#strongsoul

🚶🏻‍♀️🌄💪 She has walked a long road on her own, staying strong and independent, never settling for less. // Tā yīgè rén yě zǒu le hěn yuǎn de lù, jiānqiáng dúlì, cóng bù jiāngjiù.

Mayo pakong aram kan mga panahon na ito, but I think that it was the most exciting day for them — and same man sakuya simply because it was a new beginning for me. Not that I’m discrediting the womb that I came from, it’s just that, para sakuya man kaya, that was the day and time that God clothe me with a totally different life. Something that is unique and extraordinary. I’d say, something greater than the life that I would’ve gotten from the other side.

I had a great childhood ~ kung ano man si mga nagigibo kan younger parents, dawa may edad na sila Mama and Papa, nagibo man ninda ito.

Pick me up from bed dawa magabat ako.

Give me a bath whenever I feel lazy getting one on my own.

My papa, he would play with me all the time.

He sends and picks me up at school.

He would take me for a ride with his bicycle.

Sometimes he would take me to his workplace kung ang pipinturahan na harong is just within the area.

He is a great painter by the way. He can tell how and what colors need to be mixed in order to get a particular tint. It was like a natural, innate skill of his, despite of the fact that he was an undergrad. It’s one of the things he’s greatest at. He is actually known for it. I remember, retired na sya sa pag pintura, may mga tao padin nagdidigdi samo ta gusto siyang kuanon para mag trabaho. Since dae nya na kaya ta nagluluya na an pag hiling, people would just come to our house and ‘consult’ nalang pag abot sa mga gagamiton na kulay and klase ning paint na pang kahoy, simento or bakal. Also, maski nuarin, dae lamang ko kayan narapado. NEVER ako kayan kinulugan maski sarong beses.

He is a great dad and is still being one.

My mama naman would buy things and dresses dawa dae baragay ta grabeng pagkatutong ko kadto. Iyo man yan ang pambawi nya ta pirming mayo ta school principal baya. She never failed to show her support for us. She would take me and my brother to Naga (almost every month) ~ for McDonalds, Naga Restaurant, minsan makakan duman sa Master. Babakalan bado sa Robertsons (the old one na Puregold na ngunyan) or Garmas, mabakal sapatos sa Footsteps.

Simplehon lang kadto ang lifestyle.

We never knew the branded stuff. Basta pag uli, may bitbit, may masusulot na pag simba or sa sunod na pag luwas luwas.

Every December, I would hang my socks sa may bintana, would even write my wishes and post it sa may pinto because “Santa Claus” is coming to town. I believed it for years. It was innocent, hopeful and exciting years kase, you always had this notion that by the end of the year, may maabot talaga na nakasakay sa sled, may reindeer and dara na si gift na gusto mo. I remember, minsan na din ako nagsäbit sako ta sabi ko gusto kong bike. Though mayo man nag abot na bike, kan nagdaradakula na ako, si Fuji bike na ni papa ang nagagamit ko.

These are just fractions of my childhood. Glimpse of my innocent years and the younger years of my Mama and Papa and kung paano sinda naging magurang samuya. Sobrang blessed and grateful na sinda ang naging magurang mi. They sent me and my brother to good schools and university. They provided everything that we needed. Supported everything that we wanted. Gosh kala ngani kang iba, mga spoiled kami. I’d say I was the favorite child tho. I didn’t had any scholarship when I was in college (so I didn’t have to maintain grades) didn’t even have to work ~ I was a full ‘Scholar ni Mama’. Which was a little different from my Kuya’s. If I’m not mistaken, scholar sya kadto so need nya mag maintain grades, nag part time din yan sa Jollibee. Dae yan sako pinaranas ni Mama. All I had to do was to study, eat, sleep and repeat with a weekly allowance of 1500 to 2000 pesos. She even bought me a Windows and Apple computer. Sobrang boot and supportive ninda sako.

Sadly, my mom passed away in 2020. Cancer took her. I remember the phone call I received, August 1st. That was the day I approved my mom’s DNR. Painful and heartbreaking decision ever but it was for the best. Dae naman siya mararahay digdi sa ibabaw. Naisip mi kadto, masakit lang din siya in the long run kung lalagan pang tubo ta nagtutubig na si lungs nya. I missed the chance na makabawi man lang saiya. Although I started working right away after mag graduate at the age of 19. It was just 5-short-years that I was given para makabawi saiya. Sobrang lïpot. She didn’t even saw the plaques of certificates and commendations I’ve acquired in my chosen field.

Ngunyan si Papa nalang ang natatada.

Halos gusto ko nang burutungon ang panahon to be stable sa gabos na aspect.

I may have wasted some good years sa ibang bagay, prioritized other people na dae ko man dapat ininot, pero iba ang pressure talaga pag nag gugurang na ang parents. Iniisip mo, pano ka mabawi when you don’t even have enough means. Although, I know, money is NOT the most important thing in the world, but it affects everything that is. Food, healthcare and even simple things such as clothing and other material things, of course, you want the best for them. Especially, when it comes to things na dae pa ninda naranasan and gusto mo iparanas ta nuarin pa.

I know God has a plan for me. And I believe dakul pang taon ang nakalaan sakuya. Sa ngunyan, mayo akong ibang gusto saka pangadyi, kundi ang maparahay si Papa saka maglawig pa ang buhay niya. Sana mahalat niya pa and mahiling ang mga maarabot pang achievements ko sa buhay. Dawa siya nalang makahiling and makaexperience kan gabos na dae ko naparanas ki Mama…

Dawa siya nalang.

PS: Take care of your parents. They won’t be around forever. Treasure every moment na yaon pa sinda and nakakaibahan mo pa. You don’t wanna live the rest of your life na pano ning regrets. They were once our feet, hands, everything especially kan kita nga saradit pa.

Though I know norms and traditions are changing, pero sana dae mabago an kaugalian ta pag abot sa pag ataman nin magurang.🤍