earlier this day

Around lunch time, my dad came out of the room. He was trying to show me something, and he was quite worried. He kept pointing to his left eye!

Being me, I panicked. For all I know, he was feeling very ill, and worse, might suffer an attack or something. Remember that my dad couldn't speak ever since he had his stroke 8 years ago. So all conversations with him is relegated to sign language. It's like a game of 'charade', actually. We tell him something (he could hear/understand pretty well, but CAN'T speak) then he acts out if what we're asking (or telling) is "it".

Being that, it didn't help the way he's reacting: panicking and pointing to his left eye.

And there I am, super stressed with all these Thesis fiasco... then this happens. And what got me the most is that my older sister was just sitting there, cutting something from the newspaper. Yeah, sometimes she can be pretty inconsiderate!

Alert, alert.. it's Fil reaching boiling point again!!

It took a while before I figured out that my dad is complaining about an irritation in his eye. So I ask the people here: "May Eye-Mo ba tayo?"

No one even answered. My sister was still there, minding her own stupid business. And the maid was still wrapping her really awful tasting lumpia.

I repeated my question again, now on a higher, much agitated tone.

"Wala", sabi ng katulong.

So kailangan lumabas at bumili ng Eye-mo. And up until this point, ako lang ang kumikilos! My sister is still cutting something from the papers, and the maid was still wrapping lumpias.

Boiling point. Reached.

"Putang Inaaa!!! Baka gusto niyong buksan yung gate ng garahe!!!", I shouted with full might!

And as soon as the gate opened, I slammed on the gas and left a huge 'tire burn' mark on the ground! I was so frustrated! My head was hotter than the car's overheating radiator!

When I finally found and bought an Eye-mo, I hurried back home.

I went to my father's room, and gave him a dose of the eye dropper.

And this what quenched my stress and anger: my dad was so happy.

When I looked at his face, I can see his appreciation of what I have done for him. He looked so relieved to have his own eye dropper. An eye dropper that I myself provided for him.

With it, my anger and stress died down. I knew I was appreciated. That was enough for me, if only for that very moment.

I guess being appreciated by someone, or anyone, is a big thing.