Tag Archives: sacrifice

Remembering Mother on Mother’s Day

19 Apr

A mother who is looking and waiting for her loving mother.

What is a Mother’s Day without your loving and caring mother? Do you know that every part of a single mother worth more than a million? Let me explain its value.

Your Head

As a single mother, you used the top of your head to carry a bundle of newly harvested rice grains for meal; a bundle of firewood for cooking or a basin of Anchovy fish for selling.  You also used your head to think wisely and find right solutions for the daily problems.

Your Eyes

As a single mother, you kept your eyes to your children for their safety. You used your eyes to discipline your children. Eyes that maybe big and wide; on-focus or understanding and kind-looking to your concern. Sleepless nights in times of sickness of your children just to ensure they were safe.

Your Nose

As a single mother, you used your nose if the newly laundry clothes were smelled pleasant and if the children were smelled stinky already and they need to take a bath.

Your Ears

As a single mother, you used your ears to listen to your children and grandchildren’s amazing stories. Through your ears, you heard the sound of the roosters in the early morning wherein you rise from bed instantly to fetch up water for daily consumption.

Your Mouth

As a single mother, you used your mouth to give pieces of advice to your children and grandchildren. You taught them the right things and told them to become nice and hardworking person with brighter dreams in life.

Your Shoulder

As a single mother, you used your shoulder to carry the “Buli” bag or “Pandan” bag with fruits and vegetables inside when going home after the whole-day work in the rice field.

Your Breast

As a single mother, you breastfed your young children regularly so that they will grow healthy someday and free from any kind of illnesses.

Your Heart

As a single mother, you provided unconditional love to your children and grandchildren. You have a big heart too to your parents, brother, sisters, nephews, nieces, husband and in-laws. You knew how to accept and how to forgive persons. You really loved them so much.

Your Arms

As a single mother, you used your arms to strongly uproot the rice seedlings, transplant them on rice fields and harvest the rice grains after a few months.  You used your strong arms to pound and manually mill the greener rice grains up and down then filter them using “Bilao” to make it into whiter rice grains.

Your Hands

As a single mother, you used your hands to prepare “Buli” or “Pandan” fibers, weave and design them properly into a local mat for sale. You used your hands to catch fishes along  the shallow river and pick up shells on the shoreline with your siblings and children. You used your hands to wash the clothes of your children and grandchildren then press these clothes after drying. You used your hand to put the wet face towel on his/her forehead when he/she has fever. You used your hands too in giving foods to the very young children and elderly people around you.

Your Waist

As a single mother, either be sunny day or rainy day, you bent your waist the whole day while planting rice seedlings on the rice fields for a little payment or non-monetized payment of your labor instead, work exchange.

Your Hips

As a single mother, you sit on your hips almost the whole night just to weave and finish intentionally the local mat so that you can sell it then later buy some foods for your children, grandchildren and sister.

Your Legs

As a single mother, you used your legs in walking distantly about two kilometers away from your home to your work place and do the same routine when going home from work place to your home. Your legs consumed all the energy reserved in walking after the whole-day work. You also walked in going to the church to attend Holy Mass with your sisters on Saturday evening regularly. You bent your knees whenever you pray.

Your Feet

As a single mother, you used your feet not only to separate the greener rice grains from its husk but also to clean up the house floor. You used your feet to stand up firmly against all tough moments that trying to bring you down but they fail. You courageously stood still and never give up.

Thus, for this special day wherein everybody celebrates the Mother’s Day  and for this special occasion wherein every member of the family comes together, what is a Mother’s Day without your loving and caring mother? What is a Mother’s Day without her presence?

Mother and You

27 Mar

When was the last time your mother hugs you? When was the last time you see your mother smiling? When was the last time your mother asks or tells you something? Do you listen? Do you care or show concern? If your answer is yes, you are lucky enough.

God gave life to you. Your mother nourished that life for you. She carried you in her womb for several months. She could even smile after giving birth of a healthy baby. Sometimes, she never slept and felt anxious when you were crying if you had an illness.

As you grew older, your mother helped you to sit down, stand up and walk until you can do it by yourself. When you started to go to school, she taught you how to read, write and count things. She defended you and fought for your rights if somebody was doing wrong against you. She always provided things that you need. She advised and guided you all the time.  She felt very happy and proud whenever you achieved something or received an award. She felt sorry for you when you failed to achieve your dreams.

When you became a matured person and had your own family, your mother was always there and never left you. She took good care of your children. She helped you in doing household chores.  She felt very happy seeing her grandchildren playing, singing or dancing.  Sometimes, she threw out jokes with them.

The time passed by and your mother was getting older. Her body and mind were already deteriorating.  She often got sick. She could not sit down, stand up and walk by herself.  Your mother could no longer do the things that she used to do for you and your family when she was young.  She always felt the pains and sufferings due to her illness.

Did you feel sorry for her bad health condition? What immediate action that you did to prolong her life? Do you really love your mother? Do you really care? Do you let her go or not?

What if your first birthday party would be the last one?

25 Aug

The Death

August 25 is the death anniversary of our beloved aunt, Indo Simay.  She died last August 25, 1998 at the age of 83.  I can still remember when I was  in the private school.  An office staff called me saying that I had a phone call. My niece was on the line and she told me that my beloved aunt, Indo Simay passed away in our province.  I could not imagine myself when I got cry.  Tears were flowing continuously on my face when I remembered the good memories of my late aunt.  Everybody in our family felt very sad when she died. Everybody knew that Indo Simay was so nice to all of us. She loved our family.  She loved her sisters so much including their siblings and grandchildren.

The Discovery

Beforehand, Indo Simay did not know her birthday since she was born.  Due to massive damages brought about World War II.  no listing of her name in the local registry records.  Ever since, she was not celebrating her birthday. She only estimating her age then. When one of my brothers incidentally found her name in the records of the Church when Indo Simay was baptized   in the Roman Catholic Church. It was stated in the record when and where she was born.  That was December 10, 1917 in Santa Cruz, Zambales, Philippines

The Very First Birthday Party

As initiated by my brother, members of Indo Simay’s extended family which include all her relatives had planned to have special event for her very first birthday party that was held last December 10, 1997.  She will be 83 years old that time on her birthday.

The very first Birthday Party of Indo Simay was very memorable moments to everybody specially for her.  All elders and living sisters with their own families were there to witness the special occasion.  It seemed that everybody was happy.  Indo Simay as a single lady and never been married was so happy that time.  She prayed first.  She did a lot of conversation with the guests and relatives.  She laughed and felt so excited what was going on that day. She even danced with the beat of the music that kept on playing in a loud speaker.  Indo Simay started to cry when each one of us danced her one at a time in the rhythm of a waltz music. Indo Simay cried because she felt how everybody really loves her in that moments. The party was accompanied by a country band. My brothers and I had rendered some folk songs with the country band.  We served a lot of foods to all the guest who attended the party. There were a lot of gifts received by Indo Simay.  All the relatives and friends gave certain amount of money to Indo Simay and pinned the money bills on her birthday clothes as they danced with her at the center of the floor.  It seemed like her wedding day.  People felt mixed emotions of happiness, love and care.  It was a whole-day event.  The following year, we did not know that the very first birthday party would be the last one for Indo Simay because it was on August 25, 1998 when she died due to pneumonia.

Indo Simay’s Legacy

Indo Simay was a very nice daughter of her parents, sister of all her sisters. She did a lot of sacrifices to all of us.  Indo Simay helped and supported her parents and sisters in various ways. She spent most of her life with her parents and sisters. She was a very hardworking person.  She worked from early in the morning until late in the evening.  Indo Simay loved us unconditionally.  She was worried so much when one of us were suffering from any illness.  She was crying when one of us was missing.  Indo Simay was a religious woman.  She never lost faith to God.  She kept on praying to God in the morning, afternoon and evening with the Holy Rosary on her hand.  Indo Simay was attending the weekly Holy Mass even she was working seven days a week.   She never left my mother while we were growing up. Indo Simay served, cared and loved us with all her efforts, skills and abilities.  We treasured so much all her advises and kindness.  Indo Simay can be considered as the unsung hero in the modern world. I know you are in heaven now, Indo Simay, because you really deserved to be there with the Almighty God forever.  We keep on praying for your soul. We love you so much, Indo Simay.