Farewell to My First Hero

          My heart unexpectedly grieves for a lady whom I haven’t personally met. But when I got to think about certain memories of my early childhood it was then that I realized why. I was born during the time the Philippines was at its best as well as, at its worst. Though I am hardly a political analyst or a critique, I was made aware that the Philippines for a brief moment was the “tiger” of Asia. It was the peak of our beloved country’s economic boom. It was the time of Marcos. But it was during his time too, that the country suffered gravely. Then, came the People Power Revolution of 1986. I was 8 years old then. Long before, I had known about the heroism of Dr. Jose Rizal, long before I have learned the bravery of Andres Bonifacio and the Katipuneros and all our heroes, I KNEW CORY AQUINO. She is my first hero. I was in EDSA, shouting her name, during the revolution. I was in Camp Crame during the revolution.  I went inside a few battle tanks, when the soldiers abandoned their posts and their artilleries. Now I know why I grieve, why my spirit feels a bit broken. It’s as if I lost a mother. I lost the symbol of my earliest childhood triumph. In ways I cannot and may never understand, I will always be indebted to this woman I have never even had the privilege of meeting her acquaintance.

             I thank you, President Cory, for the legacy of freedom you have left upon me. For the battles well fought. You may have lost the physical battle of sickness, but you have certainly TRIUMPHED over the hardest battle, called LIFE.