Getting to Know You by Frances Grace Damazo

Looking at her, a small and fragile woman, one would not think that hers is a character who was tested and has endured so much in all her almost 90 years. My lola, Mamerta Agustin Manuel was born in the year 1921, to a well-to do parents who run a small business. She has led a comfortable life growing up and was able to attend in exclusive schools. My lola graduated and decided to have a teaching profession. Sadly, she wasnt able to practice her chosen field because she chose to start a family of her own. All was supposed to be well in her world but a series of unfortunate events changed the course of her life. Fire raged their family home twice and there was also the devastating Second World War which left her and everyone else with nothing. This situation may be disheartening to most people but my grandmother is a strong person. She found a way to raise her growing family by doing things she was not used to. Gone are the days of comfortable life. It was so hard to get a job especially after the war but surprisingly, she was able to find one despite the status quo that women should be confined inside the home to take care of the children. To help bring food to the table, she agreed to do domestic work in other peoples homes by washing clothes. Everyday she would get up just before the sun rises to wash clothes at the nearby river. Then another tragedy happened: her husband died. Left with all the responsibility, she worked twice as hard to get all her children to graduate. Because of this, her right hand suffered which prompted the doctors to cut it to save her life. She now lives with only her left arm. As a mother, she was strict in disciplining all her children and seeing to it that each and everyone of her kids do their best at school. She gives high regard to education and believes that it is the ticket out of poverty. With 7 kids to take care of, it wasnt an easy feat for any parent. My father is the fourth child and he claims that my lola never showed any favoritism. She was fair in treating in them. If they commit a sin, they would be punished accordingly. And if they do well, my lola would shower them with praises and nods of approval. With her guidance, all her children graduated in college and now have successful lives. Now, what really sets my grandma apart is the fact that she has remained strong and healthy. Part of the reason is because of my Aunt Visy. My Aunt Visy was born with cerebral palsy, meaning that part of her brain was damaged making her muscles and limbs weak. Because her condition was already worst, shes not even able to sit in a wheelchair. She was bedridden all her life. My lola takes care of her like shes a baby: she feeds her, takes care of all her needs, and even bathes her. She does this all by herself even up to this day. A few years ago, my grandma met an accident and she was confined to PGH. Unbeknownst to us, she fell on the floor and ignored the throbbing in her head, dismissing it as a simple lump because she does not want to be a bother to us. The diagnosis was that she had a blood clot in her brain and she needed to undergo a sensitive surgery. All of us already prepared ourselves for the worst because my grandma wasnt feeling well and she was well into her eighties then. But miracles do happen. Lola was determined to survive the surgery because she was worried that no one would be able to take care of my Aunt Visy. After a few weeks, she was back on her toes.

There are so many influential women out there but it is my grandmother, my dearest Lola, who inspires me. Like her, I also want to be strong and ready to face lifes challenges. I learn so much from her wisdom. She may not wear the most expensive clothes or attend posh parties, in my eyes she is the most elegant woman. We may not inherit large amounts from my Lola, but she gave us the greatest treasure one could ever have. She taught us the value of determination, hard work, and the importance of family. And I love her for that.

About the Author:

The author, 20, is about to graduate this April from the University of the Philippines with a degree in Public Administration. She hopes to get into law school and continue to make her grandmother proud.

Contact number: 09275082443