Not all superheroes wear capes. Some are in cotton house dresses (a.k.a. the Pinoy duster) doing the most mundane things. This holds true for me who grew up with a stay-at-home mom running the household and wearing different hats.
Just like in fairy tales, I witnessed how a mother magically transforms into different characters. Growing up, charged by her “batteries” (imagine a head full of hair curlers), my superhero called Mama is also a nurse, teacher, baker, financial manager, driver, carpenter, therapist, and coach rolled into one. She always seems to do things with ease and bursting energy. I soon realized that her main power source is love, as cheesy as that may sound.
My Mama has taught me that the most basic insights on love are the easiest to miss.
Love is in the simplest things
Love is in the way Mama sews that hole in my shabby shirt that she knows is too precious for me to turn into a rag. It is also in deliberately not stirring the water in my drink too well knowing I look forward to having the powdered milk that settles at the bottom of a cup. Love is in Mama getting an extra spoon even when Papa said he would skip dessert. She knows him too well to know he will likely change his mind. Love is in doing the smallest things with the biggest impact.
Love is being present
While many would argue that quality beats quantity when it comes to time, Mama has shown that her willingness to allot a huge chunk of her time for me speaks volumes about love. Love is in showing interest in what I have to say no matter how trivial or shallow it may be and in knowing when to ask “What’s wrong?” before I could even say anything. It is in knowing my friends by name and remembering the tiniest details about them.
Love is being selfless
A mother puts her life at risk whenever she gives birth. Mama has extended that act of selflessness by sacrificing her personal time and opportunities for work. Love is in how she does things with joy and asks for nothing in return.
With all the love lessons she taught by chance, Mama is undoubtedly a cut above the rest. While she excels in anything she gets herself into, it is still mothering that she does best.
Happy Mother’s Day to my Mama and all the mothers out there.
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