Nanay and Tatay

This article was forwarded to me awhile ago. I felt tears in my eyes as I read it because my Nanay and Tatay too gave the best years of their lives for us.

I remember my Tatay very strong, both in body and in personality. He’s very wise and objective that relatives from both sides of the family come to him for advice and support. He never let any of them down, always giving his time to hear out their problems and/or celebrate good times with them. I always feel protected whenever he is around. Tatay is the first man in my life and I still cannot imagine life without him.

Nanay also has a very strong personality. I have inherited at least half of mine from her. I think that is the reason why we always clash before. But it was just recently that I appreciated her strength. She holds our family together. She takes care of my Tatay now that he is sick and she still takes care of us and the household. Although she gets tired easily these days, she still doesn’t stop doing what she thinks she should do. Nanay never complain, even when she feels something and that makes us fear for her health sometimes. She may talk a lot at times but she knows when to stop. She is the picture of a strong woman, loving wife and caring mother.

I don’t get to see them often these days, but I still always think of them, maybe more often than before. I try harder to please them and make them happy in little ways. We were not brought up to be showy of our affection, thus saying I love you is not natural to us. But I hope they know that we love them, and I hope they know that we know and feel that they love us.

-chebong