Tito Jun Vargas' funeral

I can't believe it's been six days since the horrible news. A week ago none and I mean none of us ever dreamed we'd be here.

Pictures :

1) My dad doing one of the 10 or 11 eulogies today.

2) wider shot of the funeral but there were more people not captured from where I took the shot.

3) Bookmark giveaway. I forgot the origins of the poem but I am sure one of my Vargas cousins will read this and fill in the blanks.

4) & 5) Tito Jun April 20 2005.

What more can you ask of someone than what was all said about Tito Jun? I knew them to be true. My dad was amazed in his eulogy how he could seamlessly discuss his faith and his love for Mac computers. Everyone was exceptionally saddened by his loss , yet they all mentioned how they are confident that this good soul is up in Heaven . My dad relayed a story how he could call his busy aunt on her birthday using Tito Jun as a conduit. He felt we can get God's attention via a similar route.

I would have loved to have quoted each and every speaker from today and a few from Saturday and Sunday. But I am on the wrong side of forty as you guys may know. I admire his son Tonito for being composed enough to say what he said. How generous his dad was of himself to so many people. My Aunt Ginny brought up an excellent point that her husband's generosity had her bewildered since he was always demonstrating that generous spirit and sharing it with the people he described. She did doubt where she fit in but now she knows. She would say how the last few days she would come in the place where the wake is held and tell him "Now you're all mine".

I will end this by talking about Tito Mae. He and Tita Agnes have hosted me in their home numerous times in Bacolod. Over dinner he is a great story teller and I am glad to have been there for three of his public speeches. 1) Tita Vicky's funeral (April 2006). 2) Day 2 of the wake (May 24 08) 3) today's eulogy

He agreed with what everybody said. Then he kept it very simple. He was Tito Jun's classmate since they were in short pants as well as his first cousin. For a lot of their lives, they either lived in the same house, next door or a block away. Since Tito Jun was young , Tito Mae described him with three simple adjectives. "Humble, kind and honest. If we were all like that, this country would be in better shape"

Tito Jun's time on earth June 19 , 1951 - May 22 ,2008.

What anyone puts into that hyphen (-) is up to them. Based on what I heard today and what I know myself about Tito Jun, I wish my hyphen will be 5 % as good.