UNMASKED: Hurdles, Hardwork and Success

Mommy, together with my eldest son on his graduation

It's the enrollment season again. A few more days unveil a new academic year, and that means I will be swamped for the next months as a mom and an employee since I started working in the educational sector. I recall my mom, during our enrollment season, was busy going to and fro to our school, paying tuition, wrapping our books and notebooks, preparing our uniform, and needed school materials. Upon recollecting everything she did, I can't imagine how she could afford to send the four of us to a private school and provide all our needs back then. Having to recall all the material things she provided us, especially for our schools' needs, I suddenly felt grateful for all of it. 

As I contemplate whom to interview for the UNMASKED: The Comco Mundo Write To Ignite Season 3, I thought of my mom. After all, she deserves this spot and the need for me to share her story of how she inspired me to be who I am today. 

BEING IN A MARGINALIZED FAMILY

Growing up, I had a slight sense of entitlement mainly because my aunts instilled in me that my family were professionals and that we belonged to a wealthy family in our town. I once asked my mom to buy us a family computer because it was the thing when we were kids; she never did and explained later on why she doesn't give in to all our wants. 

Mommy with her grandchildren

Back then, I didn't know the value of money, material things, and how one earns money to provide for the family. My mom, the youngest among her nine siblings, had a hard time growing up. At an early age her father died when she was only five. She basically finished her studies with the help of her older siblings. She didn't have a chance to buy a new set of uniforms throughout her student life, and all her uniforms were hand-me-downs. She never had a new bag, notebooks, or even books.

My mom was the first person I knew that being poor is not a hindrance to success. Whenever she was out of money for her tuition, allowance, and expenses, she always reminded herself that her situation would not last forever. She would walk to her school whenever she was out of allowance and transportation expenses. She became a working student at 18 years old, juggling her studies and her need to maintain her grades to be in the scholarship program of their university. 

THE CHALLENGES

My mom is a devotee of Our Lady of Penafrancia

Whenever I felt demotivated, my mom always reminded me that my dreams were more significant than my worries and that I was privileged enough to have all the provisions in life. As I recall, when there was an ongoing family feud in our compound, I had to escape from our home quietly because my grandfather was shouting as early as six in the morning, looking for my dad, and that time I wished I was born in a different family. 

My mom was the youngest and the least privileged, but she focused on finishing her studies and acing her exams. She never thought of choosing her parents and never questioned why things happened in her life. She was still grateful that despite all of it, she had siblings who were of help to her.

She would always remind me that whatever circumstances we are in, God has bigger plans for us, and those plans never fail us, just like her. Her challenges prepared her for a more challenging family life. My mom was married to my dad, who had a wealthy reputation in our town. But it wasn't all butterflies and flowers. She had to endure her troublesome father-in-law, which resulted in us moving from one city to another.

In one of the family feuds that happened when I was a teenager, I remember telling my mom, "Why are you still being good to them despite what they are doing to you?" She replied, "Not all of this will last forever." She was correct; it never did. 

For the many times that I wanted to give up in our home, my demotivation in my studies, and all the problems that seemed to find our way, she would always say, "Pray, discern, and keep your faith." 

THE OPPORTUNITY

Having to know my mom's struggles during her student life, I began to be more mindful of everything I do. She didn't pressure us to be on our school's honor roll, but she reminded us not to have failing grades. When I had low scores in my quarterly exams, she would push me to study hard and always give my best in everything. Our school had so many extra-curricular activities. It included educational tours, sports activities, and foundation activities. None of these activities, my dad, approved. I would cry to my mom to allow us to join the activities because it made me happy, and I finally found something I was good at. My mom had to reason with my dad. She simultaneously reminded us that she wanted us to join all our school activities because she never get to experience joining because of money constraints. She only experienced being on stage during award ceremonies. 

When I passed the nursing board, I was ready to get a job and hospital experience to fly out of the country and work there for good. But the thought of it was so easy to do, but I didn't know that landing my first job was the hardest. 

My mom, on the other hand, had it the hard way. She was a working student in one of the government office in our town, and when she passed the engineering board, she thought she could get promoted. Due to politics and other reasons, she was transferred from one remote office to another. But despite the roller coaster of events in her career, it taught her perseverance. Through the years, she was promoted to the second-highest position in the office until she retired. 

When I struggled with my career, she reminded me to pray for divine intervention, always be positive, and work hard for my beliefs. Now, I can firmly say that everything I am now I owe to my mom. Without her and her guidance, I would never be this strong-willed, persistent, and emotionally strong. 

"I am strong because a strong woman raised me."

This is an entry to COMCO Mundo's "UNMASKED: The Comco Mundo Write To Ignite Season 3." The initiative aims to pull and collate powerful stories from the Philippine blogging communities. "UNMASKED" aims to explore how each mask is a person brimming with hope and wonders to share with others, as well as why it is important to tell their inspiring journeys in life. The "Write to ignite" Season 3 is made possible by COMCO Mundo League of Enterprises, with airasia, Babyflo, PHILUSA Corporation, Century Tuna, Licealiz, Lamoiyan Corporation, Remy Martin and Uratex Monoblock as partners.