Mother dear

Ric Maulion .

THIS is an early tribute but it’s better to have one than relegating your impression of your mother in the sidelines. Yes, indeed you can have as many loves as you like but there is no way they can satisfy you more than what your mother’s love nurtures and gives.

I recently had my vacation at Odiongan, Tablas, Romblon, the land of my birth . The mission is to volunteer and be on alalay mode to my 88-year-old mother. It was summer and the heat  was excruciatingly biting. It was the Holy Week, too, a fitting tribute.

She said ot could be last ditch effort to stretch her time in this world. She said, “Please, don’t forget to fix and get back our small farm in Dulom.”

The land was arrogated by a relative to herself.

“Never did I sell it to her,” said my mother, adding that “they” could not show her name affixed in any deed of sale. 

“I will,” I said with reservations.

The eldest son of our relative kept the property away from her for many decades as if their “ownership” of the farm is stamped with finality!

My mother is still her old self albeit time is clearly catching up with her. Vibrant, jolly and highly energized despite her age, she has been this way most of the time. She treats everyone with respect. A friend confided: “She always emotes good vibes; she is happiness personified.” 

She even gave her share from property sold at Tumingad to her apo to salvage her losing business. Her generosity towards her tenants in the farm has been literally epic. That they are still staying and helping her in various household chores from fetching water, sweeping of surroundings, washing clothes, are a testament of their respect towards her (actually, with a corresponding compensation.) 

I saw her once counting coins amounting to P250 to give her tenant who was sweeping falling leaves. He could have done it pro bono since he is staying there. But it’s her way of helping people in her farm. Of course, her two sons got the most of it.

“I saw her even bringing bread and coffee, and offering them at the tomb of uncle Leoncio,” said Lew, my niece who works at the DPWH in Romblon.  It wasn’t an isolated impression.

She begged me to bring her back home before November just in case I decided to bring her to Cagayan de Oro. She didn’t want to miss visiting her youngest son, her avid companion in Dulom, who went ahead last year.

Similarly, I got most of her love and care. Whenever I’m vacationing there, she always keeps showering me with her motherly care. The last one was more meaningful because she was not feeling well. Despite that, she extended her warmth, knowing it might be her last effort to show her love for her “prodigal son” from Mindanao.

Her face shows that she has been dependent of maintenance medicine. I know that she she in her “pre-departure” stage and it belies her energy. She finally begged me return as soon as possible because she didn’t want it to be our last to be together.

“I’m done and I would like to have my final rest!” she said, repeatedly.

At first I didn’t take it seriously but my eyes became teary the moment her words sank and made me realize that this is reality. I’m back in Cagayan de Oro, my second home and practically, my spirit has been wandering in suspended animation. But come to think of it, it’s not bad given the 20 long years of extension given by God to her.

Writing this is more than returning the compliment to her.

I have been advised by a friend to be ready to let her go in her journey back home, and that I should  ask her forgiveness for whatever discomfort that I might have caused her. Knowing my mother, however, it’s okay because she doesn’t keep ill-will and animosities. That’s her nature.

Life is only given once. Once is already enough as long as you have lived it rightly for others. This  seems to be the summary of my mother’s beautiful journey!