15/10/2026
Maligayang 81st kaarawan papa! 💙
I was only twenty years old when Mama told me that you had been taken from us. I was away studying in college and trying to make you proud. The only problem that I was ready to face that time when i decided to grant your wishes was losing time with my love life, friends and time with family. Never ever have i thought that i will lose one of the biggest part of my life. I was already going through difficult times, facing life's challenges on my own, when I learned that the person I had always looked up to was no longer here on earth. I didn't know how to react. I didn't cry. Maybe because I was so far away, I couldn't fully comprehend what your passing meant. I felt numb, unable to grasp the pain that was waiting for me. I didn't know how enormous a hole your absence would leave in my life or how much lonelier the world would feel without you.
As the years have passed, I've forgotten a few things. I've forgotten the sound of your voice and the way your laughter used to fill a room. I can no longer remember exactly what it felt like to be held in your arms, but I remember those moments. I remember the warmth, comfort, and security that filled my heart whenever you held me. Those are the memories I will forever carry in my heart.
My first birthday without you was one of the hardest days I've ever faced. That first Christmas was never the same, and somehow, even after all these years, the holidays still feel incomplete without you. There have been thousands of moments when I've wished you were still here—to celebrate my happiness, share in my achievements, listen to my worries, and help calm my fears. There are so many things I wish I could tell you, so many milestones I wish you could have witnessed, and so many moments when all I wanted was to have my Papa beside me.
I've spent more of my life without you than I ever got to spend with you, and that is one of the saddest truths I've had to accept. But I want you to know that I still love you just as deeply. I think about you every day, even when I don't speak about how much I miss you. The time we had together, Papa, was never nearly enough to hold a lifetime's worth of love. There are still so many questions I wish I could ask you and so many things I wish I could learn from you. But you're gone, and I have to find my own answers without your voice to guide me. All I have now are the memories, the stories, and the photographs. Every time I look at your pictures, I find myself wanting to cry. Sometimes, I smile at the memories; other times, the tears come because I would give anything to have just one more moment with you.
They say grief becomes easier to bear as time goes by. Perhaps we learn how to live with the loss, but that doesn't mean we stop wondering why. Why did my dear, sweet father have to leave so soon? Why was someone who meant so much to me and loved by all taken away when he was still needed badly. You were my guiding star, my sun, and my moon. You walked through life with strength and kindness. You led with love, and your heart was always full of warmth, generosity, and appreciation. Now, I walk this life without you physically beside me, but I carry your love with me wherever I go. I try to live in a way that would make you proud, inspired by your dreams, your hopes, and the beautiful heart you shared with the people around you. Still, there are days when the emptiness inside me feels unbearable. Sometimes, I wish I could turn back time, even for a moment, just to see your face, hear your voice, and feel your embrace again. Sometimes, I wish I could be with you, because there will always be a part of me that feels incomplete without you here. I wish more than anything that you were still here with me. A broken heart doesn't even begin to describe what I feel whenever I think of you and the years we've missed together. I miss you in ways that words will never fully explain. I miss you in the quiet moments, in the celebrations that feel incomplete, in the difficult days when I need your guidance, and in the happy moments when I wish I could share my joy with you.
Although time continues to pass, my love for you never fades. The world may keep moving, and I may keep growing older, but I will always be your child—the child who still longs for his father's embrace. If heaven allows you to see me, I hope you can see how hard I've tried, how much I've grown, and how deeply I've carried your love throughout my life. I hope I've made you proud, Papa. Until we meet again, please know that you are loved, remembered, and missed more than words could ever say.
Happy 81st birthday in heaven, my dearest Papa. You may no longer be here for me to hold, but you will forever have a place in my heart. I love you always. I miss you every day. And no matter how many years pass, you will always be my hero. 🤍🕊️
