The Story of Evangeline
In the tranquility of silence, there is the calmness
that impels us to seek our life partners and friends
shoulders to cry on through prose and poetry.
Evangeline brought life and light into my life.
(Gleaned from the intimate conversation and keen observation)
(Greg Intas Trabanca )
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From lovely Liloy's clay dirt road
To Labason town of fish-fraught shore
Came a lass with the wisdom to load
Whose smile was never seen before?
To prove the dream of her father
In the world of reality.
She has to muster and gather
The rose garden of industry.
She crisscrossed paths on health service;
While Manila's school was tempting
And States hospital's edifice
Were mainly open to asking.
Love is like a flower garden
That needs water and tender care;
Therefore don't be really sudden
At the time of this love affair.
Cupid's dart hit a clean target;
Dipolog: 29th of May.
In San Francisco don't forget,
"To Alma's sis, you have to stay".
The wedding cake she had to leave;
And off to the Windy City.
Mommy Armea can't believe
that she drowned herself in self-pity.
Norwegian Hospital was near.
Employment waiting: over two months.
Labor and delivery sans fear;
Whatever work was what she wants.
Bishop Zafra's unexpected knock
Sent Eve with her pretty baby boy
To open the door and was shocked
Yet kissed the Bishop's ring with joy.
Days of toil and hard work rolled by;
Then loomed the American dream.
And she was overwhelmed with "why"?
Yet she had to live in that realm.
Lived life as a gift wrapped with love;
Tied with a ribbon of mystery.
Good friends are blessings from above
Like clean air - a necessity.
Eve's attitude of constancy
Greatly helped her sisters and brother
Have professions and were lucky
Not asunder but together.
Neil and Ted joined the survival fray
With their piano and accordion
Weekends were for lessons and play
But not on their expectation.
Vacation is such therapy.
Onondaga cave spells wonder.
Longwood Garden has its beauty;
Florida with its space center.
The Sears Tower of Chicago
And the Twin Towers of New York
Are narratives of long ago
That could be erased in one stroke.
Worth telling was Eve's lifetime trip
To Italy, Spain, and Europe.
On Carnival Liberty's ship
At the Vatican, she missed the Pope.
In this day and age, you wonder
All about love and forgiveness.
Loneliness is not forever;
And there is light in our darkness.
Her thoughts reverberated back home
As she performed her daily chore.
Memories of places they roam;
Of waves leaving their foams ashore.
And all the loves she left behind
That sent murmur on life's brevity.
Yet consoled and nothing to pine
'Cause Life has its eternity.
Long, long after in time and space
Evangeline's name: a whisper
Her story in the sky to gaze
In our hearts remain forever.
(N.B.) Evangeline Rueles, Magallanes, Caermare, Trabanca, RN, BSN
Birthplace: Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines
Born into Life: March 3, 1940, Born into Eternal life: Nov. 29, 2015
Education: Elementary: Labason Central Elementary School, Labason, ZDN, Phil
High School: Ferrer High School, Labason, ZDN, Phil (Valedictorian)
College: RN, San Pedro Hospital School of Nursing, Davao City, Phil
BSN, Far Eastern University, Manila, Philippines
Employment: Philippines: District Nurse: ZDN Public Schools, Dipolog City, Philippines
USA: Labor & Delivery Nurse: Norwegian American Hospital, Chgo., IL, USA
Married (May 29,1973) to - Gregory Intas Alcala Caponong Trabanca
Children: Nathaniel "Neil" and Theodore "Ted"
