Tatang was of peasant stock and he worked in the fields in his youth.
It was a long journey for him from the fields of Dau to the bungalow in Marisol.
And it has also been a long and rather circuitous journey for me from Angeles to Quezon. Looking back at both my life and Tatang,
I am filled with gratitude and humility for the wonderful adventure our lives have been, full of many unexpected turns, some of them very difficult.
But still in all, I am full of joy and happiness at the unbelievable events in our lives
and the wonderful people we have shared these with.
I love my family and friends with whom I have lived through these moments.
If the past is any indication, the future will be even brighter and more awesome.
The best is yet to come, usually reserved for last.
But this has not come about easy.
Being good is a constant struggle.
It is not easy being good.
It takes some doing. Doing what is good.
The struggle, effort and difficulty is the fare we pay for a happy and fruitful journey
and service to others is the rent we pay for our stay on earth.