by Toni Nakama

Created on: January 16, 2009

"You will only understand me when you become a parent yourself"...That's what you used to tell me when I was a kid. And yes, mommy, I agree. All those childhood memories were still very clear in my head.

You got married at a very young age and took responsibility...that is so admirable. Daddy have taught you so many things in life, and yes, you have learned all of them in a short span of time...you are great and smart. You are a woman of strength. We have survived so many trials as a family and you are the strongest post we all have leaned on during all those times of tribulations.

You have grown old with a faith as hard as a rock. I want you to realize that you should be proud of yourself for all the accomplishments you have attained for the past decades of your life as a woman and a mother. They are countless, but let me mention a few...

You taught us how to be faithful to our Creator and grateful for what we have. You have strengthened our faith and the values that you and dad have inculcated in us. I love the fact that you were able to encourage dad to be more religious and be active hearing the mass every Sunday. I love it when I see you pray every morning before you cook breakfast for us...and at night before you sleep.

You taught us how to be a good person. I will always remember you and dad used to tell us that respect is very important; we must respect the elders the way we want others to treat us when we grow old. It is one of the most valuable lessons we have learned when we were young. I was proud I was able to put up with granny's repetitious stories about the World War II and how she was when she was a kid, and all the old stories. I learned how to be very patient to her because of you.

You taught us how to be grateful every day. I will always remember vividly how we pray altogether before dinner. Even if the meal on the table was not that great everything you served seemed to be beautiful because of the gratefulness we have learned to feel in our hearts.

You taught us how to cry our hearts out and still be brave and hopeful. It broke our hearts to see you every time we were financially short. As a little kid I wished I could do something. Yet seeing you the next day composed and still going with our life made me realize that this is how we fight for living. We just need to believe that we will surpass every trial that came our way.

You taught us that education is important. You and dad sent us to the most expensive school in our place. You and dad did

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