Sorely missed this Christmas

This Dec. 24, we will do our very best to celebrate the salvific birth of Jesus Christ, but some now absent and relatively recently departed members of our “close-in” company will definitely be sorely missed.

Topping the tragic list, of course, is our dear friend Behn Cervantes, who was the glue that kept our tight barkada of 30- and 40-year-long friendships taut.

After Behn’s 40-day “remembrance” lunch recently tendered by his siblings and grandnieces, our new leaderless barkada-mates have yet to get together. Au says that Lorna intends to get Lollie and the rest of us to wine, dine and reminisce about the virtual “force of culture and nature” we had the privilege of knowing and loving “real soon,” so we’ll have to wait for that occasion to belatedly dinge and binge, and unburden.

Also sorely missed is the late, great Tita Muñoz.

For the last few years of her life, we were privileged to act as Tita’s consort—and wheel-chair-pusher—whenever she wanted to go out, catch a show, go on a foodie hunt, look up old haunts, etc.

That was when we were rudely introduced to the tests and travails of disabled Filipinos, who are generally confounded by accessibility laws and regulations blithely not being observed.

Finally, we miss June Keithley, who has just left us after years of heroic suffering from many illnesses. Most people stop at suffering, but June had the inspiring ability to transform her pain into a testament to God’s abiding love and mercy for all of us.

Other departed friends we will especially miss on Christmas eve include Elvira Manahan, Lino Brocka, Eddie Romero, Rolando Tinio, Cirio Santiago and the incomparable Marilou Diaz-Abaya. Hmm, Marilou once shared that she regarded Ishmael Bernal and Rolando Tinio as her “soul” mother and father—so, now that she’s joined them, their unique “family” is complete!