She Remembered, I Forgot

Today, in the middle of back-to-back meetings, deliveries, and the nonstop demands of building a business, I completely forgot that it was my parents’ wedding anniversary.

I had planned to celebrate it with my mom—maybe share a meal, maybe just sit quietly and remember with her. But the day became too hectic, and work swallowed every hour before I even noticed what date it was.

Then my mom sent me a photo.

It was my dad’s grave.

Beside it was a simple Jollibee meal—his favorite.

And damn… that hit hard.

Five years have passed since Daddy left us, yet grief still shows up in the smallest, quietest moments. Not during the big dates we prepare for, but in unexpected snapshots sent in the middle of an ordinary workday.

My eyes started sweating instantly.

There’s something deeply painful about witnessing how love continues even after death. My mom still remembers his favorite meal. Still visits him on their anniversary. Still celebrates a love story that even death couldn’t erase.

And maybe that’s what grief really is.

Love with nowhere to go except memory.

Today reminded me that no matter how busy life becomes, no matter how much we chase growth, deadlines, and dreams—there are moments that deserve our full presence.

The people we love deserve that.

Especially the ones we can no longer hug back.