10 Things I Learned From Being Raised By A Strong Mother
1. Value your independence
Growing up, my mom would always tell me to focus on my studies so I could get a decent job with decent pay. If I make my own money, I can buy my own clothes, pay my own bills, feed my own mouth and not depend on any man to cloth and give a roof over my body. She’s the definition of the famous Destiny’s Child song “Independent Woman”: the shoes on her feet, the clothes she’s wearing, the watch on her wrist, she bought it all.
“I learned that I don’t need a man to buy me my favorite things.”
2. The world is cruel but you’re a motherfucking woman
I’d never forget this one “survival guide” my mom taught me as a kid. I grew up in a small town where the public transportation is a small pedal-operated vehicle called a pedicab. By the time I was old enough to know the directions from our house to my school and vice versa, she allowed me to commute alone. But she never failed to remind me that if I can see that the direction the driver is taking is not the way back home or to school, I should jump straight out of the pedicab. No matter if it’s still running. A few scratches will heal. But a broken soul won’t.
“I learned that bad things happen but girls should never cower behind a male specie.”
3. Love doesn’t have to be perfect
My parents’ relationship was not the greatest love story of all time. It wasn’t a whirlwind romance nor a fairy tale. Not the hearts and flowers type or candlelit dinners. It wasn’t something worth envying but just like what Patty in the movie Starting Over Again said, their love was quiet and boring but it was sure. Especially with how my dad was sick for half of their marriage years. She wasn’t a single mother but she had to take over the role of both the father and mother in this family. My mom had to take care of him aside from taking care of her kids. Now, I’m pretty sure it’s possible to work 18 hours a day (or even more). She has a regular 8-5 work and outside of that work hours, she has a sick husband and two kids to attend to. She had to do the budgeting, the cleaning, the cooking, the grocery shopping, and whatever else parents need to do for their family. She had to be the first to hear the bad news and be the bearer of it. She has to be exhausted with all these never-ending problems. One would be tempted to run away. But she didn’t. I guess that’s what it means when they say ‘in sickness and in health’. If that isn’t love then I don’t know what is.
“I learned how big a mother’s heart is and her love is unconditional.”
4. A woman can be strong and soft at the same time
I’ve read somewhere that strong mothers are usually very sensitive but they just do a better job of hiding it. I’ve always known my mom is strong. She laughs out her problems and always finds ways to fix things. I never saw her cry. Not until that night in my hospital room. I was screaming and crying in pain then she suddenly hugged me and cried with me. I realized that night that no matter how tough she acts, she’s in pain when her family’s in pain, she’s troubled when she doesn’t hear or see us at night and she’ll never stop worrying about us no matter how old we get because of the simple reason that she is a mother.
“I learned that crying is not a form of weakness.”
5. There’s nothing wrong with being “opinionated”
It’s not easy being a woman. Your opinions will be discounted, your achievements will be overlooked. But you just have to keep going because there’ll come a day that people will listen and look up to you. It doesn’t matter if they call you ambitious, at least you have a standard.
“I learned to confidently speak my mind even if not everyone will agree, and that’s okay.”
6. Not all battles are meant to be fought
Sometimes, they are meant to be prayed for. There was a framed portrait of the famous “Footprints in the Sand” in our old house. She would share with us the moral of the story and remind us that when the going gets tough and our faith is crumbling down, that’s when we should hold unto Him more. We’re never alone. He fights alongside us. He’ll never abandon us. When life gets too hard to go on, we can let our guard down and let Jesus take the wheel. Let him lead the way. For those people who are close to our family and know what we went through, they would often ask her “how” and she’d always reply “just prayers”.
“I learned that prayer is the strongest weapon against all odds.”
7. Always look for the silver lining
My mother deals with life’s frustrations and devastations mostly by keeping busy, not analyzing too much, letting God do His will, and helping the truly disadvantaged when she can. She doesn’t let any shit get her down. When things go haywire and no amount of glue stick or carpentry and stuff can fix it, she’ll just say “Okay, maybe God has a reason”. After all, it’s impossible to live life without any missteps.
“I learned to always look for the brighter side of life.”
8. Patience is indeed a virtue
Never rush things. Whenever we want something, she’d tell us to pray for it. If it’s meant for us, God will always provide. If it’s not, then He always has a better plan. Everything that happens in life will lead us somewhere even if it’s nothing we ever wished for because that’s God’s plan.
“I learned to be patient with life, timing, success, and problems.”
9. Don’t let other people run your life
I’m a people-pleaser and I tend to always play the role they want me to act. So, my mom would always, always have to remind me that it’s impossible to please everybody. That no matter what you do, they will always have something negative to say about you. And it’s okay. They’re entitled to their own opinion. Just don’t let it affect you. She’d tell me that it’s my life and I can be whoever I want, do whatever I want and as long as I know that I’m doing the right thing and I’m not stepping in someone else’s shoes, I should not give a damn about what other people say.
“I learned to let go and not let others bring me down.”
10. A mother-daughter relationship is a complicated one
One day, you’re the best of friends. The next day, it’s like she’s the worst enemy you ever had. It used to scare me that I wanted things my mother wouldn’t understand. That we’re total opposites. Our ideas would always seem to crash. I want black, she wants white.
But as I grew older, I realized it’s just a matter of perspective. If our ideas used to crash, maybe that’s because it’s impossible to please everybody. But I’m still entitled to my own opinion. And so, I learned to speak my mind. If I wanted things my mother doesn’t understand, maybe that’s because I learned to value my independence. I know who I am and I know what I want. And I worked hard for it.
“Cliché as it may seem but mothers really know best.”
My relationship with my mom today is still far from perfect. But hey, remember, love doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be sure and true. And I’m forever grateful to my mom for leading by example.
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