Fragrant Lady..ESTHER ANGELICA GRAGEDA my mama...

mama in her youth

regal grandmama

me

           

             All my precious moments in my youth were filled of the wonderful scent of mama...my regal,artistic,classy,composed...rolled into one...my beauteous grandmama.An epitome of a real lady,born to an aristocrat Spanish family.
            Each day she would go to her garden and blended beautifully with her flowers and lovely varieties of plants.Never did I remember her not prim and proper,even in situations not so acceptable to her.I can almost see her now...poisedly stitching her intricate embroideries to perfection.She even won 1st price nationwide with her entry in the "GREEN REVOLUTION".A project of then First Lady Imelda Romualdes Marcos.
            Most of all the love and affection I felt from her can never be equalled as long as I live.The tenderness of her smiles,her warm embraces,her soothing  voice,her sweet scent..I long each day as I breathe...
            Nobody in my childhood could take me away from mama,I would hide in an old steel cabinet under her house so dad and mom won't take me home to Daraga.After they left,papa would take me out from the cabinet and said comfortingly ...come my pet,dad and mom are gone!.Joyfully I would go out from my hiding place and ran to mama,hugging her so tight and so afraid my parents would come back to take me.
            So every weekend and summer of my childhood were spent blissfully with mama!She would clothe me in pretty colorful dresses,she and my dear auntie baby sewed lovingly.Proudly,I would skip and walk gleefully to the church for the "Flores De Mayo" in my new dress,with matching ribbons on my hair.In my right hand a basket of fresh flowers from mama's garden.Oh how I miss those wonderful years!She made me feel so special...like a princess!All I had to do if I wanted something was to cry,and voila!It was there for me instantly!She pampered me with all the love she could give.
            When it was time to go home to Daraga...I would cry nonstop till I got so tired no tears came out of my eyes anymore.Every single day I spent with my parents  was to wait for mama to come and fetch me and take me back to her house in Camalig,my beloved birthplace.