The Thought of Ma Varista

My blog is for my personal ventilation. If you happen to stumble on this site, I apologize for its drama and intricacies and for the disorganization of thoughts. I simply want to pour what I feel into words as I think it's the best way that I can do to at least express some emotional longings. 

I just arrived home from the city. I was called up by our municipality to be a part of the medical team to watch over the Cebu Province delegation for the Sinulog 2011. I spent 12 hours in the ambulance looking after the Cebu Province contingents for the big annual event.

Yesterday also marked Ma Varista 5th year since rested in peace. At this time also, I applied online for RN Heals, a collaborative program of DOH, DOLE, DSWD and PRC for registered nurses seeking employment and deployment in public hospitals and in public health centers for a year.


Let's talk about Ma Varista. She is my paternal grandmother. I always see her as an emblem of inspiration. Couldn't help but think of my childhood memoirs with her, with the rest of my grandparents with the whole clan as well. Ma Varista is an illegitimate daughter of a Chinese merchant named Niko Kong. She struggled as a child, became an adolescent and ultimately married our grandfather. I just can't stop but write about her. She's a jewel to us in the whole family tree as she also sees us being ones.

Ma Varista is an icon of education. So is Pa Titing who always invoke in the triumph of getting schooled and achieving something worth a prize. They were prime inspirations. I can till remember Ma Varista always telling me to do best. In her, I see as an epitome of industry, humility and love. She always wishes us to be on the top of the food chain.

I remember the days everytime she kissed me on her forehead until the last time she kissed when she was bedridden. I was in second year college then. One time, when I was in my first grade in Sibonga Central School, I had my neck tied by an interior rubber by father when he found out I skipped classes for some days and pretended to have stomachaches. That's the best alibi a child can do for terrifying teachers who knocks doors of our cranium too hard. What did Ma Varista do? 


She rescued me and cried too hard. I can still remember how she was able to walk without that Ruby chair in front of her just to get near us, in order to keep me away from harm of getting mauled by my raging father. I so love my father anyway. He is a good disciplinarian. He was just too pissed that when he sent me to school by a ride, I refused giving him a direction where my room was as I was too afraid of my super terrifying teacher. I was too pampered during my Day Care classes prior to my first grade education and it took me sometime to finally adapt the real primary school system. My Mama then accompanied me to my room. She was the only who knew where my classroom was.  I was a child anyway and being schooled at that time whole day was new to me.

Let me just talk about Ma Varista. We transferred to a rural place after my first grade due to familial and financial issues. Yeah, I was back in my comfort zone after a year. We originally lived in Bae and went in town as my father succeeded Ma Varista's carenderia business. It didn't took a year of stay as Papa met an accident and some people, even within the family went against us as we couldn't sustain some financial and other personal matters. Mama worked double hard and had a solo flight of taking care of the business as we were too young then. Until time came, we stopped with the business, went back home and had the four of us left in town. 


I have two sisters and a brother and I am the youngest. I spent one year of my childhood in the market of Sibonga town. My siblings and I stayed in the carenderia. My elder sisters were our supervisors. My brother was my playmate. We stayed in school on some Saturdays and played the fulcrums and the slides with some other children. We went in Tulay. We went to anywhere we think were exciting. What is then Ma Varista's connection? I couldn't remember some of them. All I could is that, my brother and I finished that same school year with first honors. Then, I remembered Ma Varista. She was also at that time too proud. 

We then went back home. I continued my basic education in Papan. With modesty aside, finished each year with first honors until my high school graduation. With these, I can think of Ma Varista. I can see out how proud she was everytime I brought home a prize for an academic contest in town, in other towns, in other cities and in other regions. I can see how happy she was for every qualification to the nationals. Well, I am just happy and proud to know that someone's happy for how it was. 


I spent most of my childhood and adolescent years in Bae and only went to Ma Varista's place during occasions. Funny is, most of the times, she secretly gave me coins taken from her cans. She always told me to do my best and shall do good things.

Ma Varista became old. She was already old from the time I know her. As she was watching us grow, I saw her getting old graciously. Despite, her beauty was still very evident with her Chinese look prevailing. She's not a small type Chinese. She's a Filipino Chinese lady of American size. 


Until in 2006, she joined God peacefully. She has been too old to handle things to the point of leaving all the physical burdens she carried on her final moments on Earth. She bid goodbye to life. She might have left but in her, an inspiration springs eternal. I miss Ma Varista's light. I miss the times when she gave me coins from her cans. I miss seeing her pushing that Ruby monobloc chair to advance pace as she walks. I miss seeing her in the kitchen washing dishes despite her arthritis getting bad. I miss her calling us all for lunch despite being full. I miss her motherly kisses and her excitement everytime she sees us. I just miss her light, her ray of sunshine, her presence and her love.  I just simply miss everything about her. She has always been so dear to me. She's one of my fans.


I still hope that Ma Varista is still here now, able to see me of what I have gone and what have gone through since the last time we met. There are no other Ma Varista. I am sure that she will be so happy and proud to learn about it. She's a one of a kind treasure I ever have.

Ma Varista, you are great friend of mine. Every single moment I had with you has been a treasure. I hope that you are very happy now in the world where God has placed you in His loving arms. I am keeping you alive deep in my heart and will forever cherish you for being my great confidante.