Home at last

CEBU, Philippines - Little Noah was happy to know that the family was going on a short vacation. He was told that they were traveling light so that he and his younger sister should only bring three of their most favorite toys. The boy obediently complied.

When Mommy checked what toys Noah was putting into the common luggage, she saw only two toys. The third item was a photograph. When asked why the photograph, the boy said, "I miss her so much."

The person in the photograph was Noah's "Ella," his grandmother. Ella was the former Lifestyle editor of The Freeman - Marlinda Angbetic Tan. That particular incident was one of several reasons that made retirement an awaited event for her.

Understandably, it was not so easy to leave a job that she held full-time and dearly for 12 long years. She had virtually suspended her life while at it. Family had to be pushed to the back, too.

These past few years, Ma'am Mayen - as we call her in the office - had been seriously thinking about rearranging her order of priorities. She was becoming alarmed that the grandchildren were growing fast and she had not really taken the time to be part of their lives.

While she usually came to the office late, she performed office-related chores at home. For instance, she found it better to do her writing there where she could be alone and didn't have to struggle focusing her mind amid the office noise. It would be only when she was done with the creative tasks that she'd then come to the office for the routine, technical function of editor.

So even when the grandchildren would catch her at home, their Ella would not be entirely available to attend to them. She had office work to do and, thus, couldn't be disturbed. In time, her inadvertent distance from the little ones was, instead, beginning to disturb her.

She took time to travel with the family whenever possible. She held family dinners on weekends. But even these little times together were not enough to fill the gap, especially since her two sons were now married and having lives of their own.

As all grandparents do, Ella wanted to actually witness her grandchildren grow up. Even more, she wanted to be part of their formation, to be around in their developing lives; to pick them up from school, to read them stories, to play with them, to attend the dance recital of one and the sport event of the other. Sadly, she was missing out on a lot of these crucial activities.

She loved her job. It wasn't easy choosing between home and career. Although she knew that at some point she would have to leave the office and come home to the children - for good.

The time finally came. After seeing to it that everything was in good order at the office, she packed her things and left. On her way out, those she had trained and nurtured on the job could only wish her all the best as she reclaimed her personal freedom.

"Retirement" is rather an awkward word to describe Ma'am Mayen's leaving. She may have reached retirement age, but she still has the stamina of a 20-year-old, and the physical appearance to match! For sure, there are things cooking for her at the back burner.

For now, she is keeping her arms full with Meg (Margaret Therese, 7), Lizzie (Elizabeth Lianne, 3), Sabie (Sabrina Noelle, 4) and, of course, Noah (Noah Inigo, 5). Meg and Lizzie are children of Ian Irving and Marites Tan; Noah and Sabie, Allen Arvin and Dr. Jennifer Tan's. Ella is home at last! (FREEMAN)