Seeing family at gatherings and after church,
My parents have taught my siblings and I
To “bless” to all of the older family members.

“Mano po,” we say, which asks them for their hand,
They reach out with their right, and we bow slightly,
Gently taking their hand and putting it to our forehead.

It’s a prioritized greeting, with hugs following after,
They typically mention how much we’ve grown,
Or how they remember when we were much smaller.

The gesture shows the ultimate respect towards elders.
Passed to many generations in the Philippines,
It will eventually be my turn to do the “blessing”.