Dona Estrella

Dona Estrella Ybiernas died recently. She was a spritely lady of 100+
years. (One does not discuss a ladies age. And, of coruse, at that
age, doesn't matter if you are by several years on the conservative
side.) A lovely lady with a lively memory and remembered all the
people who mattered. And had a strong opinion about such persons.

Whenever she saw me, she remembered that I once worked for the son of
an old acquaintance, and always repeated that the father was a great
pianist, but "mad and crazy" (her words). She kept updated with the
royalty of Europe, the various families and the love affairs. She
well remembers her trips abroad, and describes the cities, culture,
the people and her trips as if it was just yesterday. And everyday, to
keep her mind occupied, she'd take a ride in the car and go around
Makati, just right after sunset.

I first met her almost fifteen years ago. I never did know her age up
to several years ago when she celebrated her centenary. Frankly, I
didn't really care that she was that age. There were the
celebrations. Two masses at the Assumption College, a grand reunion
at Greenhills, the works.

With advanced age comes a personality. A different personality. Very
different in fact from the one you grew up with. I cannot compare
this world with the one she grew up in. There are few stories which I
heard about her, as narrated by her daughter who happens to be a
family friend. But these stories are not about the war and what she
did then, neither about the pre-war, nor about her life as a Dona in
the province. Rather these are quite modern stories about her health,
hospitalization and her shenanigans with the hospital staff.

I was supposed to go to her wake last night at the Santuario de San
Antonio at Forbes Park. I did not wake up early enough to have time
to commute there before my shift at the Call Center. I think, in a
way, it was providential. Maybe I can have some time to go there
before the interment.

The best I can say is that she might have died in perfect health,
except that old age got in the way. It's even possible that she
"lived as long as she wanted to and wanted to as long as she lived."

-- andoy