Still Strong at 100, My Inang Sisa

In the Philippines, a person reach the retirement age at the age of 60 while the average life expectancy goes at the age of 72 so when a person have reached within this age, they are very much considered to be very old and can proudly say that they have spent a very long time on this world but the person I know have spent far longer and is the oldest person that I know. She was my grandmother from my father side and called her Inang Sisa which is on this date, has reached the age of 100.

I wasn't born yet when my grandfather passed away while my grandparents on my mother side lives very far from us so the only grandparent that I have spent the time most was Inang Sisa. I was still on the grade school during that time when my Mom goes overseas to work and while my father stays with us, he also has work and only goes home at night so we have Inang Sisa to take care of us which if I think right now was very amazing as she was around 80+ years of age that time and yet she can do household chores, cook for our meals and even tend to our mini store so she is not only physically active but also mentally active for tending a store includes basic math. Eventually, I also learned to work on the stuff that Inang Sisa do everyday but one time, when I volunteer to take over the thing that she was doing, she gets angry to me and asked me to do something else and when I asked why she said that she will have plenty of rest soon so she might as well move as much as she can while she have time. I do not know what that means during that time but I can very much understand what she meant now.

When it comes to her character Inang Sisa was a very religious person. Wherever we eat and sleep, she always pray but while she was religious, she did not enforce her belief on us. I do not remember her ever speaking foul language when we were child but I would not say that she never did cause she did say is to us now that we became adults when she scold us. She was very kind and likes children so when I reached high school and be able to do most of the stuff at home, she goes to take care of my younger cousins though occasionally, she will check on us to see if me and my younger sister is doing fine. She was also very thrifty when it comes to our expenses, making sure that we do not spend on things that we do not need even at electricity cause instead of using electric fan when she have nothing to do, she will instead go to the terrace, sit on a rocking chair with Abaniko fan on her hands and while listening on the radio. I did not inquire about what she did when she was younger but as an old person, she does not have any vices on her like alcohol or smoking so it might be one of the reason for her old age.

September 21^th last year is when we celebrate her birthday and as appreciation for our beloved Inang Sisa for reaching centennial age, we throw a grand party for her at a nearby events center so we can gather all the family members that lives far from us and for her to meet her great grandchildren and great great grand children from some of my cousins who already have a family of their own so technically speaking, I'm also a grandfather for my grandmothers great grandchild.