Jerome's Story

Jerome: Our Little Angel

It was again a noisy house. Jerome came to visit us that day. He was with his parents. For the past 3 months he had given us 3 visits, usually spending two to three days with the family. And it was always during weekends so that my parents would be able to see him. Sometimes we would also visit their house.

Jerome is always the center of everyone's attention. I always want to hear him laughing and see those little dimples. He got them from his mother but the way he laughs-he got it from me.

I always find it so cute. It makes me happy and contented. Whenever he is there and whenever I do not feel ok, I just have to look at him. His innocent face blows away all the worries I have. Jerome is our little angel. The miracle God has sent us to heal our hearts.

They say, every time Jerome laughs, whenever he is asleep, an angel is with him. Our little angel is playing with God's angels. They guard and protect him. And who would not? Jerome is so fragile. Just a cry from him breaks our heart. Once he had a fever. My mother did not go to work just to be with Jerome. She loves Jerome like his own little baby. Jerome is only 3 months old. Little Jerome looks like my younger brother. The two of them both look like my father. Jerome is my mother's first grandchild and he reminds her of the only man in her life. Our little angel's arrival was unexpected. He was already two months old in his mother's tummy when my brother told my mother that he needed to marry his girlfriend because she was carrying his child. He admitted that one time they got carried away by their emotions. The baby's arrival was not their plan.

Our parents would always tell us that we should finish our studies before marrying someone. They value education so much. My father would always warn us that if we would break this 'rule' we should leave our house. He would always say that there is nothing wrong with having a girlfriend or a boyfriend as long as we know our limitations. My brother faced the consequences of his action. He left our house and both of them, him and my sister-in-law, decided to stop going to school. They were both in their second year in college during that time. He feared that too much stress from school would not be good for his wife and baby. He had to find work for them and he wanted her to just stay at home during her pregnancy. My sister-in-law's home became his new home. They were accepted there. My mother did not really neglect my brother when he was not with us. She would still visit them. And my father would not mention the name of my brother but I believed that he knew what my mother was doing for her youngest child. After 7 more months we saw Jerome. Blood is thicker than water and Jerome had helped his father be forgiven by my father, his grandfather. I guess my father sees himself in Jerome. Jerome is his first grandchild and he said that the boy carries his name. He loves Jerome so much. Jerome teaches him to forgive and to heal his wounded heart. My little nephew is very lucky. God has protected him the moment his parents learned his existence. And I thank God that my brother never thought of having the little boy aborted, like what other teenagers would have done. I never thought that my brother who always seemed so irresponsible would have the courage to face a big problem for someone his age. He did not run away from it and he accepted the reality that he had a responsibility to his girlfriend and to his child. My younger brother used to care only about computer games and himself. Little Jerome made him changed. My brother now lives for his wife and little boy. Jerome teaches his father how to be responsible.

We see how much my brother cares for his family. I still do not know the feeling of being a real mother or a parent but Jerome is giving me ideas. I always want to see him smile, laugh and happy. Whenever I have extra money I always want to buy new things for him. I like hugging him. I like kissing him. I like being with him. When he cries it worries me so much. I would rather be hurt than to see him sad. I know being a real parent is more than these things. It is not just the material things. It is more like what my mother and father would always give to us, their love, attention and protection and lives. Now I know why God loves little children because they are the reflection of purity, love and hope for mankind. Jerome teaches me to play for awhile. He teaches me that it is perfectly alright to cry, to laugh and to see the world not as a dangerous place but as a magical place where everything is possible if there is love in one's heart.

Submitted 8-22-02 by Jhoanna Salcedo, Jerome's Wonderful Aunt!