 45 the month before, and in the weeks leading up to her passing, she didn’t look or feel like herself. we were 15 years apart and she was the middle child, but she was my very best friend. she had a beautiful, gentle spirit, but the most boisterous laughter, and found peace in simple things: attending mass, watching eat bulaga, sipping coffee, asking me to draw her cows (her fave), and spending hours coloring in her books. these were the things that brought her joy, and i feel so fortunate to have shared in those moments with her.
writing this is my way of honoring her—of honoring the anger and grief and guilt i felt when she passed, and still feel. the heartbreak of losing a sibling is indescribable, yet there’s a strange sense of relief too, knowing that she is no longer in pain. i’m grateful that she passed peacefully, and it brings me comfort that she's somewhere very special to her. i still talk to ate, and she sometimes visits in the form of butterflies, though i wish i could hug her one last time. i know she's still watching over me so i try my best to not be too much of a gremlin (perks of being the youngest). if you ever have a moment, please raise a cup of coffee in memory of my ate and dance to the macarena (preferably not at the same time).
Contributor: kam