[Mother’s Day] A son’s gratitude

MANILA, Philippines – I’ve always believed that my mother is the best in the entire world (well, I guess everyone does). She has sacrificed many things for my sister and I: a job opportunity abroad, a better life for herself, and the chance to pursue her own dream.

My mother is a simple woman. She has foregone every luxury in life so that she could give us the life that she dreamt for herself. My mother failed to finish college, not because her family didn’t have the money to send her to school, but because at her young age she didn’t see the importance of earning a degree.

This was her lesson to us.

From a very young age, I could distinctly remember her words — (at every opportunity she got she would hammer us with the fact) — that, in our poverty, all that she could give us is decent education.

I didn’t understand her; many children don’t really understand the need for education.

This was until my sister and I had to stop going to school because my parents didn’t have the money to send us to school anymore.

I saw my mother kneel, beg, and cry in front of people we barely knew so that they would lend her money to pay our tuition with.

I remember how my mother cried, how she lost hope.

But I also saw her resilience, her willingness to fight the odds. She wouldn’t accept defeat. She really believed that, armed with a college degree, my sister and I can climb out of poverty.

Eventually, as a result of my mom’s hard work, we got back to school, finished high school, and moved on to college. I took Journalism; my sister took Marketing. She didn’t force us to take any other course which she thought would be more lucrative. She believed that we would succeed in our chosen paths.

Finally, last month, my sister and I finished college, with our mother’s help and guidance. My sister is now working for a renowned real estate company and I’m with one of the country’s largest broadcasting networks.

Until now, our mother — Elvira Pastolero — is our guiding light.

My sister and I have so much to thank her for. She has given us everything, even her life.

And we could never completely repay her for it. – Rappler.com

(Father’s Day is just around the corner. What would you like to tell your dad, grandpa, uncle, brother, cousin, or friend who’s a dad? Send us your story with photos with subject heading WORLD’S BEST DAD to desk@rappler.com.)

Click on the links below for more.

• [Mother’s Day] Extraordinary teacher, extraordinary mom
• [Mother’s Day] Mothers and sacrifice
• [Family] The prodigal mom