God, I miss her so much! Luckily, I can remember many things about her through child eyes. She was always teaching me how to present myself in the best light through grooming, manners and behavior. Just because you may not have the best things or afford much, didn't mean you couldn't be clean especially under your finger nails, have your hair brushed and clothes mended or ironed not to mention comporting yourself. Guess who lives that now?
My cousin Ida helps me understand her as an adult and not as my mother. Maria (yes, my aunt, her sister, was named the same) was very firm and determined, but with a tender loving heart. She always helped the ones who had a broken wing.
Ida learned a lot from her about taking care of a house and the practicalities of life. Also, how material things are not important, but people! It is the relationships you build with people that are important and being generous of yourself and with what you have are what counts. When you care about people, you need to show them, be there for them, encourage them, learn to forgive them and not to give up on them.
Maria I. Abuda (Abraham) was born the youngest of eight in a little province in the Visayas called Lawa-an located specifically in Eastern Samar. Her parents Leon and Angela were farmers. They nicknamed her Yeying.
She was the only one in her family who graduated with an English teaching degree, but she didn't formally teach through my life in the Philippines. She somehow got a little sidetracked raising little AGOL Sarah not to mention making sure that the other relatives who lived with us had a roof, clothing and food. Mela, as her friends called her, married twice. It's funny. People still talk about her and remember her well in old circles.
And the one thing my mother taught me was to always be thankful for what you have. Life on earth is not free, only the love you give others is free. Thanks, Mom.
No comments:
Post a Comment