The Gift of Presence

A Saturday Afternoon with Tita Ester

After lunch with the Mendoza family to celebrate her 88th birthday, Tita Ester wanted to enjoy the rest of the afternoon with a walk around the neighborhood. She was energized. “Look, there’s not a cloud in the sky! Wow, what a nice day!” she repeated. She quickly changed into comfortable clothes, donned a khaki-colored hat to protect her face, and slipped on a pair of beige gloves to keep her hands warm. We made a left turn from Tito Peping’s driveway and walked to the end of the road. I held her hand while she balanced herself using a cane with the other. Tita Ester was delighted to live near Bellevue, her old neighborhood. Long-time friends, Peping and Fida, invited her to stay with them indefinitely after Ben, her husband, passed away in April.

11/12/2022. 1:41 pm. Newcastle, WA. Photograph by Stella Kalaw

“Hay naku, si Tito Ben. He was always busy and his schedule was always packed,” she reminisced. He sang in the choir, attended meetings, and organized retreats for the Cursillo movement. “We would’ve celebrated our 60th wedding anniversary this past September,” she lamented.

Between her recollections, we both marveled at the varying colors of maple trees along the route –bright yellows, dazzling oranges, intense reds. We circled the cul de sac and made our way home. She wasn’t ready to go inside the house so she suggested we sit together in the garden. She retrieved a stool from the garage and instructed me to fetch the other across the driveway. A few dahlias and roses were left in the bushes. Hardly any grape tomatoes remained on the vine. The soil bed was empty, and so were the pots that lined its perimeter. She continued to reminisce while we enjoyed the warmth of the sun. We embraced the moments of silence between us and felt content with each other’s presence.

Is there anyone in your life you can think of to whom you gave the gift of your presence? I’d love to hear your stories!