An Ode To This New Type of Woman

I have been on a blogging hiatus for the longest time. My mom turned 60 last December and this post was for that. I am glad though that the words have flowed in the same earnest way I was hoping for even if this is a very delayed post.... 

Growing up, I have fond memories of my mom and how she was always present in all our moments. She was a stay-at-home mom that drove us to school and extracurriculars, joined school committees and was very good in the kitchen - cooking and even baking for us her yummy treats.  If you would think that we were brought up to be domestic goddesses.. well you will be mistaken. It was so important to my mom that we, her daughters earn a degree and have great careers. So lo and behold my sister became a lawyer and I pursued International Relations in college. There were no cooking lessons happening in our household that goes beyond the normal frying and my mom's pasta. I was exposed to baking and handled that department well but really did not think of excelling.  Never mind the household chores. I can handwash and iron if I have too but I have never been the expert. I can only tell you to separate your whites and your delicates and that is it! We stumbled when we, my sister and I started living separate from home. I think she fared way better than I did as I am still trying to grasp how to run my household. 

Funny how our lives have turned out now. Both my sister and I have careers that would allow us to be at home with flexible schedules, allowing us to be on top of our household, husband and kids' lives. I am also happy to observe that our generation now have embraced a different type of womanly strength. The one that no longer aims to only be at par with men at work but really the one that balances career and family life. We already have proven to the world what we are capable of! Now I see my friends raising their children with no yayas or very minimal help. We are a new breed of women that embraces our womanhood fully - that have accepted that we are mothers and wives and there is nothing wrong with being good in just that. Our careers are now the plus.

So mom I know how you say you are so proud of us, but let me thank you for being the example that we needed. We may have missed a few opportunities that could have propelled us in our careers. What we did not miss instead, are the milestones our children made that can no longer be replayed. Thank you for that. Now I think it is not too late to get you to teach me how to cook yeah?  =)

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much love