Who did that my father asked, as he looked at the garden plant sculpted into a disastrous artwork. My brothers all answered, "James did!" My father gave a hearty laugh. Well, I was inspired by the Edward Scissorshand Movie. So, I landscaped the family garden. At least one plant. I sculpted it in such a way that there was a cave and the rest was like a balloon. I had fun and my father thought it was funny.
Back when I was in third year high school, early in the morning, I received a long distance phone call from our eldest and she told me that my father and mother's flight was in mid-morning, when I looked for our second eldest brother I found out he had other matters to attend to then I said to myself, "Oh, no, who will fetch my parents from the airport," I was too young to drive and I did not even have a learner's permit yet.
By now you would have noticed that when I write about my mother, my father is always attached to the story.
It is because they were always together.
Anyway, what I did to solve the problem was I went to the city center and went to the rent-a-car plaza without money and went to the airport. When my father and mother saw just me. My father asked, "Son, how did you get here?"
I told dear old Pops. "Well, Pa, I rented a car but you will have to pay for it though." Then, he smiled and gave a hearty laugh.
My older brother was so proud of me when my parents told him how they got home from the airport.
On my 13th birthday my mother and my father gave me an aquarium. I was elated. My mother probably remembered when I was in an accident when I was younger after being unconscious for hours, when I came to all I did was stare at the aquarium at the doctor's clinic.
My cousins from Manila the next summer noticed the baby fish and the guppies, the angelfish and others. They would always remember that aquarium.
It was easy to take care of the fishes. It was a fairly medium-sized-aquarium, so, easy to clean too.
The fish were easy to feed and they surprisingly multiplied, hence, the mention of the baby fish.
Our mother also made us wear the same polo shirts for the Sunday mass.
And, she always would tell me and Noel that we are her twin sons. She wanted twins and we are the next best alternatives. We are the two Jameses. Jaime Hermenegildo and Jaime Noel.
When my mother heard me sing with a tremolo she laughed and it made her day.
My older brother would always tell my mother that Noel and I were being spoiled rotten. Our mother would say, "hayaan mo nga or to say it in English would be just let me be."
Noel and I got the best toys. Noel got a spiffy gun that looked so real and a red jacket that he always wore during grade school.
In second year high school my grades were pretty good, she was happy.
In third year high school my grades were bad, she felt disappointed.
In college when I went home and got a perfect score in my Spanish test she was so happy and she even made me recite the test.
Funny I still remember item number one which goes. Si como mucho chocolate engordare.
The small wonders of the moments that I had the honor to spend with Mama; the many lessons she taught me; how to play the piano, and how to say, "thank you, sorry and I love you," and many myriad lessons that I now practice in my adult life.
She died early. But, the memories that I have about her are indelible in my mind, heart, and soul.
I only have to think about them and like a ship I see the light from the lighthouse and I am anchored safely by the shore.
On mother's day, I think about her. How special she is... my being the man that I have grown to become, a part of my character together with my father and siblings. How blessed am I? To have such a wonderful mother.
I would not be where I am now if not for her. She told me, "Son, I don't really care about the awards you have achieved, I just care that you are alive and you are breathing."
So,
I end with....... enjoy life and just breathe!
Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers in the world both living and who are in heaven looking with eyes of love over us from up above!
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