Mother's Day...

Today is a very special day for we celebrate the women to whom we owe our lives. We celebrate our mothers! :) I don't really know how and where the idea of having a Mother's Day started, but I really like the idea. Sure, it has become another grand day for the capitalists and all, but, it's still the day that honors the most important women in our lives!

I feel so proud and lucky to be my mom's daughter. She's the kind of mom that transforms the world into an ocean of colorful and golden rainbows. In the book of my life, pages upon pages are filled with beautiful stories, great thoughts and pink dreams because of her mere existence and presence. Her love for us, her children, is so unconditional and so true it makes me cry and smile at the same time. She may drive me nuts at times; that makes our bond stronger. I can go on and on about my mom, but words are just not enough to capture how I feel about her.

Today, I would also like to honor my two grandmothers for to them I owe the wonderful persons that are my parents and the love that only grandmothers can give. When I was little, I remember calling my maternal grandmother "Ina a Maito" (Small Mother) and my paternal grandmother "Ina a Mala" (Big Mother).

Ina a Maito died when I was only four years old, but I can still remember her clearly. She was the sweetest soul ever. Memories of her are some of the fondest I have in my life. It was from her that I got my love for animals/pets. She would always adopt stray cats. And, we had goats, chickens and dogs. It was from her that I learned how animals also have feelings and need to be treated nicely. I will always remember how she told me that I was a princess, like all other little girls, and that I owned all the birds in the world. She would always tell me that whenever I saw a flock of birds flying together, that meant they were saying "I love you" to me. Up to this day, whenever I see a flock of birds flying together, I still say "I love you, too." And, I know that somewhere Ina a Maito is smiling. :)

Ina a Mala is the only living "direct" grandparent that I have today. She is in her late 80s. She's the most lovable woman you could ever meet. Whenever I see her, I'd always feel the urge to give her the biggest bear hug in the world. She's the perfect example of a "Miss Prim and Proper" or "Miss Good Manners and Etiquette"! It was really from her that I got my love for "the written word". Whenever she came for a visit, she would always have with her some paperbacks (about a dozen) and she'd devour them like there was no tomorrow. When I was in Grade School, I would always tell myself that I wanted to be just like that. I wished I could read as fast as she could and I loved lying next to her reading my own books while she read hers. I learned a lot just observing her. I'm still wishing I could be more like her. :)

I'd like to share an article I wrote about her some two years ago.


A Real Life Superwoman*

“Behind every man’s success is a woman.” This is one cliché so famous and so true. “Behind a man’s failure is a woman.” Well…

These are but two of so many sayings on women’s power, or what is in this age known as “GIRL POWER!” Whether it be mentally, intellectually, and even physically, what a man can do, a woman can do. And even better!

There is one woman who exemplified such power. At a time when not many people knew and understood that women could think for themselves, and at a society, such as hers, where women were just confined in the home to do domestic chores while men did all the important things, decision-making, and talking.

To people from different or other races, this woman is probably unknown. But, to her people, she is one unforgettable lady. Nothing much has been written about her but she absolutely deserves to be written about or at least featured.

She lived in a time when western education was frowned upon, especially by her people. They thought that if their children went to school, the poor young souls were bound to forget their roots and faith. She lived in such a society that was so conservative. During her childhood, a boy was lucky to go to school. And as for girls, well that’s another story. A girl in her community would not even be allowed to touch the schoolhouse with a ten-foot pole. But she was just different from others. Young as she was, her being extraordinarily strong-willed was quite evident.

Despite the older people’s warnings, she really wanted to go to school and learn the wonders of the sciences, languages, numbers, history, and others. She wanted to explore the wonderful world of literature. Her determination in her quest for knowledge made her sneak out of the house and go with her mentor who, by that time, saw great potential in the young girl. This started her education.

Being always one of the top students of her class made her want to strive all the more. And yes, she did strive more and in no time finished high school. Seeing that nothing could stop their headstrong daughter from getting the education she wanted, her parents allowed her to go to Manila for college. By then, younger girls were beginning to be allowed by their parents to enter school.

She went to the Philippine Normal College (now the Philippine Normal University) and took up Bachelor of Education. Again proving her merits, she would always end up winning awards and prizes that ranged from being one of the top students to being the “girl with the tidiest bed” in the dormitory. Not surprisingly, she finished her degree and went home triumphantly. Thus, she became the very first female among her people to ever complete or finish college and obtain a degree.

Many of her people then were convinced that it was, after all, all right to send their children to school, even girls for that matter. It was all right to be educated the western way, thus, producing many a great and powerful women in later years.

This woman started it all. At a time when only male children were given the opportunity to do things such as go to school among others, she went out of her way to make a difference. She showed her people that a woman could make it and even do well.

In a society made up mostly of close-minded people and dominated by men, this extraordinary woman showed courage, strength and made plain the woman’s determination. She showed what “GIRL POWER” really was!

She brought her education home and shared it with her people. She became a well-loved teacher, a respected superintendent. She led a great and very active life. With all her children educated, successful and happy, she now enjoys a retired life at 87 years old. This woman I am so proud to call “Ina” or grandmother. The woman I am so proud to be named after. Ditma Onayan – Macarambon, that’s her name. The pioneer and the pride of Maranao women. Our very own Superwoman!

__
*published in the Bangsamoro Site