Remembering My Mother’s Prayer
An Everyday Lesson by Marilyn Rivera
“A mother is she who can take the place of all other but whose place no one else can take.” – Cardinal Meymillod and my siblings every morning when we came down the stairs. Normally, she would sense our hesitation to go to school if there were presentations in class or if there were exams. And if I say, I would want liver spread. She would say to take it with mayo and cheese. Then she would have it toasted in the oven. And if I say, I just wanted juice. She would serve it with small bits of apple and oranges making it a breakfast on its own. She Many of our relatives would taught me that it is up to us say that she may have lived a short life but she had lived her how we make something life to the fullest. She took care out of our life. She would always say that we deserve of us seven children with no more than what we want or hired help at all. She was a hands-on mom who dedicated get. We just need to trust in her life in rearing us in the best Him that His way is the only way and the best way. way possible. She would go Happiness is making out of her way just to help nothing into something and relatives and friends and cherishing it. She used to say would never expect anything that it is beyond the in return. She donated to vacations that we take out of charities and let us witness town, more than what we and take part in helping eat on the table and a lot people in all walks of life more than the clothes we through her gentleness and wear. Life is helping your soft-spoken words. siblings with something and Life is not only the sweet filling not expecting something in return. inside. The first bite on a filled-bread you would not yet reach the center. You would be Part of life is selfless giving. You are happy when the clueless on what bread you people around you who you have until you reach the very care about are happy. And core and finally taste that sweet filling inside. My mother you can feel contentment in made sure that we understand your heart by helping people who needs it the that life is not only about most and placing this rewards, but it is our way experience as one of your getting to it and getting valuable accomplishments. through it. And be Life plays a role in helping appreciative that we were given bread instead of getting the poor. Being able to help and giving it without any none at all. attachment is a gift and should be passed down to “Ano yun palaman mo your children. ngayon?” she would ask me Celebrating the heroines of our life, Mother’s Day has become more than just a day to spend with your own family. It is also a day that floods our heart with delicate memories of the person who loved us unconditionally. This past Mother’s Day has stroked an empty space in my heart as always. She gave me life, prepared me for life, and showed me what life is meant to be.
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MAY - JUNE 2019
To most of us, all of our mothers are our superhero. For me, my mother was not. She was not perfect, she was not strong all the time and she did not save me when I needed her. But she was the best mother in my eyes. She was what I needed and God knew that. She showed me her flaws so that I can learn from them. She showed me her weaknesses to tell me that our weakness is not what defines us. She did not save me all the time because she wanted me to learn how to save myself and how to save others. She prayed for my happiness. She prayed for me to have a life that I can say that I have lived my life. Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away. And through her, I saw what the world can offer and saw every possibilities and greatness that I am and the distance that I can reach. Life is limitless. It has no boundaries and has no manuals. You act at will and act with heart. She showed me kindness, love and compassion that my whole town cannot level with. And every time I see her in my mind, I know God lend me an angel on Earth to guide me and hone me in the best way He knows possible. For this, I am forever grateful. To our Mothers in Heaven, you are our every day angels.
