Renato Belahonia Talledo TP in Peru
Ruben Panopio TP in the Philippines
My mom has undoubtedly been my greatest example of strength, sacri- fice, and unconditional love. For as long as I can remember, her life has been a constant struggle to support her two children, working tirelessly to ensure we never lacked anything, materially and emotionally. Despite the challenges she faced, such as becoming a mother at 21, a complicat- ed relationship with my father, and the overprotection of her own family, she never allowed anything to stop her. She was always there, present in every moment, teaching me through her example what genuine effort, resilience, and love mean. She is my number one fan, my haven, and the one who always has an “I love you” ready for me, accompanied by her warm food every time I visit. Thanks to her, I learned what genuine affection is, the kind that supports you unconditionally. When I told her about my sexual orientation, something difficult for her to understand due to her upbringing, instead of rejecting me, she em- powered me even more. Her love has always been above any barrier, making me feel accepted for who I am. I don’t always say it, but I love her with all my heart. Her dedication, sac- rifice, and love have been the foundation of everything I have achieved. I know I wouldn’t be the person I am today without her.
There’s a saying, “Men are what their mothers made them.” Therefore, I am who I am today because of my mother—or, to be exact, my grandmother. I am the son of an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW), which is common in our country. At less than a year old, my mother left my care to my grand- mother to work in the US. At a time when communication was not as available and the world was really huge, I was raised by what we call my “ lola ,” or grandmother in our language. I fondly called her “ Inang ” in our local dialect, which meant mother. For all intents and purposes, she was indeed my mother because being a mother isn’t just because she gave birth to you. Being a parent is being able to care for, raise, and guide your children to the best of your ability. My Inang is, in my opinion, the best mother. Her love was uncondition- al, her patience endless, and her affection boundless. Now that I am a father, I look back on the sacrifices and care she gave me, and I aspire to do even half of what she did for me in order to consider myself an amazing dad. Her last years on earth were hard for her; she was bedridden due to ill- ness. I took it upon myself to care for her. It was difficult, to say the least, but I never complained. I don’t think even my efforts were enough to repay the love and care she bestowed upon me while raising me. On the day she passed away, I knew the end was near, yet I was still taken by surprise. My relatives called and told me that Inang might not make it through the night. I immediately drove home, a journey that normally takes two hours, and made it in about an hour. However, I was too late; she had already passed. To this day, this remains one of my biggest re- grets and most valuable lessons. Life is fragile, and time is short—no amount of money can buy back the moments we have with our loved ones. Even in death, my Inang was teaching me a lesson.
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SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
LETTERS TO MOTHERS
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