SANA NANDITO PA SI NANAY

Mula pa noong bata ako ay kinalinga at inaruga
Ni inang sadyang walang katumbas ang halaga
Masaya man o malungkot ang aking pagkabata
Kanyang pagmamahal, nakatatak lagi sa gunita.

Dati-rati ay may inang natatakbuhan
 Sa mga oras ng pangangailngan
Subalit ngayong siya ay hindi na kapisan
Unos ng buhay ang hirap nang malampasan.

Kahit pa may kabiyak na sa aki'y nagbibigay ng halaga
May mga oras na hinahanap-hanap ko kanyang pagkalinga
Iba pa rin talaga ang pagmamahal niya
Na hatid sa akin ay galak at ligaya.

Mula noong kami ay kanyang lisanin
Napakahirap tanggapin subali’t kailangang kayanin
Nawa sa kanyang kinaroroonan mabigyan pa rin ng pansin
Nang Panginoong Dios na labis ang pagkamaawain.

Wala na akong nanay na maaring matakbuhan
Lalo na sa ganitong panahon ng kahirapan
Halos tabunan ako ng ga-mundong suliranin sa aking harapan
Kung narito lamang siya disin sana itong hilahil ay dagling maiibsan.

Babalik-balikan ko na lamang sa aking isipan
Ang maliligayang araw na nagdaan
Na minsan ako ay nagkaroon inang kaagapay
Nang sa gayon kahit papano ay mawala itong lumbay.

Tunay ngang walang kapantay ang pagmamahal ng ina
Animo’y dalisay na ginto ang totoong kapara
Kaya sana habang kapiling pa ninyo ang inang sinta
Sa kanya ay iparamdam ang lubos na ligaya.

Happy Mother's Day, Nanay!

HALAGA

Totoo nga ang kasabihan na pag wala na sa buhay mo ang isang tao dun mo lang nakikita ang kanyang kahalagahan...

Lingid sa kaalaman ng karamihan, matamis at masarap ang naging samahan namin ni Ma'am Laurente... Sabay kaming kumakain sa umaga sa library habang wala pa akong klase... Madalas niya akong binibigyan o binabaunan o dili kaya ay binibilhan ng pagkain.

Naalala ko pa, minsan ay nagalit siya sa utility staff namin dahil hindi daw Ko binilhan ng gamot gayong namimilipit na ako sa sakit na aking nararamdaman.

Noong ako ay mahiwalay sa kanya dahil na assigned ako as grade 2 class adviser, sinasadya pa niya akong puntahan sa room ko kapag mayroon siyang gustong i-unload na dala-dala niya sa kanyang dibdib. Ako naman ay labis na natutuwa dahil sa nakikita kong pagpapahalaga niya sa akin at pagtitiwala.

Lagi niya akong ipinagmamalaki kapag may ipinapakilala siya sa akin na kaibigan o kakilala niya na kadalasan naman ay nahihiya ako dahil sa sobrang papuri niya sa akin.
Minsan may mga panahon na nasasaktan din ako sa mga salita niya pero madali niya itong inihihingi sa akin ng paumanhin. Pagpasensiyahan ko na daw siya dahil siguro may edad na siya. Sabi ko naman; "wala po sa akin yun, di po ako nagtatanim ng galit lalo na sa katulad ninyo dahil alam ko ang pagtingin ninyo sa akin." Tapos ay yayakapin niya ako at lalambingin.

Hanggang sa huling araw niya sa paaralan, ipinadama pa rin niya ang pagiging importante ko sa kanya. Aba eh, i- request ba naman na awitin ko ang paborito niyang awaitin ng Abba, "I Have a Dream." Sa totoo lang, gusto ko nga sana tanggihan dahil saobra akong namamaos dahil sa labis na pagsasalita o pagtuturo sa aking mga estudyante... Subalit sa huling sandali, bago ang kanya birthday celebration/retirement bash, nag- desisyon ako na ituloy na lamang dahil ayokong ma disspoint siya o sumama ang loob sa akin lalo't kami ay maghihiwalay na.

Naisip ko na kahit papaano ay maalala niya ako hindi man niya ako matagalan man bago niya ako makita o malamang na baka hindi na... Na minsan ako ay naging bahagi ng kanyang birthday celebration / retirement bash. At alalm kong di na mabubura sa isip niya yun.

Sa totoo lang, mami miss ko talaga si Ma'am Laurente. Ngayon ko lang naramdaman na sa sulok ng aking puso na totoo palang mahal ko ang isa sa aking naging ate sa paaralan.

Nawa ay lagi kayong gabayan ng ating Panginoong Dios kasama ang iyong pamilya at mga mahal sa buhay. 

Muli, Maligayang Kaarawan, Ma'am Laurente!

JUST IGNORE THE CIRCUMSTANCES

I have not been informed that we will have a meeting this afternoon... All I know is we have to dismiss our classes 15 minutes earlier than the usual dismissal time because too many students from other section have been fused into our classes.

I was about to take the passenger jeepney when our clerk (riding the yellow cab) told me that we will have a meeting in the conference hall. I got off from the jeep but unfortunately, I felt dizzy. Perhaps, it was because of the hypertension attack. So instead to go back to our school, I just took the tricycle to get home. 

