My BFF Minna Comes Home

My cousin Minna and I grew up together. We were classmates in grade school and on our graduation, our parents gifted us with the same brand of watch, which we both wore on stage—she, as valedictorian, and I, as salutatorian. 

We were inseparable, according to our parents. So even if we parted ways in high school, we still met during vacation and did everything together. In college, we became  inseparable again in UP, until we parted ways when her family immigrated to the US. 

Despite the distance and separation—and many events happening in our individual lives—we kept in touch. Together, we would still giggle like we did in grade school and never ran out of topics to talk about. 

Whenever she came for vacation from the US, I would take a leave from work so we could be together.  We would travel to Umingan to visit our parents and at night, we would talk till the wee hours of the morning—about anything and nothing. 

She put me in charge of her bank accounts. I was shocked, “What?! You trust me with your money?” 

She said, “I trust you with my life.” 

I think she meant that because whenever I would send her a financial report, she would not even read it. 

Although she lived in the US permanently, her heart was always in Umingan—with her parents when they were still alive. She made sure she was here for them. Aside from her parents, she made herself available for her youngest brother, Sam. She told me she would take care of him for as long as she was able. She loved Sam and his children so much she always provided whatever they needed. 

And today, even in death, her wish was to come home to Umingan—the place where her heart was, the place where we grew up, and the place she loved most in the world. Her ashes will be inurned beside her parents' grave after a Memorial Service in our home church. 

This time, she came home not just for a vacation but to stay for good. Welcome home, my dearest cousin. I cannot be there to welcome you back this time, but for me, you really never left. You were, and will always be in my heart forever. 

Pangasinan 2015: Pigging out during one of her visits.

NY 2019. The last time we giggled together--before, during, and after watching "Beautiful" (her nickname, BTW, was Ms. Beautiful) on Broadway. 'Twas a grace-packed day.