A Mother's Story: My Mama

I am my mother's only child (I have a half sister and two half brothers) but I grew up with my cousins kaya hindi ko rin naramdaman na mag isa ako. It is still clear to me up to now my childhood memories. Every summer, we travel 8 irksome-hours (or more) by public bus so we can spend it to wherever my father was assigned. He was a military man (then transferred to Navy and retired as Coastguard). Well, that's basically the reason why I always tell people that I was raised by my mom, alone. Because she literally did so. And also because my parents were never married. But I never had any reason not to be a better person. I was never deprived with anything that a normal family has. My cousins and I treated each other like real siblings. They became my family. My uncles and aunts are all parents to me. My mom succeed in that aspect. She never made me feel alone, or worse, illegitimate. Because I always have a family I can call my own.

Siguro kaya ako attached sa mga beauty salon kasi lumaki ako sa salon. We share our living room with my mom's clients. They have to see me wrapped in my bath towel before I can go to our bedroom in the second floor because everything was wide open to the public. Haha. Ngayon ko lang narealize na nakakahiya pala. Anyway, sa probinsya naman walang kaso ang mga ganyan. Kaya rin siguro hindi ako mahirap pakisamahan kasi iba't ibang tao na ang nakadaupang palad ko simula bata ako hanggang ngayon.

I remember when I was like 6 yrs old, I threatened everybody that I will run away pag hindi umuwi si mama agad agad. I woke up from my afternoon nap with mom nowhere in sight. I was told that she went to the moviehouse which was right in front our house. Aba si mama, nanood pa ng sine! =) Pelikula pa 'ata ni FPJ ang palabas nun. O kaya ni Daboy o kaya ni Agimat. Nataranta naman silang lahat at sinundo agad si mama sa sinehan. Matigas pala talaga ulo ko. Tsk tsk tsk! Sa akin nga 'ata nagmana si Angela. Ngayon ko lang naisip, siguro kelangan na kelangan ni mama manood ng sine ng panahon na yun para makapagpahinga saglit. Tapos hindi ko man lang sya napagbigyan. Naaalala ko rin, pinapagalitan ako ni mama sa tuwing naglalakad ako pauwi ng bahay from school, naiintindihan ko na ngayon kung bakit. Malamang hindi rin ako mapapakali pag nalaman kong si Angela naglalakad sa kalsada. Hindi na kaya safe ang mga kalsada natin ngayon. Ang dami daming mga iresponsableng driver dyan. (Oooppss, bato bato sa langit, ang tamaan wag magalit.)

She is a single parent, no less. Her job of raising me while managing her salon was beyond tiring and strenuous. But I never heard her complain. I never felt ignored. She never failed to make me feel loved. She sent me to the best school even if she had to work double-time so she can afford the tuition fee. Ang laki pala ng hirap sakin ni mama. Hindi sapat ang thank you lang.

Mag iiba talaga ang pagtingin natin sa mga bagay bagay once we became a parent. Today I fully understand why mom was so protective to me back then. I can now completely comprehend why she gets mad at me whenever I lied and whenever I chose to disobey her. Kasi she didn't want me to get hurt. She DOESN'T want me to get hurt. She protects me until now. Minsan pa nga nagagalit pa ako kasi pakiramdam ko bine-baby nya ako. Yun pala kasi mahal nya ako.

Before I got married, I made sure that my husband understands the bond I have with my mom. He knows that he can't take me away from her. I promised myself that I won't leave her. Although she prefers to stay in Bicol and we are in Cavite. She is aware that if she chooses to stay with us, we are more than happy to welcome her.

She is always the best mother for me. Hinding hindi ko mapapantayan ang lahat ng sakripisyo nya bilang ina. Hindi man sapat ang thank you lang, paulit ulit ko pa rin sasabihin kay mama na sobrang nagpapasalamat ako at sya ang mama ko.