Jamie Hilao

I returned from yet another fabulous Chitown trip last weekend to celebrate Katleya’s 8th grade graduation. I am so proud of her for making the Honor Roll and scoring the Female Athlete of the Year award. I even teared a bit as her graduating class opened up the ceremony with their rendition of R. Kelly’s “World’s Greatest.”

Yes, I’ve turned into a sap in my ‘old’ age, please refrain from leaving any sarcastic comments.

Typically, this is the point in my blog entry where I recount the details of my trip, including the family events and nightlife outings with friends.

However, there’s been other things on my mind the last few days…

It’s been strange… witnessing the death of an extended family member and the birth of another… within 24 hours of each other.

A few nights ago, I listened to Cristina’s children, grandchildren, relatives and friends recite a rosary to bless the recently departed next to her open casket. I may not have felt the energy through the recitation of the rosary, but I sure felt the power of love in the room.

I couldn’t help but think of my 93-year-old grandmother, Mama… and my last moment with her when she dropped me off at the airport last weekend, hugging me like it was the last time she would see me.

“I love you, Baba,” she said to me as she waved goodbye.

Mama never ends a conversation with me without telling me she loves me and that she’s happy I’m thinking about her.

Someone once told me that life really isn’t complicated; it’s the people that are. While I’ve struggled with that idea for the past few years, I’m starting to believe it, at least a little bit…

My grandma, my lola, understands not to “sweat the small stuff”. A simple 5-minute call from her granddaughter across the country is the highlight of her day. She loves me despite my flaws.

Love is enough… at least, for what counts in life.

“The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.”

– Morrie Schwartz, Tuesdays with Morrie

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 20th, 2007 at 7:17 pm and is filed under Jamie, Random Thoughts, Chicago, Family, Events, travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.