[Family] The look of a fighter

MANILA, Philippines – Some people spend their whole lives searching for meaning — that one thing that powers and jolts them out of bed every morning; that single passion that makes them wake up with a smile. Envied are those who come even the slightest distance to finding their true happiness, let alone those who are able to build their lives around it.

For my mom, however, passion is not life’s main ingredient; rather, it is a flavor enhancer. In all her years of jumping from job to job, from one career shift to another, she has discovered that finding passion should not be about completing the puzzle, but enjoying the pieces of your life as they glisten and glow.

Insert job title here

My mom has always been steadfast on her goals and her dreams; she makes soul searching look so easy. A go-getter, it is as if she wakes in the morning thinking ‘Today, I will be this,’ and goes to sleep at night saying, ‘Mission accomplished,’ ready for a new task tomorrow.

Indeed, her resume is a mash of random and disconnected job titles — the first of which, many may not believe.

My mother, who graduated with a degree in Biology, started out as a secret agent. Yes, you read that right; and no, I am not kidding. “Chito’s Angels,” as they good-humoredly called themselves, was a group of 3 young ladies commissioned to investigate and research “confidential issues.” Being that they were sworn to secrecy, even I don’t fully know the details.

Her following job, however, was something more suited to her field of study. She became a medical representative for an international drug company. But despite the lucrative nature of the medical industry, she left in pursuit of her true passion and interest — the arts.

Having been active in school publications and writing stories for comic books, she decided she wanted to make use of her creativity in the field of advertising. But what was then a big career shift turned out to be the start of her exciting adventure as an artist.

Working in an advertising firm surely honed her talents as a writer and opened up many doors. She became a model, posing for pictorials when called for. Her network grew as she learned from the best people in the business. The knowledge she gained even helped her put up her very own advertising firm which allowed her to work closer to home.

Soon enough, she was once again ready to take on new challenges. Along with several friends, she established a theatre company which staged productions in schools around the metro. Not only did it express her penchant for production and acting, it also allowed her to share her talents through teaching theatre to the very students of the schools they catered to.

Exercising passion truly came easily for her.

To cap off her unique list of credentials is my personal favorite — becoming a full-time mom. I can only imagine how daunting the task of raising a kid is. What more, raising two children, one with autism. The long nights she spent writing and finishing projects were no match for the sleepless nights brought about by her motherly duties.

The all-around supermom

There was no stopping my mom from doing what she could and wanted to do. An empowered and independent woman, she broke barriers that often restrict people from doing what their hearts truly long for. For that, I greatly look up to her.

It’s a cliché that has been said many times over. Indeed, all mothers are amazing, but one’s own mom will always, always be the best.

To my mom — the secret agent, the med rep, the model, the actress, the teacher, the writer, the entrepreneur, the supermom — I love you. – Rappler.com

(We at RAPPLER Life & Style thank all of our readers who shared with us their Mother’s Day stories. Thank you for the time, effort and trust. As Mother’s Day month ends, we will publish the remaining blogs that were sent our way. We hope that you will continue to support us as Father’s Day month rolls in. Thank you for being part of the RAPPLER community. Keep sending us your Life & Style stories to desk@rappler.com.) 

Click on the links below for more.

• [Mother’s Day] Two Azkals and mum
• [Mother’s Day] Is Dad’s Day, too
• [Mother’s Day] Dear Mama
• [Mother’s Day] She never quits