My love for writing — whether through short gift notes, poems and essays, songs and children’s stories, long personal letters, or journal entries — is a profound influence from my Mom.
I grew up being showered with lots of affection not just limited to warm bear hugs and kisses, but also with words. With words, I just don’t mean sermon or paalala, but also by way of her loving, sentimental letters.
My Mama Ching is so thoughtful. She would give us gifts all year round. And those gifts were always accompanied by the most poignant notes, peppered with “I Love You’s.”
And this tradition has been carried on to this day. Her apo, my six-year-old daughter Antonia, has been receiving gifts with loving notes from her Granny Ching from when she was only a month old. I’ve kept them all in one box, knowing that she will better appreciate the letters from her beloved Granny when she is older.
I’m doing the same thing for my daughter. From the time she was in my womb, I’ve been writing her letters. Now that she can write on her own, she gives me all these “ I Love You Mama” notes with those cute drawings. I’ve kept them all.
Someday, I want her to see all those notes and notes that she made for me when she was a young girl. Someday, I want my daughter to read all those journal entries and scrapbooks I’ve made to chronicle every year of her life. I’m doing the same for my youngest, my only son Nio.
In this day and age of text messages, Twitter, Facebook and e-mails, it makes me sentimental that I continuously receive all these handwritten letters from my Mom. It makes me happy to receive Hallmark cards. Such are my simple joys.
Thank you Mama and I want you to know that all those mean a lot to me.
Iyan ang pamana mo sa akin na habambuhay kong mamahalin.
Ahead of Mother’s Day on May 8, I wrote this for you:
My Dearest Mama,
Our mother–daughter relationship isn’t perfect, as with all other human relationships.
Yet with all those flaws, your love for me is perfect.
Because it is unconditional.
You’ve sacrificed your own happiness many times for us, your children.
You’ve always chosen us above yourself.
Thank you for teaching me to be prayerful.
For teaching me that charity begins at home.
For teaching me to be a fighter. And a survivor.
Forgive me, for my rebel years as a young teen, for my stubbornness as an adult.
Forgive me, for our misunderstandings caused by pride.
Forgive me, for not being able to spend time with you on a daily basis.
And thank you, for giving me so many unforgettable times in my life.
We’ve weathered countless trials together.
Cried hard, laughed hard.
And through it all, we never gave up on each other.
Because of the same blood that runs through our veins.
Nothing can keep us apart.
From the womb to the tomb.
And even in heaven someday.
I love you, my Mama. Happy Mother’s Day.
Your firstborn,
Tintin
At sa lahat pa ng mga dakilang ina, tulad ni Mommy Cena Babao… Thank you, too, Mommy Cena for bringing Julius into this world, and for raising him well into the kind of man that he is today.
Here is Julius’ message for you, Mommy Cena.
My father Romeo Babao passed away recently and his loss had a tremendous impact on our family. But it was more difficult for my mother Cena, who spent most of her life with my papa. His loss was almost unbearable for my mother. But it was also during this difficult time that our bond as a family became stronger.
I admire and love my mother dearly because she has remained strong for us, her sons, daughters and most specially her apos. I once told Boy Abunda that I am who I am because of my father. But I would not be here without the support of my mother. She was the one who persuaded me to work in media. She took care of me when I was young. She did everything to make my life normal and happy despite the hardships of life.
I love you, mommy. Please remain strong for all of us. — Julius