[Letters from Mama] Your hugs make me braver, stronger

(Editor’s note: The letter was first published in April 2020 on Divine’s Instagram account. We’ve edited and republished it with Divine’s permission.)

Mother’s Day, admittedly, is a manufactured “holiday.” What isn’t manufactured, however, is the affection we feel towards our mothers – whether they’ve been our mothers since birth, later in life, at work, or whenever. Mother’s Day is a perfect opportunity to be cheesier than usual and make sure the mothers in our lives know that they are loved, they are appreciated, and that no matter what we say, we need them in our lives. 

But this year’s Mother’s Day comes at an extraordinarily trying time – a pandemic forcing most of the world to seek shelter in their homes as essential workers struggle to contain the deadly novel coronavirus. So for Mother’s Day, we asked mothers from different walks of life to write a letter to their children as the world braves this pandemic.

Entrepreneur and host Divine Lee Go is, for many, best known for her effervescent humor and wit, particularly when she among the hottest it girls in the Metro Manila social scene. She’s still funny and witty, but with a different role in life — as mother to Baz and Blanca and wife to Blake. She’s one of the founding members of Courage Cebu, a group that raises funds for frontliners in the coronavirus pandemic. 

Dearest Blanca and Baz,

April 4, 2020. Its been a little less than a month in quarantine and in this world of uncertainty, I can’t help but be scared. You can Google what happened to the world in 2020. And you know what? It’s okay to be scared. Being scared will sometimes wake you up to things the you took for granted. Sometimes, our normal life becomes so busy that we are jaded about things that really matter. 

So every chance you get – laugh as much, hug your loved ones and spend meaningful time with the people who matter. 

I’m sure parents everywhere are a bit anxious. But you know what – hugs are all the children need. And more than ever, we both as parents and children need it the most. 

Bazzy and Blanca, you know that our hugs now make me braver, stronger, less scared and less anxious. 

Thank you for giving me a reason each day to fight harder. Mama’s been pretty busy with her relief efforts but our hugs are the best break time. 

Much Love,

Mama D

– Rappler.com