All I Need to Learn About LOVE, I Learned from My MOM

In honor of my mom and all the moms who inspire me to be a mom, too, when I grow up :)

My mom is the quiet, shy type. She loves staying in the house. And she loves it more when we stay in the house with her. Though she always has something to say, seldom do I remember my mom forcing her piece of mind on things that are happening in our lives or imposing her decisions on us. But still, she is the most influential person in my life. From her, I’ve been learning the most essential things about LOVE:

• She is happiest when we appreciate the food she prepares for us. When I stay around or come home from long travels, she cooks my favorite food. To love is to make the people you love happy.

• She gets up very early in the morning to make sure things are in order at home. To love is to serve those you love and to do it with enthusiasm.

• We (her four children) are sometimes (maybe often?) unreasonable, demanding, disobedient and unkind. She has seen us at our worst but she loves us the best. To love is to overlook offense and still choose to love over and over and over and over. It is unconditional.

• I saw and felt my mom’s pain during a trying time in my parents’ marriage. I’ve listened to her hurts and wondered if I could ever bear something like that as graciously as she did. But when I see my dad and mom now, it’s as if she has never been hurt. To love is to forgive, forget and be generous with second chances.

• When I am sick, afraid, sad or at my low point, she is most worried. She sleeps beside me and comforts me. Nothing beats a mom’s tender love and care. To love is to give the gift of your presence and care to those who need it.

• When we say or do something that touches my mom’s heart, she isn’t afraid to show us her tears of joy and to tell us how much she appreciates us. To love is to be vulnerable and to open your heart to receive love, as well.

• Each year that she celebrates her birthday, her birthday prayers are always for her children.To love is to think about the welfare of those you love above your own desires for yourself.

• I haven’t experienced giving birth yet (I hope I’ll also have that blessing when I grow up!) but I heard of countless stories about how painful it is! I’ll forever be grateful for my mom for enduring the difficulties of child-bearing, the pain of child-birth, and the challenges of raising me up so I could see the beauty of the world and experience the love of God. To love is to know it can be painful but taking the risk anyway so you can give life and let others experience God’s love.

I thank God for my mom and for giving her to me as my life-and-love-coach! My mom doesn’t have a Facebook account. She never goes online. I know she would also prefer reading something in Tagalog. So I took the time to read this to her and explain some parts a bit more. First paragraph pa lang, naiyak na kaming dalawa. 


I love her but I know I could not outgive her in love.

To all my mom-friends and the moms of my dear friends, thank you for showing us what unconditional love means. You are wonderful beyond words! 


Happy Mother’s Day! :)