The Smiling Pope

Much has been said about Pope John Paul II's death already. I've been tuning in to CNN ever since he was hospitalized and was actually waiting for him to die. It may sound morbid, yes. To pray for his good health at an old age of 84, and seeing how frail he is, to me seems futile and unfair to him already. After all the beautiful words we have heard about him, he still is a human being that well deserves to finally gain eternal rest.

I'm far from being pretty pious. I had a chance to see the pope up close during his visit here in 1995 at the World Youth Day, but I would not feign being silenced by his holy presence. If I could recall my feelings then, I was overjoyed to see him, being a popular public figure and greatly adored by the large Catholic group. The joy I felt simply stemmed from the fact that I was part of history in the making! I was amused by his cute boyish smile and reddish cheeks. I found him guwapo. I loved the way he responded to the cheering crowd despite the uncomfortable heat of summer. It was amusing to see him dance with the overpopulated crowd of chorus singing. If there's one thing I will always remember about the pope, it was that he was always smiling, and his smile was really infectious. Even in his death, it's calming to stare at the solemn smile and peace in his face. For the life of me, I could not imagine him getting out of control or having any bouts of anger. He was really highly admired and revered by millions around the world and that is what is more overwhelming for me to think of. Now I'd like to think that he still has that cute smile plastered in his face as he looks down on his fans. Maybe if we could give him another beat, he would love to dance again for us. =)