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Two mothers
In my years of work as a journalist, I have encountered many admirable women, most of them mothers. There are regular mothers and there are some who really stand out. It's because their parenting contain one important element --- self sacrifice. In my column, I'd like to mention two. One's parenting I've been a part of, and one, that I have observed through the years.
I would like to start off with my mother, Rose. Call me biased, but then, who wouldn't put their mother first in the list of the world's most admirable women. I have every good reason to put mine on such list. She's the type who would give up her wants just to give time for her children. Instead of dining out or partying out with friends and spending time with her siblings, she would guide us with our assignments every night since we started schooling until high school. If she's not busy with our training, she's busy taking care of my father's needs and helping him in the business. Her first love, which is teaching, had to be put aside for many years because she wanted to have a stable family and responsible children.
Although we could afford life's comforts, she made it a point to raise us following this principle: material things do not make the person. Thus, we were showered only with things that we needed, not what we wanted. Anyhow, how could we complain when our classmates had many nicer, more expensive and newer things than we did, when our mother showered us with love, attention and support?
Coming from a simple family in a farm, some haughty city-bred relatives tend to bully her. When the time came that our father left us, she remained a woman of patience and faith. It is her belief that the only way to give justice to the pain people inflict on you is by becoming a better person.
Now, she's one of the most admired mentors and principals in Iloilo City, with every school she handles reaps numerous awards. She is also a happy and contented grandmother of two. She has fulfilled her dreams and came out the victor.
Another woman worthy of mention is my friend Jen, a soft-spoken and very selfless individual. We used to chat a lot but for quite sometime now, we have been both busy in our work so we're down to one e-mail a week. These days, she's working as an academics teacher, a ballet teacher, a writer and more. A woman's got to do what needs to be done in order to make ends meet for her family, which includes three children, with one who is autistic. So, if she's not busy with work, she devotes her time to mothering and to focus on Jay, her autistic child's development. While juggling with so many things to do, she patiently taught him life and academic skills. From speech, to the simple task of opening a bottle lid and to playing with others kids --- these had to be taught step by step.
She admits that not a day passes by that she won't let out a sob "because it's difficult." But she truly believes that it is very parent's obligation to mold children to become fruitful individuals of the future. She shared this quote from Khalil Gibran. "Children are like arrows and parents are the archers."
Let me share this poem entitled, "A Mother's Love" by Helen Steiner Rice.
A Mother's love is something
that no on can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand.