The Pink Tarha Mother's Day Special

They are the life of our homes and the source of our strength. They are the firm hand that holds and the open arms that welcome. Each and everyone of them is our own heroine. They are our MOTHERS. There is no profession as challenging and as rewarding as that of a mother -- and yet it is the one job that there's no school or diploma for. The only measure of a mother's success is how much her children love her. And in this light, The Pink Tarha ladies proclaim the remarkable love we have for our mothers in this special entry attributed to them. We feature a speech written by our very own Eyecandy, which she recently delivered in a public speaking engagement (E is an active Toastmasters member, but more on that on a later post). Here is her speech lovingly dedicated to her mother:

"Mad Moms"

Who among you here are mothers?

I’m sure all of us here tonight are all either sons or daughters. So let me ask you...

When was the last time your mother drove you crazy? Does her actions usually lead you to believe that she’s out of her mind? When was the last time you brought her to the hospital to have her checked “up there”?

Let me tell you something about mothers. Something that I don't get to say as much, but most often than not rings true: Mothers are slightly insane. I should know. I have a mother. I suppose this condition started during their first trimester, when all of their hormones started acting up, affecting their brain. And while they watched their children grow, this only made them go insane even more. Saying that my mother is insane can be an overstatement. But it's true! Oh, let me recount the ways.

You should know that my mom is a huge fan of gadgets – computers, celfones, the works. But there is one thing my mom does not trust technology with -- Money. My mom prefers human tellers over automated teller machines. Even though ATMs are there to make our lives easier, she would rather take a number and line up behind a queue to the human tellers. Why? She says that when something goes wrong with an ATM, you can't blame it as much as you can a human teller. She also likes managers. A lot. She always wants to look for them when we're in a store or a mall. One time, our family was at the grocery store while I was looking through some items, when I hear an argument erupting from the other side of the aisle. There she was, holding a pack of meat, squabbling with the grocery's butcher and saying "I want to see the manager!". Apparently, the butcher was reprimanding her to not poke the packed meat, when in fact, she was just trying to read the price - which she couldn't read without her glasses. Because of her “fondness for managers”, my brother and I have dubbed her a “warfreak” since she keeps getting into arguments in public over the littlest things. Like getting bubble gum/candy as change instead of actual money. Or cashiers who complain they can’t break her hundreds. Or a taxi driver who doesn’t want to turn the A/C on. Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.

In restaurants, my mom likes to “bond” with waiters too. A lot. Not because she thinks they’re good looking and certainly not because she wants a discount or free starters. (okay maybe, just sometimes). She would call them back to our table almost a dozen times. First to take our orders. Second, to repeat our orders. Third, to follow up our order after 5 minutes. Fourth, she’d ask where the bathroom is. Fifth, she’d come back to say that the bathroom wasn't clean enough and that she wants to see the manager about it. Sixth, she'd ask for the menu again to gauge how much we'd be spending. Seventh, she'd ask for condiments or extra ice. Eighth, she wouldn't remember why anymore, she just does it out of habit now. If you were to be our server for the evening, welcome to my world. Yes. My mom is the master and I am the slave, which I don't mind really. It's just that she is painstakingly repetitive with everything. She would call me, "(yelling my name), turn off the lights on the porch!" and I'd say, "Okay." A little while later she'd yell again, "(yelling my name again)…did you turn off the lights already?" I'd yell back, "Already done mom!" Three minutes later, she'd be popping in my room asking me personally, "Hey, are the lights off now?" and I would just respond with a ridiculously blank stare. She'd retort, "Don't look at me like that. All you need to do is say YES. Even if I have to ask you a thousand times."

See? What did I tell you? Mothers ARE insane!

I have reason to believe that this insanity is also chipping away some of her memory skills. I don't know if the painstaking repetitiveness is a symptom it, but I can't help but think about the numerous times my mother seems to be forgetting a lot. One day, she lost her glasses. She looked everywhere to no avail. And so, she went out to buy a new one. Only to come home later and accidentally crushing her old pair which she set foot on our living room floor. Let that be a lesson to you, don’t look for something when you don’t have your glasses on!

My mother also tends to forget my name. Can you imagine? Her own flesh and blood! She tends to forget it especially when she's angry. I can tell how angry she is when she starts forgetting who I am. She'd refer to me as "You, young lady, my daughter…" and then end up calling me by my brother's name. Instead of being miserable of a scolding, I manage a smirk at this instance.

At the dinner table one evening, we were eating together as a family and my mother told my brother, "Jethro, eat some vegetables." So my brother, who is also a slave like myself, follows orders and ate some vegetables. Later on, she commanded him again, "Jethro, eat some more vegetables." "But I already ate some." replies my brother. "I am telling you eat some more". And so, left with no choice, he ate some more vegetables. As dinner was coming to an end and we were in the middle of a delicious dessert, my mom suddenly quips in, "Jethro, eat some more vegetables." We all paused for a second for my mom to realize that we were now eating flan and not steamed broccoli anymore. And then we burst into laughter.

Oh my mother, she can be a "war-freak", a slave driver and have memory lapses for all the world to see. But she is still my mother and I her daughter. Saying that mothers are insane, couldn’t be more true. Mothers would go insane for their children. Think about it. Who else in the whole world would defend you in front of others, even if she knew you were wrong? Who else in the whole world would forgive you of even the gravest mistakes? Who else in the whole world would carry the heaviest of burdens just so you wouldn’t have to carry them yourself? Only an insane person would do such things. Only a mother can do that.

And I should know, I have a mother.

And she is right here with us in the audience today, please welcome my insane mother, Ms. --------. Thank you for being such a great sport mom. I love you!

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Here are The Pink Tarha ladies with a message to the most beautiful women in their lives:

Eyecandy: "I could only hope that someday, I will be half the woman my mother is. Her life is an amazement to me and leaves me wondrous of how and where I would ever accumulate the same amount of love, courage and faith to overcome life's challenges. I am the quivalent of all her hard work, patience and sacrifice. Words will never be enough to declare my love for you mamita but I'll keep trying. Happy Mother's Day!"

Maryhadalittlehump: "Happy Mother's Day mommy! I love you so much even though I'm not vocal in saying those three words to you, I know you feel it too. Even sometimes, we have petty quarrels, still, you love me too. Thank you for all your advices and kind words. I thank God for giving you to us for you are the best mommy in the whole world kasi even if you are laging pagod from the school, you still have time to cook food for us and thank you for your tender loving care. Again, Happy Mother's Day....muah!"

Sundrenched: "My mother would be horrified if she found out her photo is posted in the intrawebs. She's shy like that (like me, lol!). She's simple, understanding, and patient (except to my father's playful hirits). My mom has always been in the backseat when it comes to us, her children. She chose instead to become the wind beneath our wings. She gives us her full trust, lets us do whatever we want but never leaves our side when the going gets tough. I thank her for loving me unconditionally, for inspiring me and for not giving up on me. How I wish I can be like her someday. But in my case it would have to be in some other way. I love you mama! Happy Mother's Day!"

Shoegarfreeruby: My mom and I in one of her last photos before she passed. My encourager and best support, I will forever miss her. To my mom: "I am very blessed to have spent my first 25 years having you around. They were just the best. It was never the same after that. I will forever love you because you are the first who taught me how to love. Thank you for giving up everything to raise us with the best care and love you can ever give. I love you."


Are you teary-eyed yet? We sure are welling up. But hey, it is a day of celebration and let us all smile at the thought that in our lives, there is always that one person who will love us unconditionally against all odds. A big cheers to all of our Mommy readers and with that, The Pink Tarha greets...

A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHERS!