My family (including my cousins, aunts and uncles) are very close. 20 grandchildren, 10 uncles and aunts and 2 grandparents spend Christmas together, hold birthday surprises (usually for Lola or Lolo's birthday), Mother's Day/ Father's Day luncheons, and even dress up for Halloween together.

All because of Lola who really holds the family together.

I guess my lola made sure that we were all close because she learned her lesson through example. You see, a certain unit of my extended family are at war with one another. Brothers suing brothers, brothers stealing from brothers, brothers frauding one another. At one point, my lola got entangled in the mess and so she vowed that this will never happen with her family.

So last Sunday, while having lunch, my dad and lola were discussing and updating one another about the lawsuits and hearings on that side of the family. My dad commented, "Buti na lang kami, magkasunod kaming magkakapatid. Di kami nag-aaway. (It's a good thing that we siblings get along with one another. We don't fight.)"

My grandmother calmly states that if her sons fight among each other to the point that they'd sue one another, "Akong unang papatay sa inyo! (I'll be the first to kill you all!)"

And that's why I love my lola.

I totally believe that she would and in that sense, I respect and admire her. Among all the people in this world, it's my lola who I least want to disappoint... because if I do disappoint her, I believe that the Waray in her would kill me!