A million thanks to you, Mom!

A mother’s love is one of a kind. It begins before her child is born and continues for a lifetime and beyond. The bond we share with our mother is the first and in many ways, the most important relationship we will ever experience. She is the foundation of life and family. We have our beginning in her, nurtured by the warmth of her caring. We thrive and grow in the knowledge that there’s someone who loves us unconditionally. Whatever our age or place in life, her voice is the one we want to hear when we face difficult decisions. When we need comfort, a part of us always longs to run back into the security of her loving embrace. When something wonderful happens, the first person we want to share it with is mom.

A lot of people consider me lucky because I have such a popular mother, Pilita Corrales. She is "Asia’s Queen of Songs," The Diva of all Divas, the first Filipina to sing with Sammy Davis Jr. at the Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, among many other achievements.

But to me, my mom is more than all these put together. She is my loving mom.

I had a colorful childhood. Bata pa lang ako nasa limelight na, ika nga. I don’t know if many of you would remember that in the ’60s, I was kidnapped by my own father. I was about a year old.

My parents had already separated and that day, my mom was taping her weekly musical An Evening with Pilita. My dad was supposed to pick me up to spend the day with him. Little did I know that he was going to take me to the US without my mom’s consent. He had my mom‘s signature forged, allowing me to leave the country.

Someone phoned her saying we were at the airport already. She left the studio and rushed there but unfortunately our plane had just taken off.

What anguish my mom must have felt! I don’t know what I’d do if that happened to me. I can never be without my children. That’s exactly how my mom felt.

She asked for the help of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to trace our whereabouts. Everyday she would go to the NBI headquarters to get news as to where we were.

I was gone almost a month. I can imagine my mom’s fears, not knowing when I would be back or if I would be back at all.

Fortunately, after a month, we were at the Hawaii Airport. The officials there were already alarmed that I traveled without my mom’s consent and so we were asked to return to the Philippines.

When I was older, my mom even showed me newspaper clippings of our return. Her arms were outstretched, waiting for me to run into them. My mom could have sent my dad to prison. She had every right to because he had kidnapped me. But she didn’t.

When I was older, I asked her why she didn’t. She said, "You know, Jacqui. I knew why your father did that. He just loved you too much. He was possessive of you. He is not a bad person. He just loved you too much."

Wow, that blew my mind! Kung ako iyon, I probably would have done otherwise. But not my mom.

I’ve told her many times but I want to tell her again today. "Thank you, Mom." Thank you for allowing me to get to know my father, for not depriving us of each other. Thank you for not being selfish, for thinking of me and not your hurt or anger.

I may not have grown up with both my parents but I had the best of both worlds. My father could come visit me anytime even in the presence of my step- dad then.

I have so many wonderful memories of my dad. I was a "daddy’s girl." I adored my father just as much as he adored me. We had a wonderful relationship.

If my mom decided otherwise, I would have never gotten to know my father and my life would not be complete. It really takes a special person like my mom to do what she did. For that I will forever be grateful. I love her more because of the person she is, so giving, so forgiving.

Even in my dad’s last days, they remained good friends. I know in my heart that even if things didn’t work out between them, my dad loved mom. He never remarried.

A million thanks to you, Mom. I love you with all my heart. You gave me not only my life but yours as well. I love you, Mami.

I’ve come across a book entitled, I Love You Mom. It’s a collection of poems edited by Garry Morries.

I’ve chosen some that I feel best describe my mom and the kind of relationship we have. Mom, this is for you:

Mom, I’ll Always Be Your Child at Heart

by Lan Nguyen Sometimes I wish I were still a child held gently in your arms.

Sharing all my dreams, confessing all my fears.

And knowing that you’ll always be able to make my troubles disappear.

I can’t remember exactly when it started... but the older I grew, the more I wanted to keep things to myself.

So I wouldn’t tell you my feelings.

I tried not to show you my pain.

Yet somehow you always knew and understood the way that I am.

You’ve always been able to sense my pain, interpret my feelings and comfort me with your caring ways.

Most important of all, you have allowed me the privacy of my thoughts and my sense of independence – empowering me to grow as a person and as an adult.

I want you to know how much I love you, and how much your love means to me.

You have always been there for me.

If any love on earth is selfless, I know it’s your love for me.

This thought has helped me through so many difficult times.

When I was alone and wondering if anyone cared.

I sometimes long for these days when I was a child, embraced in your arms.

But underneath the maturity I try to convey and the emotional security that I seek in the self-reliant lifestyle I’ve tried to establish for myself... I’ll always be a child at heart, and I will always need you.

I will always be that little girl you fought to have back in your arms. I needed you then. I need you now and I will always need you.

Happy Mother’s Day, Mami! I love you!

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E-mail the author at: babyjackster@yahoo.com