MANILA, Philippines - My son Migi marked his 14th birthday in heaven last Feb. 21. He has been living there, with the heavenly Father, for 10 years now.

?Does it become easy after 10 years?? Many people, some of them, bereaved parents like myself, have asked countless times. I choose to answer the question with both a yes and a no.

Yes, because after nine years, you do not cry as much as you did during the first few years.

But no, because you continue to remember. There is not a day that goes by when you do not think of that little boy who filled your life with love and laughter, but was gone too soon.

Yes, because God is gracious and merciful, and that in spite of the tremendous pain, over the last nine years He has given me and my family the peace that passes all understanding.

No, because there will always be that void in your heart that no one else but God can fill.

Yes, because out of his loss, Migi?s Corner, an advocacy to improve the living conditions of sick children in government hospitals, was born, and because of it, many children now have a place of solace while they heal.

No, because with the opening of each new project, you relive the reason why the project came to be in the first place, and so it is always an emotional and weepy time.

Yes, because in spite of losing one son, we have gained many others. Migi continues to live on in the heart of every child who has spent time in any of the 14 Migi Corners now in existence.

Amazed

Looking back, I continue to marvel and be amazed at how God is all-wise, all-knowing and ever gracious because He always sends consolation, and allows a message to come down from heaven every year in the week leading to his birthday, since Migi left us 10 years ago.

Most of the time, it was the opening of a corner, timed perfectly with Migi?s birthday.

On another it was receiving a whole box of goody bags from a donor (who did not know it was his birthday) with the words ?Happy Birthday!? emblazoned on it.

Last year, it was the discovery of a video on YouTube, shot at one of Migi?s Corners, showing children with cancer playing in the corner.

This year it was the mural on the latest Migi?s Corner project, a joint venture between our foundation and my Maryknoll High School Batch ?82. The Superferry is a major partner in this project.

The Miriam College Daycare and Breastfeeding Center, the first of its kind in the country, is a daycare to be used by the children of the employees of Miriam College. Integrated is a breastfeeding corner that will be made open to Miriam teachers and single mothers who study at the college. The center will be opened this March 10.

All of Migi?s Corners have murals that depict Migi and his favorite dinosaurs in various settings?under the sea, the park, in a forest, on a beach, at the circus.

Mural

Last week, as I stood to gaze at the just-completed mural?painted lovingly by my friends (who have done almost all the murals for the 14 corners) Fen, Vena, Raf and some of their other friends from University of the Philippines and University of Sto. Tomas Fine Arts?I could not help but smile at the way God works.

Unknown to them, at the time that they painted the mural, I had just completed a children?s story, for publication later this year, about our family?s experience. I excerpt here a portion of the story...

?Migi was smaller than other kids his age but he was way smarter than most other 4-year-olds. He could not run as fast, or climb trees, but he loved to read a lot and he enjoyed telling stories. He loved reading about dinosaurs and knew all their names by heart. Migi could name you all the dinosaurs in the whole wide world in a flash!

?One time, mommy bought him a sticker book of dinosaurs and he stuck them all over our bedroom?.

?On his bed? on the chairs? on his cabinets? his bedsheets and on the walls.?

?Migi and I liked to play a special game. Before entering our room, or before he would let me pass through the door, he would place his arm across the door and say, ?What?s the magic word, Ate?? And I would reply, ?God is good all the time!? Only then would he open the gate, and let me in. Oh how we loved to play all sorts of games!?

To add to my answers to the question on whether it becomes easy to lose a son after almost 10 years, I say no, because a mother never forgets her child. You do what you can to get through the days, weeks, months and years as you move from a place of sadness to a place of hope.

But then it also has to be a yes, because God always sends his comfort and, in spite of everything, HE is good all the time.

Griefshare (www.griefshare.net), a workshop and support group for anyone who has lost a loved one through death, is ongoing at the Greenhills Christian Fellowship Church every Friday at 6:30 p.m. Call 6321354 to 56 to reserve a slot free of charge.

E-mail the author at cathybabao @gmail.com