A Tribute to our beloved Mom, Luz Bollozos Ruales

April 29, 1923 - June 19, 2010

Mom, this is one sole occasion

To give you a tribute

To express all that’s in our hearts

But failed to verbalize when you’re still full of life

We want to offer you  homage

To your remarkable journey here on earth

We want to pay you great honor and respect

And acknowledge the meaning of your earthly existence

We’re your privileged children

We're abundantly blessed by your maternal passion

By your sacrifice and perseverance

You've have given us hope and touched our lives

You have always been a refuge

Our strength, our stronghold

Our light and source of inspiration

Everything a devoted mother should be

We have been blessed

By your commitment and dedication

By your loyalty and faithfulness

You've lavished us with your unconditional love

You have always been there for us

A considerate and doting mommy

A mother who chose to take our side

Come hell or high water

You showed us that caring heart

Compassionate, thoughtful and staunch

The qualities more precious

Than any treasures we may uncover

You're truly a mensch

Who have dealt life's intricacies head-on

A petite yet brave and tough woman

Who've spent years tending to our needs

And, Yes, “You are Timeless!”

Your beauty, charm and grace

The epitome of elegance

Transcends all time and space

You’re God’s precious gift to us

And to this day within our lives

We will cherish the gift

As long as we live

This is also an occasion of thanksgiving

For your steadfast patronage and fervent care

Thank you for all the treasured memories

and for taking the journey with us over all these years

Thank you for giving us the zeal

To bond us together in ardor and love

You’re the Heart of hearts

In greater ways than ever before

Thank you for giving moral or practical support

For extending a helping hand to guide our steps

To spread our wings and fly

To ultimately mature and blossom

We thank you and Dad for impressing upon us

A solid and sure foundation

Upon which to raise our own families

A lasting legacy to pass on to the next generation

Thank you for instilling in us God’s enduring principles

The precepts on how to live

This, too, is another lasting legacy

For your children, grandchildren, siblings ...

We're overflowing with gratitude

You became our own priceless gem

You’re the best partner our departed Dad could ever have

The greatest mother and lola God has bestowed us

Your dedication to family was incomparable

You've left with us

A strong chain of love that can never be broken

And you will be desperately missed by us all.

Know that your love and devotion will keep on

Forever binding and uniting us together

As God’s goodness and mercy flow

In rivers of living water

We shall keep in mind

The key role you have played

In jovial get-together and bonding moments

That never failed to give a sense of family solidarity

We shall always remember

The happy bygone days

The joys of spring you've brought about

In oh so many ways

We've learned so much from you

You will always remain our guiding light

We'll endlessly proclaim that you're our dearly beloved mother

Who've constantly  filled us with so much pride

Mom, don’t worry about us - Time will heal our wounds

We'll have peace and comfort knowing in great faith

You are  now dancing a new dance; singing a new song up there

Reunited with Dad and home in heaven with God

You may be gone from this earth

But far from gone from our lives

Your principles, Your memory

Will be an eternal flame

One day we’ll be together again
To talk about all the places we’ve been
Until such time we’ll always treasure
You as our great Mom & and the Lola of our  children

So dear Mom please accept our accolades

Heartfelt, sincere and true

We are forwarding these direct to the Heavens

Straight from our hearts to you

Rest now in the loving arms of our Almighty Father

Take our love with you on your journey

Our warmest regards to Dad

We'll desperately miss  both of you

Godspeed

Rationale behind the blog’s title

Back in the early 70’s when I was then a naive college student at Silliman University, I became a huge fan of Carol King, an American singer, songwriter and pianist. She rose to fame with her album entitled “Tapestry.” Not only had she found success as a songwriter for various artists, but, with this album, she achieved considerable critical acclaim in her own right. In fact, Rolling Stone Magazine , a U.S.- based magazine devoted to music and pop culture has listed and ranked the album as one of the greatest albums of all time.

One of the featured songs in the said album was similarly entitled “Tapestry" that has a message about the grasp of life and its significance. The song lyrics that goes, "My life has been a tapestry of rich and royal hue, an everlasting vision of the ever-changing view” has struck me exceedingly.

What is a tapestry?

Dictionary defines it as a hand-woven fabric of plain weave which may use any kind and number of textiles and may come in a wide range of sizes and colors. Its design of weft threads is being threaded into the warp with fingers or a bobbin.

When one looks at  the back side of a finished woven fabric, undeniably one will not appreciate the outward picture of  tangles of thread – loose and left hanging, jumbled, frayed, occasionally knotted and seemingly random. It’s only when it’s turned over to the front side that one can see its artistic value: ornate and rich colors, texture, patterns that can make it a thing of bewildering charm.

At that particular instance, I came to the realization that my mundane encounters were compared to a tapestry – on which God precisely has woven into the fabric of my earthly life. All of a sudden, I saw the splendor of my life’s journey and recognized how much I have to be immensely grateful to God for the abounding, meaningful and blessed life He has given me. Certainly, my journey was never been that easy and stress-free. I had my share of challenges. I, too went through difficult, trying, and heartbreaking times. But God in His goodness, made me reached  this far and showed me the way to confront and surmount adversities along the way. He endowed me with supportive family and friends who saw beyond my imperfections and helped me pulled through dark moments.

The ensuing entries posted here will lay bare part of my innermost being ... the  side of my life's tapestry.