Last night, after reading you "Green Eggs and Ham" (I'm so proud that you can now read the words "green", "eggs", "and", "ham", "tree", "box", "fox", "house" and "mouse") and while getting you ready for bed, I asked:
Me: Are you happy?
You: Yes!
Me: Why?
You: Coz I'm not crying.
Me: Do you think mama is happy?
You: Yes
Me: Why?
You: Because you love.
And ULTIMATELY, you're right. At 5 years old, you have already learned one of the most important lessons in life: Giving love is a rich source of happiness. So be generous with it. And along with giving, be open to receiving, Let it come in.
But I wish I could also tell you that sometimes, love gives you pain. The kind that makes you want to curl up in a ball and just disappear. You are too young to know this but maybe one day you will learn that the people you love the most will also be the same people who can give you the most heartache and make you the most mad. There's a very thin line between love and hate, Joaquin. It's part of being close to someone. It is an inevitable dark side of love. But if there is an ample amount of respect, trust, laughter and friendship, and if the two of you can look past each other's faults and forgive from the heart, then you're going to be okay. Trust me on that. Remember that the moments you spend with a person you love will always add up to something extraordinary. It starts to get tricky when things are not so great but if you can still find joy from your closeness, that my dear is what you call a blessing.
I wish I could tell you as early as now that sometimes, loving means someone else's happiness is more important than your own. I recently heard myself saying this while talking to your Tita April and she said it was one of the most mature things she has ever heard. Your Guakong used to tell me, "Anak, isusubo ko na lang, ibibigay ko pa sayo." Love entails sacrifices, for as long as those sacrifices don't get in the way of your values. I learned this the hard way, Joaquin and I hope no one ever puts you in that kind of position. Never ever compromise your values or your real self. Love doesn't do that.
I wish I could tell you as early as now that sometimes, loving means someone else's happiness is more important than your own. I recently heard myself saying this while talking to your Tita April and she said it was one of the most mature things she has ever heard. Your Guakong used to tell me, "Anak, isusubo ko na lang, ibibigay ko pa sayo." Love entails sacrifices, for as long as those sacrifices don't get in the way of your values. I learned this the hard way, Joaquin and I hope no one ever puts you in that kind of position. Never ever compromise your values or your real self. Love doesn't do that.
Somewhere in the future, you will discover and be amazed at how resilient one's heart can be. It will break over and over and over again but it will still thrive. It really is a mystery that I don't think even Einstein will be able to explain.
So why is Mama telling you all this? Because as much as I know that I will do everything in my power to protect and save you from getting hurt, I know that I can never save you from a broken heart. You're a smart kid but even the most intelligent people in the world cannot escape the agony of being inlove.
And a few years from now (or pwede bang when you're 30 na? kidding! haha!), it is bound to happen and you'll have to deal with it on your own. I will always be there for you, but when it comes to the matters of the heart, the people who care about you can only do so much. At the end of the day, how you recover will always be up to you.
Lastly, don't be hasty and inconsiderate of other people's hearts. Be sincere, honest and responsible. Let me share with you a quote from one of my favorite books, "The Little Prince": "
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed."
I love you.
Mama
So why is Mama telling you all this? Because as much as I know that I will do everything in my power to protect and save you from getting hurt, I know that I can never save you from a broken heart. You're a smart kid but even the most intelligent people in the world cannot escape the agony of being inlove.
And a few years from now (or pwede bang when you're 30 na? kidding! haha!), it is bound to happen and you'll have to deal with it on your own. I will always be there for you, but when it comes to the matters of the heart, the people who care about you can only do so much. At the end of the day, how you recover will always be up to you.
Lastly, don't be hasty and inconsiderate of other people's hearts. Be sincere, honest and responsible. Let me share with you a quote from one of my favorite books, "The Little Prince": "
"You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed."
I love you.
Mama
1 comment:
One of the best, most memorables lines ever, from a book.
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