Nowhere was the maternal instinct of women more pronounced than when I got married to my dearest wife Gie, and lost 3 of our babies through miscarriages along the way. Thank God, for the Lord God still blessed us with 2 children-- Osbert and Claire-Voe, who were born full terms, and delivered by Dr. Landers and the assisting nurse, through natural childbirth by Gie, who endured 12 hours of labor pains combined, without taking any epidurals.
I was there, and knew how difficult that was, so I never complain when I see our children closer to their Mom than me. I know that they love me as their Dad, and not just a sperm donor, who worked two jobs in order that I could afford to send them to private preschools, middle & high schools, and the top universities of Georgetown & Northeastern, without any scholarships, and graduating with no debts; hence, I don't get jealous when they are more giving and affectionate to their Mom than Dad, because I felt the same way towards Mama & Papa. After all, Gie carried them in her tummy, and fed them with her own blood for nine months, as their mother.
That is why I feel sorry for being disobedient and not listening to Mama when I was in elementary, high school, and college. Praise God! because I made it up to her and Papa by supporting them materially when I got my first teaching job, or came to the United States, until they passed on; but most especially after Papa died, by visiting Mama in the Philippines every year for 11 years, or lighting a candle on her grave with Papa afterwards.
Up to now, her memory is still vivid in my mind, like when she used to call, remind, and pray for me and my siblings in the US when she was still alive. She even came to America with Papa, and helped us babysit Osbert and Claire-Voe before they started preschool. She taught them how to pray, sing the alphabet, watch Geography and Animal Kingdom on TV, and to love each other all the time.
Not only did Mama and Papa got along very well with their daughter-in-law Gie, but we also kept bribing and showering them with money and gifts, or eating and taking them out for sightseeing, and going to parties, in order to keep them in the US instead of going back to the Philippines, because they made our domestic and family life so easy for us. By the time Gie and I got home tired from work, our children were fine, the house was clean, and dinner was ready. In return, we showed our love and appreciation to them by making sure that they're happy, and not aggravating them with any of our financial and work-related problems, because they had done enough actually by raising four children of their own, and still babysitting their two grandchildren. In other words, they already helped us a lot, especially Mama, who never stopped praying for us while she was still alive, or already in Heaven.
And even when Papa was mobile and strong before his first heart attack, and while enjoying his retirement with Mama in the Philippines, we never bothered them with our personal or family problems, and made sure that they were comfortable financially and happy in their home when we called them long distance on the telephone, wrote them letters or sent them birthday and Christmas cards via air mail every year, and told them about how smart and good were their grandchildren with us, namely Osbert and Claire-Voe, because it did only make them joyous and proud (particularly when Osbert brought and showed his Georgetown college diploma to Mama-- her first, while she was in her hospital bed, and two years before she died,) but it gave us satisfaction as well.
I know that Mama & Papa will never stop loving us, the way we showed our love for them in return. With God's help, I also was able to fulfill all my promises to Mama while she was still alive, both materially and spiritually after Papa died, instead of relying on my own siblings who have their own lives.
As usual, Mama and Papa will always be looking down at all of their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren; and Mama will continue praying her favorite prayer, the Holy Rosary, just like what she always did according to her (and we believed her because praying was what kept her Faith in God so strong, even when she was dying,) just like after we closed the door behind us and left her for college, work, or the USA, she kept asking the intercession of our Blessed Mother Mary, who is closer to her now in Heaven, to watch over us here on earth, because Mama Mary is no stranger to pain and suffering herself, as a devoted mother to her Son Jesus Christ.
TO BE CONTINUED...
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