When I was a kid I
never heard that the world celebrates mothers’ day. I could not recall that I would have to make greeting cards for mothers for this particular day. I
could only recall Christmas, Valentines’ day and mama’s birthday. I rarely even gave her cards. We were never used to festive celebrations
either. There were 6 of us kids so we
could not compare who’s more favourite since our parents put our birthdays together
on one occasion. Either held it during
mama’s birthday or papa’s or during their wedding anniversary.
Now that I am older
and oohhh so married, I am so glad despite the commercialized presentations at
the malls and how the media present it, that the world has acknowledged
mothers. You see I have never
appreciated such celebration since it “came” to the Philippines (for I thought
of it at first to be so westernized) until I became a mom last year.
Motherhood has
brought me to next dimension. A deeper
level of understanding relating with an innocent baby. It has opened my heart to the most intimate
of human encounter everytime I hold my baby in my arms. Each moment with her is like embracing God’s beauty. Her innocence is an openness to one of the
most beautiful miracles of life that I have ever participated.
I am so glad that
today (May 12, 2013) is mothers’ day. I
never thought though of something grand aside from the fact that I convinced my
husband that we could spend it at the mall.
Yet we both decided for a simpler celebration. Such that bond as a family at home. I did not expect any surprises though except that
the first one that greeted me is our
“assistant” at home named Welma.
I received her greeting with giggle while I was robbing my eyes very
early this morning and adjusting how I sounded with my rather rough morning
voice.
I received a kiss
from my husband too. And was so
overwhelemd with how my little girl just touched my face with both her hands
while she surveyed my face with her cute eyes, smile and giggle. My husband told me that, that’s Mikaela’s
mothers’ day greeting for me. Hmmm I
wonder if she understood what it is all about but her gesture is more than
enough of a mothers’ day greeting for me.
Her touch was like foretastes of the many images of heavens on earth. Thank you dear God.
In the middle of
the morning, I tried to post message at facebook and to my own mother that past
away years back with the statement
"happy mothers' day to all mamas...and to my mama Gloria ...you may have passed away years ago...but I am carrying with me your legacy. Thank you kaayo mama...God bless your soul:-) I have now my little girl Mikaela...and she makes motherhood possible for me...and she is so lovely ma:-) And ohh...i now feel your sacrifice for me...it is not easy to take care of a baby...i am so glad and so thankful that you took good care of me...I love you mama:-) You are in my heart:-)"
I read this statement to my neighbour sister
from where she commented how I put drama in the way I write. Ehem…that is just me…heheh
After that, Welma went
to the market for her regular Sunday assignment. When she got home she called me from the sink
while she took out her little “secret” -
three red roses. I was on the
verge of tears when she told me “Ate, I
am giving this to you since I am far from home and I cannot give any to my own
mother”. I was so touched by her
thoughtfulness. I gave her a kiss for
that beautiful surprise.
The afternoon was a
combination of relaxed and tensed mode.
Relaxed since we all dozed off to sleep and a little tensed when we woke
up rushing for the Church. Even if we
were a little worried of the possible heavy rain, we forged to hearing the
mass. All mothers were greeted and after
the mass I brought my little girl as usual to the blessed mother’s photo in
front of the Church, Sto Nino and the Divine Mercy Photo of Jesus.
We went home in a
festive mode with a hearty dinner plus that tasty ice cream dissert. We thought
the night would just end after the
family rosary prayer. Yet I pursued with
finishing some school work while my husband turned on the television where I
saw some really very poor family from a very depressed …squatter area in
Luzon. I was really caught unaware to
how I emotionally reacted to the kids being raised alone by the mother. They missed meals, naked with big tummies,
sleeps without blanket, very dirty surroundings. And I just caught myself really shedding
tears of remorse to how this family has survived the situation.
Then I just slipped
my hand through my husband’s as I continued with my tears and told him how we
have complained at times over some minor difficulties and there are a lot of
people that have suffered more (oh I was just so glad that we did not have to
be so lavish with this day) …with poverty in our country.
Really I am glad there is mothers’ day but to some
mothers that are really very poor could not appreciate celebrating
such. You know why? They do not focus on the celebration. They are seeing where they are and how they
could survive the difficulties that they are into.
I was so
overwhelmed with what I saw. Yet my
husband just told me and pointed to our
house assistant Welma. She is our
mission. We could be her own parents
since she herself came from a very poor family in Bukidnon that could hardly
eat their meals in a day.
There is so much to
do in the world. While others desire for
so many things. I do hope I could invite any of you to at least include in our desires helping even
one person that really needs financial help.
You know what I
desire so much after that? My heart
hungers so much to take care of a lot of God’s children. The innocent ones. More than that, one day I would focus my
attention to taking good care of adolescents so that one day they would spend
their energies finishing their studies
and become much better parents and provider to their own children someday…God’s
dear children.
Again, I am glad
the world celebrates motherhood. But I
would be more glad if we could be mothers even to children that are not really
our own. True motherhood does not only
limit to taking care of biological
children. It is also about nurturing and
taking good care of those children that need our care, unconditional love,
guidance, protection, those who have no one to run to or are rejected by their
own families, etc.
To the Ladies...
... we
can be all mothers right? …in any way we can…J
we just have to reach out and give ourselves… To those that don’t have
children…why not consider adopting one…Oh you could be the one that could save
the future of one of God’s little ones who have no one to embrace him /
her. You can be what he or she longs to
have in this child’s heart. You could be
this child’s answer to his / her prayers.
God bless you everyone and all the mothers throughout the world. :-)
