For Her..

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which you will always find forgiveness. ~Honore de Balzac

The desolation and terror of, for the first time, realizing that the mother can lose you, or you her, and your own abysmal loneliness and helplessness without her. ~Francis Thompson

I could never be like my mother. I don't know where she gets the strength to work her ass off to pay for the bills, my brothers' tuition and other expenses that I can never muster paying alone if I were in her position. My mother keeps our home whole. My brothers would attest to that. We have so much respect for our mother who is far stronger than any man could be. I would be in a limbo if not for her guidance. At the age of 26, I still look back to my mother for advices, for support and even for money. There is always that fear of losing my mother and not knowing what to do with my family. I may be the eldest child but I still have not learned the lessons that my mom probably has a lot of throughout her life. She grew up in the province but she knows far more than I who lived in Manila all her life. She is a simple woman who leaves the house wearing only powder and lipstick. She doesn't have eyeshadow, concealer or any other cosmetic at home and she depends on other people to pluck her eyebrows, but eversince I was a child, she has always been the most beautiful woman I've ever known. I envy her smooth skin which used to be so fair until sun exposure made it brown. Yes, she doesn't know much about beauty regimens than I do but she knows far more valuable things than any woman I know.

My mother and I have never been expressive of our feelings, but I guess she knows how much I love her and how much my brothers appreciate her. Without my mother life would not be as beautiful as it is today. We would never enjoy all the luxuries and comforts we have now. We wouldn't be who we are if not for her guidance.

Happy 49th birthday to the strongest, loveliest woman I know!




My mom and dad in Canyon Woods. The plastic she was holding was filled with the trash I left after eating peanuts. After all these years, she would still pick up after me.