Nanay's Day

last march 21, we celebrated mother's day here in UAE, earlier than the May celebration in the philippines and western counterparts. for Adventureland, we had the usual roses and treats for the moms...

we were on our way to abu dhabi when i remembered it. . .i seem to have missed already 3 or 5 years of mom's day-- she, is the phils, and me in dubai. so now, i am so glad we are together for it this year. i bought a rose at the convenience store while we gassed up the car. then gave it to nanay. hugged her and kissed her. it was a very very small token of love, incomparable to what she has given me, and continues to give............

long before, she admitted to me that because of economic situations, and because she was so young then and didn't know any better, she actually tried to get rid of me when i was still a few months in her womb. she'd jump from the table to reach the ceiling and down to the floor. i joked that maybe inside, i felt it was more of a playtime! i did not feel any anger at all, as what others would have felt when they discover that. God moved me in a way that i understood.

i grew up not seeing her much, maybe that's why i used to be tomboyish- what with three olders brothers and a father surrounding my daily routine! all i knew was that she'd go to work very early at the socks factory, and she'd come home when we are sleeping already. but i would know she's there coz she'd leave pancit, spaghetti, or any other meal that she prepared for selling to her factory-mates. i'd bring lunch to her everyday to the factory when i was younger, until i think i was old enough to be shy about it.

even when i was in high school, seldom did i spend time with her. she was totally wrapped up with earning extra income so that we can go to school. she wants us to finish college, as she was even short of having an elementary graduation. in college, when she already retired from work, that was the time i moved out and into the confines of the university dormitory. so it's only weekly that i get to see her.

despite that, i don't think i missed out on having a mother-figure. when i was old enough to understand, i appreciated so well what she silently did for us. what she lacked in words, she more than compensated in action. i've seen her strenght amidst all the storms she weathered. she has the humor and laughter that keeps her young. she's very street smart that would put to shame my college diploma. she's the epitome of my human version of sacrificing one's happiness for her family.

it did not take much for me to accept why she has to be away most of the time. when i was already working, we already have the time and the resources to enjoy each others' company. moreover, when God answered my prayer to give her the gift of salvation last 2000, it sealed our best friend status! it erased all the years when we seemed to be foreign to each other.

now, my friends are her friends. my burden, her burden (though i sift a few which may unnecessarily bother her, you know moms). my joys, her joys. my travels, her travels. my achievement, her achievement. my dreams, her dreams. my God, her God.

....tonight, she's cooking her version of 'sinigang'... can't wait to go home...