If These Words Could Reach You

Coincidences have a strange way of landing right in front of us. Of all the nights that I decided to watch the movie The Fault in Our Stars, which centers on people coping with their cancer-stricken lives, it was also the night that I learned that my previous mentor, Ms. Gaye Cenabre, just passed away due to the same condition.

I haven't been this much affected by the loss of one person. And Ms. Gaye is not even a relative so that should tell you how much I treasure her as a person. I haven't written about any person before and I would gladly make her my first.

This article is about regret. Being a person who is into reading inspirational books, I have known about adages such as "Spend more time with the people who matter because you might never have another opportunity to do so." Yet it turns out that I failed to heed the wisdom of this quote. Since the start of this year, it has always been in my mind to visit Ms. Gaye. But this never happened. Busyness had always been my excuse. An excuse I totally regret. And I hate myself for not being able to see her before she passed away. And I think that is largely the reason why I cried on the night people informed me of her demise. If these words could reach you, Ms. Gaye, I'm sorry for not having seen you.

To our Queen Serenity, our HR Queen, you will be missed.

But more than regret -- much more than that -- this article is about gratitude. Since I entered into the corporate world 13 years ago, I am very thankful that every time I change company or shift careers, there has always been a mentor who guided me in my path. Ms. Gaye has been that mentor to me in my eight years of stay in Waterfront. As few of my colleagues know, it was challenging at first because we had different working styles but we both grew professionally because of that. A large part of my career is indebted to her. Ms. Gaye was keen on rewarding my hard work with opportunities for promotion. And I believe a lot of Waterfront peers reading this have been recipients of these same opportunities. A lot of us owe her for our rise up the corporate ladder. Somehow, I find solace that even though I was unable to visit her, I was able to express this gratitude to her last January through a beautiful exchange of emails and texts. If these words could reach you, Ms. Gaye, thank you from all of us whose career you've helped build. 

This article is about celebration. A celebration of her contributions to the companies she has worked with. A celebration of the lives that have been touched by her. A celebration of the friendship that we all had with Ms. Gaye. A celebration of how strong she was during the challenging times in her health. A celebration of her being a mother, wife, sister, daughter, relative, and friend. A celebration of her wonderful years with us. A celebration of her life. If these words could reach you, Ms. Gaye, here is a toast for the legacy you have left. Cheers!

I'd like to remember you this way, Ms. Gaye. Full of joy
and vibrance in the face of challenges that came your way.

In our exchange of personal emails this year, Ms. Gaye, you said that you will miss me and that even if some good things never last, you will always be happy for me, for what I am now, and for what I will be in the future. You will also be missed. But you are wrong on one account, Ms. Gaye. Good things do last. Your legacy will last and your memories will stay with us. To say it in the words of the culture you have built in Waterfront, "It has been our pleasure knowing you and working with you."