Republic of the Philippines

Pangasinan State University

Bayambang Campus
LABORATORY INTEGRATED SCHOOL
High School Department
2021-2022

Name: MAGALONG, Mary Francine G. Grade & Section: 12-STEM

Subject: 21st Century Literature from The Subject Teacher: Ms. Jearica Ico

Philippines and the World

“Please do not take me away!”

It was a beautiful morning of Sunday, September 4, 2022. Everyone in the family had not

recovered still from the previous night's party. Seeing my family members' happy faces made me

believe that the entire day would be lovely. After brunch, my father decided to watch a movie, so

we all sat in front of the TV, excited. While we were watching, I caught a glimpse of my

grandmother, who was also watching from her rocking chair. Because of her old age, she was

already incapable of doing things alone, so when my mother suggested that I assist her in taking

a bath, I helped her immediately.

While I was bathing her, I asked her if she still remembered me. She had already

forgotten everything due to her dementia, which is why she always said no whenever I asked her.

My grandmother had also developed the habit of thanking me for everything I did for her; hence,

during that time in the bathroom, my grandma continued to say how grateful she was to me.

Hearing her say those things made me emotional; however, as I continued bathing her, she began

to act possessed. The tension increased even more when she started to have seizures. Then I
heard her say in Pangasinan, "Ag yo ak aalaen!" which in English means, "Please do not take me

away!" I had no idea what was happening to my grandmother, so I rushed her out of the

bathroom. When I thought my grandmother was already fine, she had another seizure and passed

out. I started crying because I was worried about what had happened to her. My father arrived to

assist and carried my unconscious grandmother to her bed. We attempted to wake her up, but she

didn't. She continued sleeping like Aurora in Sleeping Beauty for five days before passing away

on September 9, 2022.

Looking back on what happened in the bathroom, I suddenly understood why she said

those words. It appeared as if there was someone who was about to pick her up during that time,

but my grandma resisted and said, "Please do not take me away!" That "someone" there waited a

few days for my grandmother to bid farewell to all of her family members and relatives while

sleeping on the bed first, before taking her away from us. As the only person who witnessed

what happened to my grandmother firsthand, I am left with mixed emotions and questions about

why it had to happen that way. However, one thing I am certain of is that my grandmother left

this world full of gratitude and love for everyone, especially for me.