A FEW days ago, I received a message from one of my closest friends, Louie Montalbo. Louie has been one of maybe only four or five friends from my UP High School batch who knows the most about me in and out and can read me like a book even if I don’t say anything. We were buddies when we joined the NCOTC program as freshmen during our UP ROTC days, which we barely survived emerging with our NCO stripes; we used to play tennis together in a manner that was a sort of a preview of Carlos Alvarez; he inveigled me to join Days with the Lord in college which was three or four days of mental anguish and guilt feelings; and recently he became a public servant as USec of the OPAPP during the term of President Noynoy.
I am also the godfather to his son, Paolo.
Louie’s message was a sad one, informing me that another of his bestest of best friends, Rizalino “Lino” Rivera, was nearing his end. Lino and Louie shared an Atenean passion for service to others and both, in fact, served during the PNoy presidency. Lino was a friend and confidant and fellow traveler to Louie and the fact that after battling so many health issues (diabetes and COVID-19 to name only two) it was clear to his loved ones that Lino’s fight was coming to an end.
‘While at 60 years old it is no longer surprising to hear of friends and batchmates passing on, the sadness one feels at the loss of someone who has been part of a significant moment of your life is difficult to overcome.’
Louie’s message, and the post of the Rivera family to the same effect that I also saw on Facebook, came on the heels of another UP High classmate passing on to the Great Beyond. Leon Miguel Abesamis became the 22nd member of my UP High batch to earn his eternal rest, and the second of the two Abesamis brothers of our batch to go, as his brother Gregorio had passed on some time back.
While at 60 years old it is no longer surprising to hear of friends and batchmates passing on, the sadness one feels at the loss of someone who has been part of a significant moment of your life is difficult to overcome. Especially those whose counsel you have relied on, whose jokes you have laughed at, and maybe whose brains and even pockets you have picked. That it is part and parcel of life, this passing on of people we know, makes the grief no less easy to bear.
Since grief is inevitable it should be clear to all of us that before we ourselves exit from this world, we should be consumed day and night with celebrating life. Which makes the lives of others better. With bringing not just smiles to faces but deep-seated joy to the hearts of those who matter to us. Oh yes, and even to those we may not know but who are lifted by the ripples of the kindness or good work that we do.
Today I celebrate life with three of my UP High closest friends —Dr. Nancy Poblador-Romanelli, Judge Amifaith Fider-Reyes, and Atty Rodrigo Libunao Jr. Time and careers may have come between us, but this one rare moment we can all be together will be spent being grateful for having had each other in our lives.
Sawasdee!
