My dearest Dodong and Terri
What great news to hear from you. You have always been in our minds and prayers, Lita and I, and when the grapevine was that you put out word that you would appreciate some privacy now that some illness had visited you and/or Terri, we felt sad that we could not even visit you, altho we knew that you were residing somewhere nearby (Dublin?)
We also heard that Cora and Jessie and John would sometimes come and pray with you, but with the way that my own sister would speak about it ( like this is “hush hush” and yes, “they” still want privacy, then our hearts ached a bit more, not allowed to be with friends we treasure like you and Terri, who helped us a lot in our low times, struggling to begin a life here in Columbus. But God knows our hearts more than anyone else and I guess our thoughts and feelings were somehow “telegraphed” to you via “heavenmail.com?” , inspiring you to write us this note.
Life has moved on for us: our youngest daughter had married and now has a 5 month old Lucy which, as you Granpa and Grandma Albarracins know full well, can literally be more than a “gift” to us Lolos and Lolas in a way not quite and in some sense, spiritual , exceeding that for its own parents, who, tho they love their child dearly, must go out into the world to earn their living, pining all day for their child who must be left with Lolo, or Lola or some baby sitter.
My other daughter Susan has opened her second school in Powell, the first one being in Dublinshire in a Presbyterian church building which she rents, but now the second one in Home Road, Powell, she is leasing to own. She and her family continues to live in Muirfield Village, but like in many things in life, we, Lita and I “pine” so much to be with them or share their joys and whatever happens in their life, but sad to report to you, our in-law issue is deep and profound and well, I could pour out my heart to you, but there is no need because when I see you and Terri read this, I can almost visualize you and Terri, smiling quietly and thinking “uummh,” how so familiar and how so human and how so much like a cross that Our Lord is so familiar about and is Jesus now sharing His cross this way, with us? In some form of a rejection by those, among family, whom one loves and wants dearly to be close to?
We accept all the good and the bad in life, and this “success” of one of our daughters and her husband and their family, is one such “cross” which, while difficult to swallow, I guess only brings out in stark contrast, God’s design that intimates to us that well, He could be saying, “Ed, heaven is not here on earth, in Columbus, Ohio or even in the Philippines,” but somewhere in heaven, waiting.” I must think this way because me and Lita snatches every single little moments of joy which you and Terri knows God affords us in our own family, in our love for them and in their love for us, and in the many blessings God had given us through the years, including the pains in old age, maybe, and well, I could go on, but that is the “Father Canlas,” always pontificating, not worthy to be priest so God made him husband and father to Lita so he can somehow bring joy to her and to our family.
We had been busy, Dodong, and had moved out of our little apartment ( we felt like poor country mice in it) and acquired a house in Lazelle Street, Lewis Center, after we sold land back home and God had rewarded us and we are thankful.
I never really worked here, and is “home alone” by myself, my books, my music, my golf, my “longings”, my prayers, and my thoughts, and I may add, “my God”, who I do not imagine as being next to me, residing in my house, but Who I encounter in my readings, in my praying, using prayer books, joining a morning prayer group in St Paul’s where after mass we do the rosary, the Divine Mercy prayers, lasting till 10:00 am. But my “encounter” happens mostly when I am lonely, and that could happen any day or anytime, because I am “home alone,” you see, and not even straining at the experience, I somehow sense some “peace,,” which I cannot explain, except to conclude that it must be peace from God, and if so, then God must somehow be near or close somehow, not unlike the gentle breeze experienced by prophets in the Old Testament.
I must invite you and Terri to our 5:30 PM, September 1 BCBP Merienda Cena at St. Elizabeth Church, where there will a “couple sharing,” to be followed by a 7:30 pm Tagalog Mass, which should lift up the soul and spirit of the guy from Cebu and that lady from Quezon City ( is that where Terri comes from?) because you see (1) I believe God is calling you to hear this couple sharing from Cebu, where else?) and (2) I believe that God has called you to this event because, for God’s sake, why would Dodong A., from out of the blue, and of all guys I know, write to me at this time and on this day, a short email?
Let m e know if you need me to pick you and Terri from your place and would gladly do so. (1 614 260 0480)
I have been busy with the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP) and I had been writing about it.
Please check it out as I know you will enjoy it. We hold monthly meetings. We are charismatics but Pinoy.
What is your cell?
Mine is 1 614 260 0480
Lita’s 1 614 805 8309
Ed and Lita
On Monday, August 20, 2018, 5:08 AM, Narciso Albarracin, Jr. <nalbarracin2@gmail.com> wrote:
Hi, Eddie.
This is a “voice” from your distant past. I haven’t seen or heard from you since the launching of your “Houses” in June of 2009.
How are you and Lita doing?
A lot has happened during the past 9 years, so far as we are concerned. Terri suffered a stroke in December of 2016 and so the entire year of 2017 was a Psalm 23 “valley” for us and we transitioned into living in a senior housing facility, selling our home and downsizing in the process.
I donated a lot of my books and in the process of “pruning” I realized there is a “non-discardable” category. Among those in that category was your autobiography, “Houses of My Life.” I am re-reading it now and getting swept up again in its openness, honesty, candor, tender sentiments, spirituality, literacy, style, and nostalgia. That was some effort and discipline on your part to write and produce that book.
Anyway, I just want to say hello and ask how you are doing. Although Terri continues to have balance issues, she has recovered sufficiently that we can attend some social functions including the St. Peter’s Jesus and Mary Prayer Group meetings where we lead the music ministry whenever Joe Rayen invites us. She is also able to travel by air, so we’ve been to our place in FL three times this year. But we are mostly here in Dublin, OH, 5 and 10 minutes away from our daughters Maricel and Lyssa and, in our housing facility, neighbors to elderly folks like us with varying degrees of disabilities.
Warm regards and God bless.
Dodong and Terri
BCBP Ohio Journal & Learning Resource 