Sweet Dreams

She looks so strong, so mature at her age, and so hurting. Sarah is my cousin and she is just 23 years old. She’s married and has 2 wonderfully adorable kids. I do not know what to say to her as I look at her there - standing beside the coffin of her husband. Just standing not crying. Staring at the most loving man she has known. Her dream boy.

But he has already left. She kept saying, “He should have woken up. We were just sleeping. I still hope this is all part of my bad dream. I hope somebody would wake me up now.”

Her husband, Alfredo Tolentino III, is 25 years old. They were married last 2007 and was about to celebrate their 2nd wedding anniversary this June. But she just said, “Di na niya naantay eh.”

He died of “Pancreatitis” also known as “Bangungot”.

We are about to leave and I told her she can always contact me whenever she needs someone. That’s when she started to cry. She said she doesn’t know what lies ahead. I told her I know it will never be easy, for lack of better words. I know I could not say anything to comfort her. So I just cried with her. I handed her the book I wasn’t finished reading yet, My Utmost to His Highest by Oswald Chambers. I know she needed that more this time. I imagined there would be sleepless nights and times of mourning and of silence. I know it could help if at least she has something to read. Something that would tell her she is not alone. That she is loved. That God will always be by her side.

“I love you, Sarah”. That was all I could afford to tell her. I believe in won’t be long until I can see her genuine smile again. Her passion for life resurfaces. I know it won’t be long God will bring her sweet dreams again.