Remembering Uncle Bert

3/6/09

Dear Matet and Auntie Prescy,

I received the text this morning about Uncle Bert. It should not have come as a shock because I have already known that he was battling cancer over the past year. But the tears still welled up in my eyes and I felt a deep sadness in my heart.

3/10/09

It is very hard to write this blog entry, that's why I did not publish it right away. In fact, I am crying again as I write this. Uncle Bert was a very good man. And as Matet said, because of this, he is loved by many. He is especially dear to my heart because he was like a second father to me and my siblings over the years that my own dad toiled and worked hard here in America to provide for 6 children and a wife. It is difficult not to dwell on the sadness and grieve, life in the US is always go go go. But each day I take a moment to just pause and remember how much Uncle Bert meant to me.

Uncle Bert is the epitome of a gentle soul. Always kind, loving, and soft spoken. He always treat other people with respect and is not quick to judge.

I will always remember him for his kindness and the gentleness in his voice when he talks to us. I've never heard him raise his voice even if we made a huge mess in your house playing paper dolls or mag duk duk ug lubi lubi. Or if we were super bratty when we were in highschool, getting in trouble for having a slumber party with boys (they slept in a separate room, downstairs of course). He would just smile at our antics, he had deep faith in us, believing that we will grow up to be responsible women and will make the right choices in life =) I have always respected him for that trust.

I will always remember him for how deeply religious he is and how firmly he believes in God. despite all the trials and tribulations experienced by your family, he is steadfast and unwavering in his faith.

I remember when they would have prayer meetings at the house, he is the default prayer leader and others always took his lead.

I remember we would all ride his motorcycle habal habal style (i think 4 kids? or more?) to go to the farm, even if the heat from the motorcycle engine burned my legs, it was still such a blast

I've always thought, if Uncle Bert didn't marry Auntie Prescy and have Matet, he would probably be a priest =)

My parent's wedding picture with Uncle Bert's black framed glasses and wide smile is emblazoned in my memory. Uncle Bert, Auntie Prescy and my parents are so hip because they can play the guitar and sing religious songs and songs by the Carpenters, Simon and Garfunkle, The Beatles, Jim Croce etc.

I always remember that if we had any kind of emergency, he was always willing to drive us anywhere...the hospital, the drugstore, to Cagayan even if it's foggy and the road is treacherous

I still have many good memories of him that could fill a book. But most of all, I remember Uncle Bert as a very good friend of my family. We laughed and cried, helped each other out, had numerous meals together. He was my family's leaning post and my mom's go-to person for spiritual and practical advice. Our lives are so intertwined and intricately woven together, we are practically family (more often than not I refer to Matet as my cousin or the 5th Flores sister).

Words can't express how deeply saddened I am by his death.

Goodbye Uncle Bert, we will really miss you. Even if we have not seen each other in person for the past few years, you have always been in our thoughts and prayers. Thank you for all the memories that we have shared together, thank you for being a good friend to my parents, thank you for always welcoming us to your home and thank you for all the patience and love you have provided. Always know that despite our geographic distance, we will always be there for Auntie Prescy, Matet, Miggy and Arnel as you have been there for us.