I got her face shape, her smile and her voice, but I could never compare to her courage and strength. My mother has a really bubbly personality, that you couldn't guess she had a very rough life.
Her father died when she was 8 years old. Because of the tragedy, her mother broke down and became incapable to care for her family. Being the eldest, she took upon the responsibility of scouring for food and taking care of her siblings: a 5 year-old, a 3-year old, and a 6-month old baby. Being a baby herself, she was undeniably incapable of caring for a baby, so their youngest died a few months later.
When her mother finally recovered, they moved to another place and served a once-prominent family for food and shelter. One time, her mother's friend lent them a piece of land and they built a house out of scraps and coconut leaves. She wanted to continue her studies so she left her mother's nest and worked for one teacher to another, her tasks ranged from writing lesson plans to doing the house chores. This continued until she finished high school. All through the years, her little brother and little sister tagged along their mother wherever the tide swept them.
She got a college scholarship but even so, she wasn't able to find someone willing to finance her other scholastic needs. She was left with no choice but to take up jobs from establishments and well-off relatives. She then met my father. Life was still rough - she had a miscarriage and her first live-born child died a week later because of prematurity and lack of money for hospitalization.
To make the story short, my brother, sister, and I came to their lives. While working together to attain what's best for their young family, both she and my father tried to finish their studies. She's always dreamed of becoming a grade school teacher but numerous pressures made her decide to quit college and devote her life to being the best mother that she could be.
She's sweet, caring, patient, understanding, no vice (if you wouldn't call being habitually late a vice ^-^), the list would go on. She is still very imperfect, she has lots of flaws, but to me, she's the best mother in the whole world.
Words can't fully express how grateful we are for having you as our
mother. Thank you very much for being you.
We love you very much!
*The picture was taken 27 years ago, of my mother teaching me to walk. :)
