Here’s my Mommy @bigbons. Strong and generous of heart. I am who I am because of her. I asked her once, “Who are you?” and unlike me who needed to find time and a wide open place to digest that question, she gave it a quick pause and answered with the knowing of a mother: I am Isabel Pilar and I can talk to anybody, be it a janitor or the Ambassador.💃 Now that we live 8,000 km away, I miss her terribly, especially the quiet conversations that only happen in the in betweens: while choosing what show to watch on Netflix, having spontaneous “roadtrips” for milktea or Jollibee, figuring out what to buy in the next Lazada sale, even decluttering Papa’s desk. In Filipino we say mothers are ilaw ng tahanan or “light of the home” and she really is that. When she’s there, you know things will be all right.
Here’s also a pic of me with Mom one month before I was to be a mother myself. On our faces you see the joy and excitement of passing on the umblical cord so to speak, generation to generation.🤰 Mom has an infectious love for mothering–it is one thing that brings her pure joy, and she’s always made sure that her children (now grandchildren) feel it.
In Turkey, our big mother is Annem, who is just as fierce and gentle as Mom. @korayerimez and I grew up in very different worlds, but in the nucleus of family, we were very much alike. Raised by strong, intelligent and caring mothers who love and dote on their children. We have here too, Ablam, who I lovingly call superwoman 🦸♀️: she is one of the kindest, most self-giving people I know, and we are so lucky to have her in our inner circle of family.
Mothering is a gift 🎁 that we both receive and give. And today on White Sunday, I open myself to also receive the gift of being mothered from my sweet 4yo, who insisted on having a footspa on Mother’s Day. She wanted it outdoors facing the garden, complete with bubbles and flowers 💐
So much to be thankful for. Here’s to honoring all the mothers 👩 👩🍼 around us and in us.🙏🤍
