"In the Midst of them"

"In the Midst of them"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

I have written ghost stories before involving my mom but this is probably the first time that I will write a ghost story with her as the main character. I find it odd but here I am writing about it anyway. She may never get to enjoy my writing but I was able to make her proud when I was still the editor in chief during my college days.

The story involved the group that my mom established and for many years , lead and improved. This is the Dalisay Seafarers Allottees Association where she was President and continued to be a consultant even though she and dad already transferred to another company. 

On the 3rd day the DSAA ladies visited mom during her wake and decided to stay at the Garden of the Ascension Columbary. They sat around one table and enjoyed catching up ,talking about memories of mom and how she never wanted anyone of them to be sad. This went on for hours. In the middle of their table was a white monoblock chair. Nobody found it odd at first but no one sat at that chair. They would always sit near the back or near that center chair but never on it.Their chat continued but all of them stopped when my youngest sibling Nadine went near them and pointed at the chair and said. "Si Mommy oh!"

The talking stopped and the ladies discovered the vacant chair. I was not able to see mom in it but I believed that she was there. She probably missed the company of this group that she has guided and shaped all these years. She probably missed hearing the gossips and arguments. All I know for sure is that she is missed and she will always be missed by her fellow DSAA members. Fear is normally what people associate with ghosts but I believe that mom gave something more than fear that day. Maybe as a farewell to this group that was always looking for direction from her.A final blessing  , a final fellowship with the people whom she has been helping even on the final day of her life.