What happened here? the living, the dying, the dead

As we were driving home from my son's basketball game this morning, I was saddned by what I saw along the way...trees living, dying and dead.

Cats and Kittens

To begin with

I've been pondering these past few days on what to write on my first blog. Today, Mother's Day, as I was sitting at the last pew in the church besides my three sons and as the priest started talking about mothers my eyes focused on my Inay (mother) and it just hit me. I should write about my Inay...to begin with

Inay is sitting beside my Tatay (father), both in their late 80s , few rows in front of us. I noticed her gray thinning hair and thoughts about her keep rushing in my mind. I can hear the priest talking but I was not listening. My mind is so preoccupied with the thoughts about my mother. I can only think of the good ones as there is nothing bad I can think about her. I am thinking of a word to best describe her but I am lost for word. The words that I can come up all seem to be inadequate. I can only see her back but I am imagining her sweet smile. She has the sweetest demure smile for everybody. I am thinking about the time she has endured as the loving partner of Tatay raising 9 children and their children's children. She has 21 of them. I am thinking about her life in the boondocks, a remote rural area in Batangas, to the city life in Manila, to the suburbs of Miami. The priest has already stopped his sermon but I still can't think of a better word than best, after all SHE'S THE BEST. As the priest is giving his final blessing I kneel down and thank the Lord for blessing me with a mother like Inay, the one who gave me life and my Life's Bits and Pieces.