Mama

Let me start with a song from a band that I, admittedly, listened to as a young child whose taste in music consisted of bubblegum pop.

Mama – Spice Girls Music Code



She used to be my only enemy and never let me free,
Catching me in places that I know I shouldn't be,
Every other day I crossed the line,
I didn't mean to be so bad,
I never thought you would
Become the friend I never had

Back then I didn't know why,
Why you were misunderstood,
So now I see through your eyes,
all that you did was love,
Mama I love you, Mama I care,
Mama I love you, Mama my friend,
My friend

I didn't want to hear it then but
I'm not ashamed to say it now,
Every little thing you said and did was right for me,
I had a lot of time to think about,
About the way I used to be,
Never had a sense of my responsibility.

Back then I didn't know why,
Why you were misunderstood,
So now I see through your eyes,
All that you did was love,
Mama I love you, Mama I care,
Mama I love you, Mama my friend, My friend

But now I'm sure I know why,
Why you were misunderstood,
So now I see through your eyes,
All I can give you is love,
Mama I love you, Mama I care,
Mama I love you, Mama my friend,
My friend

Mama I love you, Mama I care,
Mama I love you, Mama my friend,
You're my friend

(Sigh! Yes, I admit to liking the Spice Girls once upon a time! Oi! I was eight! Of course, I just accepted what pop culture and the radio DJ dished out for me to listen! And yes, I do admit to wanting to be Geri Halliwell, a.k.a. Ginger Spice! But I'm digressing.)

Do you need a reason why you should help our nation? Do you need some boost for you to get your bum moving to serve? Why should you go out of your way to do something for this nation?

Here’s why. The Philippines is our mother, Mama if you’d like.

Like any loving mother, she gives the best for her children. She provides food to eat, water to drink, shelter, and all those basic, intrinsic human needs. No matter what, all those things we need to survive are there (It's just a problem of access to them for our masses.) Aside from that, she provides breathing space ---- the freedom and democracy to let her children spread their wings and be who they want to be, believe what they want to believe.

Oh, and need I mention that she does all this despite her children, her citizens, disrespecting their mother? Despite our polluting her rivers, she still finds ways to provide clean water for her children to quench their thirst with. Despite our talking oh so negatively about her and complaining about how sorry the traffic at EdSA is, she still is proud of us whenever we do something remarkable. Despite our constant mini-bouts of corruption (After all, cheating in exams is the start of cheating money from the masses), she still shows us the best foot she could show forward.

Despite our not caring about our Mama, she still loves us. She still cares. She still thinks that the Filipino, her children are worth it. They are worth all the rubbish her same children dish out. Why? Love. Simple enough.

Today, we celebrate the death anniversary of one of her sons who chose to protect her precious democracy. Senator Benigno Aquino is one exemplary Filipino for a reason --- his love for the country that radiated in his actions towards it. This is one man who knows how to respect his mother.

How about you? When's the last time you thanked Mama?