Thank you to my mother who
chose to marry my father to the initial dismay of her family,
left her home country to seek opportunity in America,
raised her kids often alone while their father was serving his country across the world,
used her education and experience to help put food on our table,
helped to teach me to cook when I was young,
docmented our family life through thousands of pictures and letters,
made the effort to study and memorize Holy scriptures,
sat by my bed to keep me company whenever I was sick,
wrote to me regularly at college even when I didn’t write back,
taught me some of my native language Tagalog,
cried harder than I did when she cleaned my skinned knees,
beat me at cribbage the first time I taught her to play,
makes me my favorite foods whenever I visit,
taught Sunday school classes for years,
took the meat off the bones for me when I was young,
always smells like flowers,
hugs friends and family whenever she greets them,
laughs heartily whenever something strikes her as funny,
plants a beautiful flower garden every year,
uses her gift of hospitality almost every week,
enjoys the simple pleasure of holding hands,
read to her kids when they were young,
taught me the basics of piano,
cooks extra to share with friends and neighbors,
brings joy to those that know her.
Happy Mother’s Day!