Imus - Cavite, Gen. Mascardo street

I've spent the past two weeks in the Philippines. The birthplace of my mother and one of my life's mysteries. Aside from the immaculate crystal waters colored by corals that bordered white sand beaches, staring down tarsiers (world's smallest primate), gazing into the purple mountain skies of Baguio, and swimming with the largest species of shark, I was able to meet family that I have only ever heard stories about. To me, this was a sort of fantasy, something I only ever dreamed about and doubted if it would ever become a reality.

In Manila I was met by my Tita Cleah. She is a cousin of my mother, making her my second cousin I think - but by the manner of our first greeting and how she cared for Dylan and I ever since, you would think I was her niece or even daughter. She took us around Manila and filled me in on stories and history of the family including drawing an extending tree for me - very helpful with a family as large as ours :)

Tita Cleah took me to meet my Tita Heidi ( my aunt, the one sister of my mother's that I have never met or even seen her picture). We entered the neighborhood where my mother grew up and turned down the street where she had lived for 21 years.  I entered the house, my head very clouded with emotions and words to say. Auntie Heidi sat on a wooden bench in her house in a pink and white cotton dress. At first glance she looked confused, I tried to explain who I was and why I was coming to visit her but my nervous english words came out as jibberish. Tita Cleah stepped in and explained, in Tagolog, my presence. Tears filled Auntie Heidi's eyes as the words began to process and realization set in. Her arms reached out to grab mine and she pulled me close to her. I was suddenly not only surrounded by her warmth but filled with it. My tears broke, tears of joy. An indescribable feeling that I always wrote off as being fake when I saw it in movies or at weddings.

I still think back to it like a dream. Meeting my Auntie Heidi. She whispered to me, "Never, never in my life did I think I would get to meet you, and here you are. You look like your mother." She knew just what to say to keep my tears flowing. Before departing, she embraced me one last time and whispered to me, "Take care of yourself. I love you. I love you so much." A women I met only once in my life, just minutes ago, and I could feel she meant what she was saying.