CarizzCruzem

What I think, utter and do – no matter how trivial or valuable – have effects that go beyond those who I know and last longer than my own life.

CarizzCruzem

One. She’s a prophet. Nasa sinapupunan pa lang nya ako, alam na nya na favorite ko ang pakwan at balot. So, anong ginawa nya? Lagi nya kinukulit si Daddy para lagi kaming may pakwan at balot.

Two. She’s longsuffering. For more than nine months, she endured the morning sickness, cramps and all other kinds of stuff connected to pregnancy. More than nine months. So one day, almost thirty years ago, at 4:35 in the afternoon, she gave birth to me, a 5lbs and 8oz blue baby, with a bonnet-like head. She didn’t lose hope. And when my dad saw me, he uttered, “Ba’t ang pangit ng anak ko?” Awwww, ang sweet ng tatay ko ‘no? That pretty sums up the feeling of a first time dad.

Three. She introduced me to a world of books. Yes, people, she taught me how to read. When I was little, I had to read a series of words in alphabetical order. Not only read, but I had to know how they were spelled. Thus, began my obsession with letters. At 5 years old, I read for the pleasure of it. Growing up, I became so conscious about spelling that even while I was in delivery room, about to give birth to my son, I even noticed that “pnuemonia” was misspelled. When I saw that, I had half a mind of running to another hospital. I mean, if they didn’t get right that supposed medical term, what else would they look over? I stayed though. They didn’t leave needles inside my stomach, thank God.

Four. May bulsa ang nanay ko sa balat. My dad is a missionary pastor so we live by the gospel. I don’t know if you’re aware about the implications of that glorious profession. But Paul’s statement is very much alive to us. Paraphrasing, “to be abased or to abound, therewith to be content.” And so content we’ve been. But no matter how satisfied we are in all circumstance, there are still bills to pay. I don’t know how my mom does it. Pero lagi kaming meron. Hindi yung sobra sobra. Pero sapat. Enough to cover basic needs. And I’ll say it again, I don’t know how she does it.

I remember one time na pinagmamasdan ko si Daiks matulog. I had a momentary panic, kaya sinalat ko tyan ni Daiks para malaman ko kung humihinga pa ba sya. Tas pinapanood pala ako ni Mommy. Sabi nya, “Ginagawa ko din yan sa inyo dati.” I guess paranoia runs in the family, huh?

Kahit pa siguro isang milyon ang dahilan ko kung bakit ko mahal ang nanay ko, they would still be nothing as compared to how she loves me. She doesn’t have any reason to love me, pero yun eh, mahal pa rin nya ko.

And my dad? Mahal ko din sya.

… yun lang.

Whehehehehe…