Remembering Love: The Yuan Family Legacy

My Lola Tachi and Lolo Pidiong during one of their dinner dates

One of my aunts recently posted old family photos. Most of which are of my grandparents and random pictures from the 1940s to late '80s when the old house along Sande St. in Tondo, Manila still exists. This old house was a quiet witness to the Yuan family's love and happiness. Fond childhood memories are forever etched on the walls of our minds, because the solid structure has long been gone. 

Child's Play

I remember playing with my cousins in the master bedroom on the second floor. We take turns acting out as a ghost to scare each other. One time, since we were trying to escape getting caught by the scary monster, we all got in our grandmother's four-poster bed. The weight of more than 10 children tested the bed's strength: all of us came crashing to the floor when the wooden slat got loose and turned 90 degrees. Instead of crying, we laughed out loud, but our parents came rushing in the bedroom and we received an earful from our Lola Tachi. I also remember our other favorite hangout: the dirty kitchen. We usually sit around and tell stories, jokes, or do pranks. Our favorite was to wait for somebody to go through the door and say that whoever comes in is ugly, smelly, or any other thing that we find funny.When somebody gets through the door, we will all laugh out loud. The unfortunate person would then be dumbfounded and try to find out what's wrong with his face or if somebody put a note on his back. Our victims' reactions would only make us laugh harder. We even made one of our cousin's cry, and this again earned us another lecture from our grandma.

Picture taken at the dirty kitchen, our favorite hangout,.
L to R: Jomar, Kuya Jovel, Honey, Jaja, Niño, me, Sheena, Jeng,
Charm, Shine, Lola Tachi, Karen, and Michelle

Sibling Love

My dad and his siblings, all 9 of them and with their own share of squabbles, always show us how to care for your own family. They usually tease and deprecate each other during reunions, but they never try to leave anyone out especially in times of trouble. I remember my dad sending money to one of his brothers or sisters in secret.  He didn't earn much just before he retired, but he pushes himself to find ways to help in his own way. His siblings do the same thing. I remember my aunts and uncles trying to pitch in so that we'll have money for school during hard times in the past. However which way the wheel turns, everyone will be there to help in their own way.

L to R: Tito Jun, Tito Efren, Lola Tachi, Lola Pining, Tito Awe, Tito Joey,
my dad (Jun), Tito Manuel; squatting: Tito Lino and Tito Oscar

Back: Tito Bobby; L to R: Tito Lino, Lola Tachi,
Tita Ruby, my dad, and Tito Oscar 

L to R: Tito Efren, Tito Relly, my dad, Tito Manuel,
Lola Tachi, my cousin Niño, and Tito Bobby (seated on the floor)

Back: Tita Luz; L to R: Tita Letty, Tita Mayet, Tita Evelyn,
Lola Pining, Lola Tachi, Tita Ruby, and Tita Monie  

Back: my mom; L to R: Lola Tachi, Tita Evelyn,
Tita Letty, Tita Ruby, Tita Luz, and Tia Monie (front) 

Remembering My Lola Tachi and Lolo Pidiong

Lola Tachi and Lolo Pidiong, wearing his military uniform

I don't remember anything much about my grandfather, Elpidio Carbon Yuan, Sr. because he died even before I turned two years old. Maybe a few snippets will come into mind, but I'm not even sure if they were my own memory. My dad told me that he was a soldier who fought during World War II. He fought as a guerilla against the Japanese.

It's always my Lola Tachi, whose full name is Presentacion Valbuena Yuan, who has been there for us.

She took care of us when my parents cannot find a nanny. She had been there for me, even before I can walk until she began to deteriorate due to dementia. She was always proud of my achievements and she loved listening to my stories. She also didn't get tire of taking care of her children and all of her grandchildren. As far as I know, she didn't play favorites, but she always made me feel special and each of my siblings and cousins.

She used to cook our favorite meals and even went to the market by herself to buy ingredients. She'd been doing it for a long time, that we didn't realize that she was getting old. It only hit us, when she tripped and fell going home from Pritil's wet market. From then on, she became vulnerable and weak due to old age. The worst that happened was when she fell, broke her hip, and had to undergo surgery. She became older in appearance and started to have symptoms of dementia. The time came that she can only remember her husband and children. It was very sad, especially for us -  her grandchildren. But, we love her and will always do, even after death.

Happy moments with Lola Tachi
L to R: Michelle, me, Tita Monie, Charm, Shine, Jeng, my mom, Tita Luz, Jaja;
front: Karen, Lola Tachi, Tita Ruby, and Kuya Jovel