A tribute letter to a mother

This response to the task - tribute letter writing amazed me of the child's memory of each occasion she spent with her mother. And as I see how responsible and good she has become, I can say that all her mother's efforts paid off. Read on.

A Tribute to my Mother

I was asked to give a tribute to the person whom I admire the most, and as I think, I immediately thought of my mom. Allow me to begin this as I tell you how she taught me on dealing with life.

9 months. You’ve carried 2 lives in you for 9 months. We shared the same food every time you eat. Each move I did hurt you a lot. You said you were afraid when I was about to go out, but the moment I did, small drops of water fell from your eyes, not because of enduring the pain, but because everything lightened when you saw my face. I experienced and learned all my firsts with you –first sit, first walk, and the first word I spoke on my first 12 months of living.

You taught the one year old mawie her first song. Every time I play the tape recorded from the walkman and hear that ‘Pagdating ng Panahon’ version of mine, I can’t help myself but smile, hearing that tiny voice reach for its tone. I guess my music teacher was so good because little Mawie learned and likes singing a lot.

Of course I didn’t just stick on singing. I was two when the greatest music teacher also became my greatest choreographer. Thank you for teaching me to show off some of my moves to the songs entitled, ‘Spaghetti’ and ‘Otso-Otso’.

At the end of the day, when we were about to sleep, I used to ask if you could read me Goldilocks and the Three Bears and ask you random questions about the beds of the three bears inside their room. You told me about it many times but I just love that part, and thank you for not giving up on my innocence each time I ask you a question that I’ve already asked for a million times when I was three.

I was four when you taught me how to handle a broom. I remember when we always go to nanay’s house to train me and ate on cleaning the house.

I received my first ever medal on my Kindergarten days when I was five. I would like to affirm you for being such a good tutor every time your little Mawie doesn’t want to study because of her ‘topak’. Thank you for bringing me to school even if I don’t want to. I still remember my ugly black shoes I do not want to wear. Sorry for crying a lot, I just can’t help myself whenever I’m seeing that black shoes with its bear design. 

Your little Mawie became the Queen of Hearts when I was six. Thank you for boosting my confidence to join that pageant. If it wasn’t because of you, I would no longer win.

Age 7, you taught me how to forgive when I hit my classmate on his hand with my pencil for he always bullies me on my entire first grade. Sorry for being called at school for a meeting when I hit him hard on his palm, I just can’t handle him anymore, but thanks to you because I learned how to forgive the one who sinned against me. I would also like to thank you for letting tita Ellen to teach me the proper way of reading, because of that I always rank first!

Ages eight to eleven, I found myself when you enrolled me in TUMCSI, where I met my teachers not just to teach me academically but they also taught me how to deal with life. I would like to thank you for choosing the best school for me. I know it wasn’t easy for you to raise me up alone whenever daddy was abroad, any time you could turn your back on me but thank you for still choosing to take care of me despite our little fights whenever I do not want to work on my homework.

High school life wasn’t really easy for me, but because of you telling me stories about your own high school life, I make sure that I enjoy every second because you told me that it was the best stage of your life. Well, let me say that I’m enjoying my high school life too and it’s all because of you! Thank you for cheering me up whenever I cry because of the tons of works I still haven’t done, for staying with me until one in the morning when I do a lot of research projects, for supporting me all the way in Bb. Kalikasan how to walk and answer confidently. I would also like to thank you a lot for listening to my endless dramas and stories from different people which built up my personality each day.

Thank you for the trust that you gave me, for dealing with my attitude,  for being strong, for teaching me the things I never know and for opening my eyes to reality. Thank you for the strong relationship we built and most especially for helping me in building my relationship with Christ.

Thank you for always reminding me to live my life to the fullest every time you tell me, “everybody dies but not everybody lives”. This will never be enough to express my appreciation to all the things you’ve done for me. I’m not sure of what’s ahead of me, but thank you for always letting me feel and showing me that there’s always a hands which will hold me from the first time I breathe life until the last breath. One thing’s I’m sure of is that I’ll never regret of you being my mother. I love you mommy!