That is some Sense

We basically have five senses right? Sight, Smell, Hearing, Touch and Taste.

The sense of Smelling and Tasting is much tested and appreciated for the last two years. I remember getting paranoid one time I was not feeling well and had to pick out a strong perfume to smell and start licking salt granules I poured on my hand just to check if I am okay (swig a shot of tequila after.. joke).

I appreciate the sense of sight almost every day seeing the good and the bad. Most specially during days I walk around and take pictures. I have appreciated it more when a friend with vision problems started campaigning for his eye treatment.

Because I love listening to music, I appreciate the gift of hearing. A friend who plays bass taught me to listen closely to every detail each instrument was played in a song and that was cool when you start distinguishing which instrument played which part.

But I have never been awed with the gift of hearing until I saw it in my grandma’s changed aura.

We spent six (6) days away from the city. This was the second time we visited my 91-year-old grandmother in Ilocos Norte since the pandemic. The usual visit was a monthly rotation from her children – my mom and her siblings.

Daughter-duty mode driving them to the province was a pleasure and always is. For anyone asking, is Ilocos Norte already open for tourists? – I honestly have no idea. But the requirements for visitors would still include these two:

*RT-PCR Negative test result

*Barangay acceptance letter

It was not totally a vacation. They had papers and check ups to work on when we got there. I was stuck on workdays in the room my aunt set for me with meetings and workloads; and weekends were spent on errands as well. In what I was imagining as a good birth month-ender, I swear it was tempting to pull out @Eylz2021's Places to visit in the Philippines  - Part 2 and visit all of it in one go. My parents would have loved that, too. I, in all my visits north, I have not visited Kapurpurawan.

Getting our result midnight of June 22, 2021 (Tuesday) we started our travel around past 10 in the morning. It was a clear, sunny day until we reached the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX). It started drizzling. After grabbing lunch in one of the fast food and eating it in the parking lot inside the car (I am still skeptic with dining in), I watched the rain clouds get darker and thicker.

It was one hell of a shower but fun ride. One moment it would be raining so hard and another part of the ride it would have no rain just the right amount of shade. The view was amazing. There was one part where a ray of light would appear like a spotlight and directing its light towards a portion of the green fields – a tree, and a hut near it. My eyes were taking it all in and and feasting on that view -heightened senses.

Reaching Rosario Exit, we stopped by Mcdonald’s to grab snacks, get a leg break and washroom break as well. Purposefully, I cruised by Urbiztondo, grabbed 2 lattes for me and my mom in Coffee Library – traveling down memory lane while traveling.  Switched driving with my dad but later on, I had to take it back.

 I was too beat to see lola when we arrived.  Besides, we would still need to wash up before getting near her – protocol. I decided to start bothering lola next day :D.

The gift of Re-Hearing..

One of our agendas was to pick up lola’s hearing aid. Her hearing is fading because of age. When they started suggesting getting her a hearing aid a long time ago, lola had a funny retort. She used to reply with a loud voice, “Why? Am I deaf?”

Until recently she obliged.

On Monday, she got her hearing aid. I was not able to join them in getting it because of work. When they arrived, my aunt told me that Lola is finally wearing one and we do not need to speak in a loud voice. In my excitement, I greeted my lola when she came in assisted by my uncle.

“Welcome back lola! How was your trip?”

To which my lola replied, in her normal voice.. “wag ka nga maingay!” (Don’t be noisy).

That cracked me and everyone up. I guess the hearing aid really works.

Oh to see my lola’s smile and demeanor change! Conversations started flowing unlike before that she would just tell us what she wants. This time, there was conversation!

She used to turn down coffee and snack breaks with us. I think because she cannot fully understand the conversation happening around her. I can only imagine seeing everyone talking but not hearing what they are saying. Everyone laughing and you do not know what they are laughing about. You have to fight off paranoia that they are not talking about you and laughing at you. Also, that wanting to connect to your grandchildren but even with lips close to your ears you cannot make out what they want to tell you.

One time, my aunt had to run some errand and I was left to watch over my lola. When she started moving around, I asked her what she wants. The un-strained conversation is etched in my head. She was transferring to a smaller chair. She said she was just testing if she would be comfortable with that chair. She also told me she wanted to sit on the floor just to try if she still can to which we both ended up laughing.

She kept looking at the clock then waiting for 6pm for the Angelus. I told her that she will know it is time because the church nearby let the bells ring as it normally does. She said, “she won’t be hearing “ and stopped mid-sentence and a smile formed on her lips because she realized she can now hear the bells from the bell tower.

After her usual prayer, she started to tell me she wants to be brought to the table for her coffee break. Normally, she drinks her coffee and not really bother about us being there or not. She was just going through the motion of getting her afternoon snack with few shouting of instructions exchanged between her and my aunt who was taking care of her.  

This time, when she reached the table and her snacks already set by my aunt, she asked me

“O, asan kape mo?” (“Where’s your coffee ?”).

I just finished my cup then, but I hurriedly fixed up another so we can have coffee together not in silence but this time with lots of smile, laughter, and normal-voice conversation.

Looking forward to more visits with lola soon. Ending birth month with much much smile. Again.. my heart is full!

 Live easy my friends!!!