Planting The Seed

It's been 3 long years and 5 months before Keira was able to say the word "mama". For a normal kid, the first words they'd learn are "mama" and "papa". Keira grew not having a dad, we understand she won't learn that word. But her mom was with her all the time. Even I taught her to call me "mama", but with no luck. She would call me "Oi" or her mom, "Ate Apo". Only few days ago, we were telling her to follow us. "Ma...ma..." and she did it. From that time on, she proudly calls her "MAMA". This morning, she was outside and yelling, "Mama! Mama! white!" (Mama! Mama! Wait!). It took us a lot of patience, perseverance and courage before we were able to achieve what we want.

Patience is a virtue. I used to have a lot of it, but stress had made me very moody and impatient. I feel sad that most of the time I expose my impatience when I am with my son. My younger sister told me AJ is 4 years younger than his real age. It was because he was baby-ed by my parents, and my siblings being the first and only nephew for a long time. She told me to be strong and not let him easily get what he wants. It's a dillemma.

Every afternoon, after school, I would tell him to change from his uniform and put his dirty clothes in the laundry basket. I would tell him to take out glasses and saucers out of his room and to the kitchen sink. I would tell him to turn the tv and fan off if he is leaving his room. Same "sermon" eveyday, never did he learn. He still need to be reminded - all the time. Tuesday afternoon, when I got home, I came to his room and he was lazily lying on his bed cuddling his sausage pillow. I was starting my daily "nagging" when I noticed he was already wearing his casual shirt. I checked the floor and there was no dirty uniform, no drinking glasses, no plates. I asked him and he proudly said - "all dirty clothes in the laundry basket, all kitchenwares sent to the sink." Wow! My son is improving. I smiled. I praised him for that and started heading to my room when I noticed...1 of his dirty socks lying on the floor next to his tv. LOL! I wanted to nag again but talked nicely instead. I pointed to his socks and asked, "Are you reserving that for anything?" "Oops", he said, "sorry, missed this one". He picked it up and brought it to the laundry basket.

There are things that we want to emphasize to people but we feel that most of the time we are ignored. It is like planting a seed of patience, perseverance, and a lot of repetitions. Before you plant a seed you need to do few things in repetition. Make your hands dirty to loosen the soil so it is light and soft enough for the seed to germinate. Give enough fertilizer, sun and water. You have to keep soil moist, not soggy and not allowed to dry. If the soil becomes hard, you need to cultivate it again so water and air can freely circulate around the seed. You have to check it all the time (even from pests too) until it grows its little root, then its little leaf, little branch. Until it grows into a plant. A plant that will either bloom flowers or bear fruits. A plant that will make you feel relaxed and be proud of in the future. Not easy to do but worth all the effort...planting the seed.