An inspired life... Dame Jessie Coe Lichauco 11 Jan 1912

 

Sunshine and her grandmother, Jessie Lichauco, who is 93 years old and lives in a century old house by the Pasig River in Sta. Ana, Manila. Her husband, in the portrait above was Marcial Lichauco, a diplomat and historian. Here Jessie is telling us about the first transpacific flight by the Pan American Clipper, flight 001. She was there when it landed in Manila Bay in 1935 and she still remembers the captain's name. 

------------------------- Poem for Nana “My Giving Tree” She sits in gentle splendor watching the world through branches of age which have seen her grow from a girl with the heart of a woman to a woman with the soul of the world In her home on the river, grow impulses from the deepest roots to protect, to nurture, to enhance a giving tree shades her from life’s dark corners and her spirit protects its wholeness from the storms Spirits come to the tree house seeking the vision of age and the splendor of nature by her side a harmony of its own kind.. life flows both ways A gust of time has passed the wind has made the tree fall but its spirit is now free its seeds will be planted elsewhere and now she stands as one. (For Nana and her tree, after Typhoon Milenyo destroyed a large part of the tree) Sunshine de Leon Sept. 29, 2006 London, England

Jessie Lichauco at 98: Feasting by the Pasig, dances with memories

By Sunshine Lichauco de Leon Philippine Daily Inquirer

Posted date: February 07, 2010

MANILA, Philippines--When someone asked the “Birthday Girl” to dance, her fair skin almost blushed and a dreamy look came over her gray-green eyes. She said, “thank you, but I am dancing with my memories.”Together with a hundred guests of all ages and from all corners of life, Jessie Lichauco celebrated her 98th birthday last Jan. 10.   Talented 7-year-old Hannah sang the Philippine National Anthem in the garden of an ancient home along the Pasig River. Tita Jessie then personally greeted each guest with an energetic smile and spry movements, her ageless body moving in rhythm with the live big-band music provided by The Executives, whose selection of music from days gone by provided backdrop to the ever-flowing conversation.   Each friend or relative was there because this lady had left an unforgettable imprint on their lives. Larry Henares recounts, “When my wife Cecilia died of a sudden heart attack while we were in Paris, I was so devastated that I could not bear the thought of telling my children about their mother’s death. The first thing I did was call Tita Jessie—I knew she would know the best way to tell them and comfort them at the same time.”   Curiosity, adventure, love   When Jessie Lichauco, my grandmother, first came to the Philippines in 1933, she was 18 years old. The population of the country was 8 million, and many people still traveled in horse-drawn carriages. She became the wife, and later the widow, of lawyer-diplomat Marcial P. Lichauco. Her life during the past 76 years has allowed Jessie to witness and interact with people, places and events that make up a large part of Philippine history. She has seen the country at its best and worst. And although she is part Irish-Scottish-Cuban-Spanish on the outside, her heart is unquestionably Filipino.   Why did she embark on that 28-day ship voyage from America to the Philippines? She has always answered, “Curiosity, adventure and love.”   Watching her celebrate with the people she has befriended since her life’s journey began 8 decades ago, there is no doubt she continues to live with those three ideals in mind. Age has never prevented her from engaging every adventurous moment life offers her.   Many people have asked her what the “secret recipe” is to living long and appearing so much younger than she is. The answer is less likely found in following a particular diet or health program (other than fresh buko juice daily, very little meat or chicken, and no coffee, alcohol or smoking) than on certain guidelines for living.   The secret is simply in the way she views the world and lives her life, which allows her to remain so actively involved in it. “I am at the age of self-preservation,” my grandmother says. “I don’t worry about things over which I have no control.” She points out that stress of any kind goes through your mind and can affect your body. “You always have a choice—to be a grouchy old person or take life as it comes. I often tell young people that having a sense of humor is very important. Sometimes you think things are insurmountable. There is nothing you can do but accept it and move forward.”   Distinct beat   Not one to live her life according to clocks or schedules, her life flows according to its own distinct beat. “I do something if and when it feels right. I make decisions based on my instincts and my common sense,” she says. My grandmother also believes her good health is due to never holding any grudges. “Forgiving and letting go are not always easy but very necessary! Often something happens and the other person does not even know how hurt you are, so you are the one carrying around the pain. It’s a heaviness inside of you, so it’s better to ignore it and don’t let it weigh you down.”   My grandmother’s life has two distinct rhythms, and like the free spirit she has always been, she moves between them according to what life sends her way.   Many of her days are spent on her covered porch overlooking the 250-year-old Banyan tree in her garden, and the Pasig River.   “Nana’s corner,” as it’s been nicknamed, is where she sits and has everything she needs for comfort, security or entertainment.   “If you want to read, write or look at old photos, there are books, paper, pens and a magnifying glass. If someone comes over, I have my lipstick and hairbrush to freshen up. You should never lose a bit of vanity.” Having lived through the hardships of the Japanese occupation of Manila during World War II, she will not let anything go to waste. This has turned my grandmother into quite an inventor. She demonstrates how a Kleenex box has been recycled to make a bookmark and a filing box. Next to it is a very useful creation she is very proud of—an old Swiss cowbell attached (using a laundry clip) to a watch with big numbers, which a grandchild had given her. She can then tell time and call for assistance if needed.   Special memories   She reads the papers and watches the news to keep herself updated on current events. She shares her opinions on them and debates anyone, if asked.   My grandmother does not believe in the concept of being bored.   “Boredom comes from within yourself. It does not come from your surroundings. If you look around, there is always something you can do!”   “The whole world is my university and I am still a student,” she adds. “I am waiting to get my diploma from the university of life!”   Although she enjoys her peace and quiet, nothing delights her more than having a visitor drop by, whether expected or unexpected. Many arrive with questions that draw out the many stories safely tucked away into her memory. Their curiosity brings a special part of her alive, and within minutes, the vividly detailed recollections, observations on life or useful advice begins flowing. Most of all, my grandmother believes she is still on this earth because she must still have a purpose. Perhaps sharing the great gift of her memory with others is one such role.   An 8-year-old girl was introduced to her first postage stamp during a visit, when my grandmother brought out her stamp collection. After learning about the history of stamps, how it got there and how long it took, the girl went back to school eager to share her newfound knowledge with her classmates.   Often people arrive as strangers, but they always leave as friends. As a visitor once described, “Speaking to her is its own journey. Sometimes you will get a direct answer to your question, but quite often you are taken around the world on various tangents. At the end, you are not sure if she answered what you asked but you know you learned something!”   Personal treasures   Every so often my grandmother gets inspired and disappears into her bedroom for a few moments. “Ali Baba’s cave” as I call it, is a place that hides countless historic and personal treasures gathered over the decades. Whether an old document, letter or photo, the perfect item seems to always make itself known when needed to illustrate a story or highlight an otherwise faded piece of the past.   Accompanying her on the many events she still attends outside her home is its own adventure, as you truly never know where you will end up or who you will speak to.   But whether she approaches a group of Filipino veterans, or young American marines at a Memorial Day celebration, or strikes up a conversation with someone in the elevator, her openness ensures she ends up where she is supposed to be. With an ability to speak to anyone any time, and to gather their life story within minutes, she bonds with people with inexplicable ease.   She recalls, “One time I saw a man crossing the street in Belmont who looked so forlorn that it seemed he needed a friend. I smiled at him and he then asked why I smiled. I said, you looked troubled, like you needed someone to show some kindness to you. Minutes later, we sat on a bench and he unburdened himself to me. I never saw him again or got his name, but he left smiling.”   Sometimes, she reminds us, people are lonely and just need someone to talk to.   Perhaps it was because she herself lost both parents at a young age that my grandmother has lived every moment of her life with her heart as a compass.   “I always told my children: There is no difference between you and anyone else except opportunity. And no one has a right to look down on anyone else or treat them with less respect.”   The reality is that my grandmother does not consider age a disability, and this something she proves through words and actions.   No disability   During the Sta. Ana feast of St. Anne last year, she insisted on walking the 10-minute journey to church, a path without much light or a sidewalk. As the crowds began to push and shove to see the floats, I suggested we go somewhere less hectic for her safety.   Without saying a word, she began walking toward a back entrance of the church—down corridors, up rarely used stairways, and through doors we never knew existed. Her movements were so determined that, although we were worried, we had no choice but to follow.   As it turned out, our destination was a place the church would take its VIPs to in the days gone by—to a hidden hallway with a perfect view of the altar below. As she looked at us, amazed that we ever doubted what she was doing, I smiled and realized that my grandmother really does know best. Looking back at the birthday party that was organized by a few members of her family and catered by French Corner, she reflects.   “What pleasure it gave me to see so many people I love come to share in the delight of enjoying time on the Pasig River. There is nowhere else I would have rather celebrated. It’s reopened my eyes to possibilities—maybe a concert or theater can be organized next. I feel selfish having all this to myself!”   “I don’t know what 98 is supposed to look like or behave as I have never been here before,” she adds. “All I know is I am happy to be here, and count each day as a blessing. Before I sleep I thank the Lord for the day and ask him that I see the dawn.”   Nana has always said that if she ever needed to choose an object to describe her life, it would be a feather. As my grandmother listens to the hundreds of birds nesting in her Banyan tree, every so often she sees one of their own feathers gently float away.   Smiling to herself, she knows that if the right wind came along, she too could still fly away on her next adventure.