Ruth is a full-time writer. Foodie. Happy camper. Wanders a lot. Used to have the worst taste in men. A reformed swipe-a-holic. Reviving her blog after its death.
Thursday, April 09, 2009
I witnessed the day Metos received her wheelchair. I was in Bacolod for the nationwide launch of Inquirer Read-Along.
She was having her lunch when her donor arrived with it. She hid her face behind her mother's arms because she started to cry in earnest. Then, she was all smiles when she was seated for the first time in its leather seats and aluminum frame.
A few minutes earlier she was unsmiling. I dismissed it for shyness. I found nothing strange about her until she stood to transfer into another table in the corner. She was in crutches although she had both feet.
This was because she was left weak by her chemo treatments. She had Leukemia.
We rode the bus together, I took pictures of her and still she wouldn't smile. Then Alitaptap's Kuya Rich told his story and she started smiling, even laughing.
Today, I got a text from Miss Carla telling me that she died.
She was just a passing figure in my life. She was just one of the hundreds of kids I met that day. Yet, no matter how brief that moment might be, I saw how precious life can be.
She was a beautiful child. Aroud 13 or 14. She should be worried about boys, her hair, or what dress she could wear to their school dance.
Instead she had to reserve her energy to be able to do even the most basic things like walking and laughing. Despite of all the things she missed and things that she's been going through, I was told that she never said she wanted to give up the fight against cancer.
She was a brave child. But I guess the Lord wants her to wear a pretty dress up there in heaven.
To you Metos, cheers! I know you'll be chasing after the cherubims.
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