Pusong Ina

"Hello baby ko, Happy Birthday! Kumusta ka na? Miss na kita..."

The instant my niece heard my voice she sobbed and replied,

"Hello Mumsy, mabait po ako tsaka pasok na ako ng school. Marunong na po ako sumulat tsaka bumasa."

"Wow! Talaga?! Galing naman ng baby ko!"

I nearly cried just hearing her progress. In my heart I felt this pride and joy... Mae and my other nieces and nephews are like my own children. And to them, I am their second mother. Since they were still babies, I was one of those who took care of them. Bathing them, nursing (bottle-feeding) them, changing their diapers, and sings and rocks them as they fall into sleep. As they became toddlers, I stand by them while they were learning how to walk and babble. I play with them and teach them some values in life. Whenever they are hurt, I too get hurt. Whenever they do something wrong, I talk to them and tell them that what they did was wrong. In short, they grew up with me around them, to support and to guide them. Kulang na lang talaga iluwal ko sila...

Contrary to what others percieve me, I am not that much of a party animal. I prioritize my "children" above all these gimmicks. My friends teases me that I am practicing motherhood at a very early age. Well, I'm not. It just so happened that my nieces and nephews stayed in our house from time to time. And you don't have to learn being a parent, there's this instinct to be one. Sa totoo lang, ayoko ng merong isang buhay na naka-depende sa akin... But once it's there, it's there. You can do nothing about it.

After talking to my little girl, I talked to my Aunt (the one who raised me, heheh, maybe it runs in the family that an aunt will raise her nieces and nephews!) and learned that Mae always cry whenever she sees my pictures because she misses me that much. Syet! Haba na naman ng buhok ng lola nyo! That Mae would always ask when will her "Mumsy" be back home. I felt this pang in my heart. I missed my children too.

Have I really been that wonderful of a foster mom to be missed like that? I asked myself afterwards. And then I reminisced... It seemed like I can hear them calling me "Naynay!" and "Mumsy!"... I have to stop, baka bumaha dito, wala pa namang timba o tabo...


x's: sinulat ko ito nang wala sa sariling wisyo...