A Tribute to Nanay

A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self.  And mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships.  ~Victoria Secunda

This maybe late for Mother's Day but hey it's still May and to me everyday is a day to thank my Nanay. I am a mother’s daughter and I love my Nanay. She is turning 52 this year and though she feels muscle pains more often, she is still as strong-willed and energetic as she was sixteen. She's a native of Panay Island and migrated to Manila for better opportunities. Once she had an odd job as a bus conductor and she had proven herself to be an alpha female, she can drive a six-passenger type jeep, do carpentry and plumbing jobs and still cook and lull a baby to sleep. She aspire the best for each of her five offspring. From her humble beginnings Nanay instilled to us the values of education, hard work, persistence, humility and prudence. She can be a gentle and funny mom but she can also be a furious  tigress or an erupting volcano.  Her loved for anything green was one that I had inherited from her aside from her muscular feminine built. She is often teased as Martha for her service to the Church and to others. I think that is who she is a Wonder Woman and Martha personified. But in truth Nanay Sylvia, is more than that, she is truly a wonderful blessing from above.