On my way home earlier, I was deciding whether to go straight home or take a detour to our parish and stay at the adoration chapel first. I was having second thoughts on the latter because I was already tired and I might just fall to asleep, But anyway, my feet (or steering wheel) took me there. Upon entering the adoration chapel, the lady in front of me turned to look who just entered. And then we recognized each other. She was the mother of one of my grade school classmates, who incidentally has the same name as mine: Hannah. Her mother and I just got re-acquainted earlier last year when she recognized me at the church. She is a volunteer at the entrance post of the adoration chapel.
Today, I was surprised because she suddenly asked me, “Hannah, ikaw yung laging kasama nung mapayat na babae diba, ung lagi ding nagho-holy hour?”
My heart skipped a bit. I didn’t want to talk about it. I just said “opo”, hoping against hope that she would just drop the subject.
Then she went on, “Kapatid mo ba yun?”
“Hindi po. Friend ko po sya.”
Then in a hushed tone, “Namatay daw sya? Paano?”
Okay…pano kaya nalaman? But there I just answered all her questions…In fairness, I can feel her genuine concern and sincerity. And it was just surprising that she remembered us together.
Then we proceeded on to our own prayers, she with her little son of about 8 years old, “Niyaya nya kasi akong mag-rosary kasi devotion sya kay Mama Mary. Lagi nya ngang napapansin pag napapalitan ung damit nung image.” I wanted to hug the kid right then and there. But of course I didn’t.
Afterwards, she gave me a stampita, with the “responsory for the dead”. I almost blurted out that I already have my own copy. Buti na lang hindi. The front picture of the stampita looked very familiar…
When I got home, it was the same picture of Jesus with angels that Shels’ stampita had.
