Today, my stepdad was supposed to be 68. It also marks his 27th day of passing on.
I have always wanted to get a tattoo done on my back, but couldn’t quite figure out what I want yet. Days after he passed away, while skimming through photos of our Baguio trip, I came across a photo of a white lotus I took from Bell Church – a Taoist temple – in La Trinidad. It was a temple that immediately drew me; we visited during the time when the old man, himself a Taoist, was ailing. That temple, that beautiful white lotus in the muck, reminded me so much of him.
“The lotus grows elegantly out of the muddy waters, unaffected and untouched by dirt and impurities, so it is considered supreme among all flowers, and is often compared to a person with strong virtues and moral values…The red lotus stands for the heart (hridaya), and symbolizes selfless love, passion, compassion, and kindness. A fully bloomed red lotus symbolizes big-heartedness and generosity.
(Source: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/lotus-flower-meaning.html)
At that instance, I knew, a lotus – a fiery crimson red – is what I wanted.
So while I am still saving up for a real one, here’s a lotus for you. Happy birthday, Tito. I am sure you’re rocking the heavens.
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