I feel so exhausted... Although I took my medicine already but have no appetite for my lunch. I would rather take a nap instead...

What happened today? I just ignore it! But there is always one thing in my mind... Do I belong?


Photo by: searchpp.com

LUNGKOT, PAG-AALALA AT PAGTITIWALA

Sobrang nakaramdam ako ng pagkalungkot ngayon... Mabuti pa hindi ko na lang tinanggal lahat ng laman ng backpack ni Yam upang iligpit na sana dahil hindi na gagamitin ang mga ito... Tila pamamaalam na rin sa kanyang elementary and high school days na naging malaking bahagi ng buhay naming lahat lalo na ng aming anak. 

Bagama't papasok pa naman siya sa kolehiyo bilang panibagong yugto ng kanyang buhay, iba pa rin ang 'tender years' na nagdaan. Bumabalik sa aking alaala noong grader pa siya. Nag-resign ako sa trabaho noo at nag full time ako sa kanya para lamang masubaybayan ko siya. Ang asawa ko ay nag-aabsent sa office para lamang mag attend ng mga activities ni Yam sa school. Maraming hirap at pagtitiis ngunit marami rin namang kasiyahan at kagalakan na kaakibat na talagang hindi ko na makakalimutan kailanman. Ayoko nang isipin… Tapos na ang labing-dalawang taong singkad.

Ngayon ay tinitingnan ko ang aking anak sa kanyang pagkakahiga sa kama… Naisip ko lang, ano kayang kapalaran ang naghihintay sa kanya? Panibagong pakikipagbaka sa kolehiyo na harinawang maging matagumpay na matapos niya ito. Ang mas higit ko lang ikinababahala ay ano kaya ang kanyang magiging buhay pagkatapos ng kolehiyo?

Alam kong hindi niya kayang sumabay sa agos ng buhay na mag-isa. Naisip ko, sana naging batang musmos na lamang ang aming anak habang buhay at nang sa gayon ang kanyang mundo ay umiikot na sa mga payak na bagay lamang. Ngunit anuman ang mangyari, hinding-hindi naming siya pababayaang mag-isa. Kung kailangang pati kami ay gumamit ng ‘sagwan’ o ‘boat paddle’ upang makasunod lamang siya sa agos ng buhay sa mundong ito ay aming gagawin. 

May Diyos na nakaagapay sa kanya at naniniwala ako na may nakalaang magandang bukas ang Ama para sa aming pinakamamahal na si Yam.

YAM'S NEXT PHASE OF LIFE

The days went so fast! It seems that only yesterday when our precious child, Yam was born. But when I look at him now, he is taller than me. For us as his parents, he is more than enough even he has a developmental disability. As we raise him, he raises us as well. As his parents, we have learned many things from him. He had taught us many things as we have watched him grow. We have seen his quiet kindness to others and animals, and most especially his love to our God. 

We still remember what his teachers in grade school have told us. They remarked about his concern for the feelings of his classmates. Even he is a child with special needs he attracted friends throughout the years of his school days. He loved and understood by his classmates, friends, educational coaches and teachers.

When he was a small boy, I used to remember that there were times when I am mad, he kept on telling me, “Mommy, you’re face is like an eagle.” It was because the parts of my eyebrows which are aligned with the center of the nostrils meet. And when I am sad, he used to remind me to smile. This does mean that he didn’t like me to feel bad instead he taught me how to find joy. He has a gift of turning the dull and boring moments into excitement and amusement that give us a constant sources of delight and truly lightens our days. He taught us to relax and not to take everything seriously. On his simple way of expressing his feelings, we must be a happy family.

Yam brought us pride and honor throughout his tender years in school. He bears high intelligence and a very sharp memory. Despite his disability, he did his best to gain knowledge. He proved that he can be able to do what others can do. There are times he excels in the class with his regular classmates. He is a consistent “achievement awardee” from grade one to fourth year in high school. He usually won either first place or second place in several contests in school such as in Photography, Flag Making, Pagbigkas ng Tula, and also Best in Costumes during the United Nations Celebration and some others through the years. I can still remember, he won the first place in spelling competition for three (3) consecutive years when he was in grade school and still, a second place winner in high school every year.

Those good school days (grade school and high school) are gone. It is because yesterday was his graduation day. When I accompanied him to the stage to receive his certificate and medals, it was really hard holding back my tears as saying to myself, “This is it, Lord God.” It might be tears of mixed emotions --- tears of sadness because it is about time for our child to bid goodbye to his classmates and teachers, and to all the things that we do in routine; tears of joy, because we are so worried but excited for him to embrace a next phase of his life. 

I really can’t imagine that my dear Yam is done in high school. But another journey of life waits for him. This is the college life which we do not know if he could be able to be more competent with his classmates. He may needs some adjustments with different people, different teachers and different environment. To recognize the path that he will be going through, we as his parents will continuously support him to achieve his dream. It is to become a great Photographer or a successful Computer Engineer. We will keep on praying for him as he moves forward into a new world. No choice but to face it with God’s love and guidance.

Yam, whatever you do and wherever you go, we will be always here beside you... We are so grateful for God gave you to us… You are so precious and I am 100% sure that you are so special in the sight of our God Almighty.  

CONGRATULATIONS, OUR DEAR SON!