Celebrating Mom: From Childhood Chaos to Lifelong Love

My mom once told me about what she had to put up with when I was a toddler: a mischievous, hyperactive kid, always looking for something to do. One day, she fell asleep while I was in a baby walker and woke up to find me dragging myself to a nearby table and grabbing a bucket of cold water. Based on what she could recall, I went sliding with the baby walker and splashed water everywhere as if it were a summer break party. My mom cleaned up the mess afterward.

Fast forward many years later, and I am an adult now. All the mischief and shenanigans from my early childhood have now evaporated into precious memories, reminisced upon from time to time. While I may seem overly independent to most people, I never do in my mom’s eyes. She still considers me so small, so delicate. I often let her clean up my messes because I’m still so dependent on her. 

I hope I don’t sound biased when I say this, but my mom is one of the most beautiful, strong women I have ever known. She dedicates her life to both of her daughters. She often says she is not hungry just so we can have the best part of everything. Her ears are always ready to listen—she is anxious when we are anxious. Even when life is not always easy on her, she always turns lemons into lemonade. She is that person.

My mom and I have had our share of fights. We have had some mutual disagreements over the years. In the end, however, I always come back to her because she is the one I can call home. She is the one I travel 60 kilometers every weekend just to see and chat with. Most importantly, she is the one I know I can always talk to, even when I am being annoying.

“You could never disturb me,” my mom convinces me. She even goes as far as to compare herself to a ‘bin’ where I throw all of my stories, whether frustrating or exciting. She tries hard not to laugh when I cry over some silly, ridiculous things and jokes about my workmates to lighten a harsh situation. Just like in primary school, when the art teacher asked us to bring something complicated the day before and my mom went back and forth in the evening to get the required things, she still happily goes to great lengths to buy something good for me and my sister.

Mom, I realize that I am far from perfect, but I hope you will be happy and healthy forever, and that I can contribute to that. I pray to God that you will always be blessed and that all the good you are doing will come to fruition soon.

Happy, happy birthday, Mom. You are the best anyone could ask for.