growing up pains1
Coming from a lower middle - class family is not that easy. Growing up in a Filipino family where you are the eldest is not that easy either. You are expected to be the most responsible child. You need to model the values that a good daughter should show.
In the life of a single woman, your family is your priority. That has been my priority.
My parents had worked so hard...literally turning nights into days just to make sure that all our needs will be provided for. My father was a tailor and my mother was a seamstress (My friends would always find this so sweet...a sort of made for each other). They have a little shop inside our old house in the barrio. Their clients would usually be public teachers, students and neighbours. They were very well known in our town (still are) and even to those living outside the town. I tell you, they did really make good quality clothes then even if the price they charged their customers was not really that big. There were good and bad clients. The good ones would pay when they got their clothes and sometimes they would even give tips. The bad ones would not pay but would promise to pay sometime...someday (?) I remember that there were a lot of times that my mother or my father would even go to the house of those who owed them to get promised payment only to go home with nothing. I do remember too how I felt each time I would see them in that situation. I had witnessed how much time and effort would they put to work only to find out that the clients wouldn't pay them. I had witnessed those ungrateful customers saying awful things to them. I began to feel anger inside me towards those people. I promised myself that I would do everything in my power to take them out of that situation. I studied hard and likewise my siblings did the same. I did not have a boyfriend when I was getting my degree. I was so scared to become a failure. When I graduated, I landed a job and focused more on earning money and helping my siblings get their degrees. They did finished the university and have families on their own now.
The sacrifices and the love of my parents are immeasurable. Even if sometimes we would not disagree on some things then, I have always been so proud of my parents. I am so grateful for what they have done to us, their children. As a tribute to them, I would also give the same love and care to my two daughters.
