Jonna Mae Acabado TP in the Philippines
Junnie Fong TP in Malaysia
“To the one who walks these paths, mae” There was a time when I measured strength by how much I could carry and endure without breaking. But then, I became a mother and learned that true strength is not just about endurance; it’s about love. It’s about sacrifice and showing up every day, even when I’m exhausted, when I question myself, or when the world feels too heavy. Motherhood has transformed me in ways I never expected. It has shown me depths of love I never knew existed, the kind that overflows in qui - et moments, in gentle whispers, in the warmth of tiny arms wrapped around me. It has revealed a resilience in me that I never thought I had. I have faced fears, doubts, and uncertainties, and yet, I have kept going, not because I had all the answers but because my heart led the way. There have been moments of struggle, times when I felt unseen, un- heard, and overwhelmed. But through it all, I have discovered my power to nurture, heal, and build a world of love and safety for my child. In do- ing so, I have also learned to nurture myself, to be kinder to the woman in the mirror, and to embrace the imperfect yet beautiful journey I am on. Being a mother has given me purpose, but more than that, it has given me myself. It has taught me that I am more than enough, that love is my greatest strength, and that every day, in every small act of care, I am shaping not just my child’s future but my own. So today, I honor this journey. I honor the tears, laughter, growth, and love that have made me who I am. Motherhood has not just changed me; it has empowered me, lifted me, and given me a reason to keep ris- ing, loving, and believing in the incredible woman I am becoming.
The strength that shaped me Life has a way of testing us in ways we never expected. My journey has been filled with challenges, but through every storm, I had an unwav - ering pillar of strength: my mother. She was not just the woman who raised me; she was the force that empowered me, shaped my resilience, and taught me that even in the darkest moments, there is always a way forward. When my father fell seriously ill, our world turned upside down. Medical bills began piling up, and the financial burden weighed heavily on our shoulders. It would have been easy to collapse under the pressure, to let fear consume us, but my mother refused to let that happen. She didn’t sit and cry about the situation; instead, she stood up, faced the challenge head-on, and worked tirelessly to find solutions. She sought out every possible resource, reached out for assistance, and explored every ave- nue to secure the funds needed for my father’s treatment. I stood by her side, learning what true resilience meant. She taught me that problems don’t go away by simply worrying about them but by tak- ing action. No matter how exhausted she was, she never let her fear or anxiety show. She wanted us to believe that everything would be okay, and in doing so, she gave us the same hope and determination that burned within her. Her positivity was unshakable. There were days when I knew she was barely holding on when the weight of the world was on her shoulders, yet she still found a way to smile and encourage us. “Things will get bet- ter,” she would say with unwavering certainty, even when the path ahead seemed impossible. It wasn’t just empty words; it was a belief she carried in her heart, a mindset that kept us going. Through her example, I learned that true strength is not about never feeling afraid or worried, but about choosing to move forward despite
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EXAMPLE OF RESILIENCE
LETTERS TO MOTHERS
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