Ben Llanza, Sr. was a good man. He was generous even when he himself was wanting. He was proud, even he was in need and there was no room for pride. He was not a teacher but he has taught me and so many others so much, even when the lessons were incidental and at times buried too deep among stern commands, strict rules, light words and jokes. He armored me with a sense of humor that would see me through rough days such as these. He taught me to laugh heartily and always look at the bright side, and he always eased my worries. He taught me respect and equality, treating all of us, nieces and nephews included, as his children, and the store tambay the same as he did politicians. As his "students" at the "eskuwelahan ni Pay Ben (Uncle Ben's school)" as cousin Manoy Buboy called it during the last night, we are now fuller human beings, some literally, some figuratively. He helped develop our general sense of humor and creative language as we learned irony and characterization, among a few. His one-liners and our laughter echoed through San Francisco, Nabua throughout the wake as we had a few for him and fondly remembered his not so elegant, at times crass, witty and funny expressions.
We felt and are humbled at how Papa has touched people's lives, witnessed through their comfort and love sent and shown to us by our families and friends in Nabua and beyond. Some preferred not to talk on the mic during the last day but to just quietly reflect or join the drinking and reminiscing of him and his life in the small groups having shots for him.
Thank you everyone for all your love, hugs and prayers.
Thank you also for attending the reunion after the funeral. He got us all together and I'm sure he had a blast watching us from another plane, as he had a blast with this life he shared with all of us.
I'm having one now for you, papa. Cheers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmrRwX2jmFU
"I am an X in an indeterminate equation. And that X is the rock upon which I stand." - Mario Puzo
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