AXELU

Today is her birthday. Last night, I greeted her via messenger even though she is offline, hoping she would read it when she wakes up. She did. She called me up, just as I started editing one of my articles. Her voice cracked as she told me she badly missed us. She said this is the first time she would be celebrating her birthday alone. I cheered her up. I told her we will have a conference call together with her Mom and her sisters when I get home. She readily agreed, but I know she is really busy, preoccupied with her training at the academy. How time has flown, I said to myself. How time has gone by. . . .

I remember the time I cuddled her as a baby, singing songs in Ilocano. I recall the times she was in elementary grade, her black eyes wondering at the sight of her classmates in that early June morning. Oh, we used to sing together. Her puerile voice when we sang together still echo in my ears.

The scenes kept playing on the wide screen of my memory. How she finished high school at the University where I teach, how she graduated in college. She also taught Psychology and after that, she pursued her master’s degree. She passed her Psychometrician’s board exams. It was during the celebration of my birthday that she passed the Psychologist’s board exam. It was the best gift I ever received.

More than anything else, my wife and I share the same passion for traveling. We frequent Asian countries and discover the distinct cultures and languages. It started in touring the North, and Axelu patiently lectured her younger sisters, Addie, and Katkat the do’s and don’ts while we drove to the countryside. As a gift when she graduated in college, we went to Thailand. When my wife decided we needed a breather, we toured Hongkong. Addie and Katkat were looking forward to a family tour. We had the chance in 2016 and as a family, we visited Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Axelu is always thoughtful and vivacious. She treats her sisters to dinner when my wife and I would be too busy to accompany them, up to the extent of assuring them of a weekend to watch movies. She travels late on Saturdays and they go to a nearby mall. Late on Sundays, she would wait for the bus to her work in Ilagan, Isabela. I never heard her complain.

She talked it out to me the possibility of lateral entry in the PNP. I had my own qualms. This, beautiful, young and demure daughter of mine has the courage to tread where others have failed.

Contrary to my belief, she tried it and she is one among the handful who passed the most stringent tests and interviews. The last psychologist standing who does not know fear nor failure as she underwent the process.

We drove more than 400 kilometers to attend their Donning of Ranks and my wife was misty eyed. The kids were smiling at their sister while I I tried to hide my tears behind my glasses. She was the leader of her class! Driving back home, we were silent. We knew Axelu would be facing tough times in her training. We knew also that any hardship will not stop her in the direction she has chartered to take.

So this morning while we were talking on messenger, I greeted her, my eyes wet with tears. Her voice cracked. She terribly missed us, she slowly said. I told her their graduation is near and it will just be a matter of time before their academics will be over. I imagined her smiling as her voice came back to normal.

That short meaningful conversation was music to my ears. 

(Written: April 3, 2019