Tribute to My Grandmothers

My brother Mark Carlo and I have an offbeat way of calling our grandmothers. We call our maternal grandmother "Lola Mommy" (Grandmother Mommy) because ouor mother calls her "Mommy". Since our father refer to his mother as "Mama", we call our paternal grandmother "Lola Mama" (Grandmother Mama). Thanks to my brother's inventiveness and my "blind obedience", he made us both sound funny to our cousins. Not that we mind, anyway. We are surely remembered by our grandmothers because we are the only ones who call them as such.

My Lola Mommy was born as Leonor A. Griño on June 14, 1906 in Jaro, Ilo-ilo. She was the only surviving child of parents. Both her father an mother died before she turned 13. Her maiden aunts raised her. She was a nurse by profession and became the first nurse to serve in General Santos City as a pioneer. There, she met my grandfather Diosdado Gonzales of San Narciso, Zambales and raised their two children - my mother and my uncle. When she was just 49 years old with a 15-year old daughter and 13-year old son, she became a widow. Before she died in November 13, 1990, she stayed with us and so, our family have so much fond memories of her.

I love my Lola Mommy so much because we both liked eating any variety of ripe mangoes. We were also gaga over sweets and movies. She was a fighter - a characteristic which she passed on to all of us. She was fashionable although she was a bit conservative. She was simple and yet very mindful of details. I admired her most especially because she was very much organized and a careful planner - both traits which I do not have. I remembered her mostly because she doted on us, her grandchildren, and she taught us not to fight with each other.

Since my Lola Mama lived in Quezon City, which is far from my home city, I do not have much memories of her. All I can remember is that she is a willowy, beautiful lady, who speaks softly. For me, she could have been a fashion model in her youth because of her height, long legs and classic features but I guess she was raised to be a homemaker and a mother and so, she never thought of pursuing a career other than these.

She was born Inocencia Decano and was also orphaned by her mother at an early age. When her father remarried, she and her two sisters were left in the custody of maiden aunts. After she and my grandfather had their colorful courtship, they married and had 8 children. My father was their second eldest child. She died on June 3, 1995 after being widowed for decades.

I want to thank these great women for giving me their labors of love - their children whom I proudly call my parents. I pray that both of you, Lola Mommy and Lola Mama are now in heaven. I love you both and miss you still.