august 2013 was definitely an exhausting month. and i am just glad to see it come and went.
it was a month of saying good bye to 2 of the nicest people in our family – auntie celia and tyo nanding. my memories of them are of them smiling at whatever life throws at them. resilient people. not necessarily giving up but just taking on life’s challenges with a smile.
auntie celia was a certified noranian. am pretty sure she had other movie idols she was fond of as well. after all, she christened my dachshund “janelle” after the princess hours’ lead role. she was a generous and kind person. taking into her care people who needed someone to pick them up while reeling from life’s blows. and she had this hearty laugh, while going about her way.
my earliest memories of tyo nanding was of him showing off his “mangga” while flexing his biceps. he would ask the little ones to hang on to his biceps while he would raise it up and down. and of course, the quintessential smile. he was probably the smartest mechanic i know, and would have done even better if he had the right educational opportunities. but like my dad, he just worked his way up, raising his brood of 5 who are now all successful on their own right. all these, he did while flashing his toothy smile.
and their passing just reminds me that while life is never fair, it is up to us to make our life worthwhile. and it is always better to do things with a smile 🙂
my take 