There have been times when I wanted to return the life she gave me. But not today, especially not today.
Because I am geographically apart from her this summer, I've grown to appreciate the woman who had born eight of us (me, Embeng, Junic, Dennis, Suzy, Pinky, Eric and Gigi) and lived to see us more or less settled.
I like that she has recently allowed her hair to turn a dignified gray after decades of having it colored a shade of brunette and teased and sprayed it to stay in place, that her grandchildren look up to her and find her admirable in ways I found hard to do throughout most of my adolescence and adulthood, that she checks on her kids out of motherly concern even if we're past the age of 50, even if I admonish her not to "infantilize" us, that she generally has a spring to her step, is healthy and can sometimes challenge the heavens by munching the occasional chicharon, that she still makes the best morcon, and so on.
So today, Mommy, I will cease firing and offer you a heart and gut full of thanks for just being around.
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| Typical Nene Lolarga pose of making mando (taking charge). Taken at an Easter egg hunt in Baguio, April 2012. Photo courtesy of Ruth Terania |
Because I am geographically apart from her this summer, I've grown to appreciate the woman who had born eight of us (me, Embeng, Junic, Dennis, Suzy, Pinky, Eric and Gigi) and lived to see us more or less settled.
I like that she has recently allowed her hair to turn a dignified gray after decades of having it colored a shade of brunette and teased and sprayed it to stay in place, that her grandchildren look up to her and find her admirable in ways I found hard to do throughout most of my adolescence and adulthood, that she checks on her kids out of motherly concern even if we're past the age of 50, even if I admonish her not to "infantilize" us, that she generally has a spring to her step, is healthy and can sometimes challenge the heavens by munching the occasional chicharon, that she still makes the best morcon, and so on.
So today, Mommy, I will cease firing and offer you a heart and gut full of thanks for just being around.
 |
| Family matriarch Gliceria "Nene" Lolarga (Mommy Lolarga to her younger friends, including the neighborhood security guards) with her children Suzy, Eric, Gigi and Embeng at the February 2013 nuptials of grandchildren Paolo and Jaja Susi. Photo courtesy of Ruth Terania |
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