For Mom

It has been more than a year since I last hugged you tight, and it was when we sent you to the departure area of Ninoy Aquino International Airport. You have been working abroad for five years now, the first three years spent in Tokyo and the next years in London.

I believe you really deserve to be called “Bagong Bayani”, working your body out on a foreign land, sacrificing the time you can instead spend with us in search for the so-called greener pastures we can not find here.

Mom, it has always been sad for me to spend birthdays without you to sing the birthday song to me. You’ll never know how sad it is to just hear your voice over the phone to congratulate me on my achievements. I know we cannot hug photographs and we cannot actually kiss you when we chat over the internet but, sadly, they are all we’ve got.

I know it’s always hard on your part to spend years on a foreign land on your own, taking care of people not related to you. Mom, you have always been the one to sacrifice, and you’ll never know how lucky I am to be your daughter.

Even before you worked abroad, I have always seen you as a hero. You are my personal hero, mom, not even a thousand wonder women could replace you. I do not need to show other proof; the fact that you gave me life is enough.

I love you mom. And I miss you so much.*