From one student to another... A special note to my students.

This was republished from a Facebook note dated December 25, 2012 with slight modifications.

This year's Christmas is very different to me. It was the first time that my Facebook account was flooded by greetings not just from friends and families but well wishes and kind words from my students...

Yes, almost two years of part-time and now, full-time teaching but this is the only time that I received personal messages as well as posts in my Facebook timeline from my students! Maybe because it is the first time for me to open up (yes!) my Facebook account to my students. Or maybe the courses that I have been teaching provided me an avenue to open up more to my students, engage them more to discussion where at times I cannot help but share my personal experiences...Or maybe it is the "mother" in me that makes me connect well with my students... Or maybe,for  the past two terms I was blessed with very good, cool, noisy at times but performing students. Whatever reason it may be, my heart is still overwhelmed up to now... Makes me remember my dear teacher, mentor, thesis adviser, boss, godmother, "almost" mom, colleague and close friend Ninang Telly.

If Mitch Albom would ask me, who are the five persons you will meet in heaven... I will respond without a blink of an eye that one would be my Ninang Telly. My Ninang Telly because she is one of the few persons that has really made an impact in my life. In my almost twenty two years (I first had her as my undergrad professor in 1994) of knowing her, she has touched me in ways that has made me a better person.

I am just glad that even before Ninang Telly left, I was able to tell her how much I loved her. I remember one text message I sent to her while she was in the ICU and I was home because my BP shoot up after learning what was happening to her. I told her that I love her like my own mother.  She may not be blessed with a daughter or a son but I know based on how she loved me that she was a good mother. I miss Ninang Telly. My daughter Elle Marie would always ask me to visit her Lola Telly. That's how much she is loved by my family...

It is ironic that just when Ninang Telly is no longer in DLSU that I went full-time with teaching. Now that I am with the Political Science Department, I was given an excuse not to frequently visit the mezzanine of the Economics Department (except of course to visit Marvin and Leslie. But, I want to clear that I love Eco Dept). But, I have no excuse to further my studies. I never thought I am an academician but I know that just as her father inspired her, Ninang Telly will not only inspire me but help me from heaven.

Being a teacher is a blessing from God. I get to meet students to love and who appreciates your efforts in changing their lives for the better... To my well wishers, thank you for touching my life... I hope that I have contributed something positive in your lives just like how my Ninang Telly touched my life.

To my Ninang Telly, you are still remembered...