Date: October 15, 2021
Writer: AlphaCron

I've been away from my home for eight months. I currently live 62 kilometers away from my family in a different part of the city. My brother and I, in fact, left for good. My brother works for a BPO company, as you may recall from my previous article. He doesn't have a choice but to work in order to support his family. In my situation, I made the decision to leave home because of my education. In the university where I attended school, I am currently a fourth-year education student.

My brother chose to rent a tiny room near his workplace and my school so that we could live together, as he had previously lived in my Uncle's house during his early years of working. As for me, I used to rent a small room close to my school, which was around 2018 (January) -2019 (December). During those years, we were apart even though we lived in the same city. I believe we had a fair and valid reason for leaving our parents and my younger sister.

2020

The worst year, I must say, considering that we were unable to travel due to the arrival of COVID-19. In addition, an Enhance Community Quarantine was implemented by the government. People are strictly restricted from going outside if they do not have a valid Food and Medicine Pass (FM Pass). Due to the circumstance, my brother had no choice but to work from home.

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Anyway, going back to the main point of this blog, my mother's birthday was on September 12th of this year. So, because the travel restriction has been lifted, I decided to give her a birthday present when I return home. I pondered what the perfect present for Mom would be.

Is it better if I just give her a bag? Is it better if I just gift her a necklace? Maybe a bracelet? My thoughts were clashing in my head at the time. I had been thinking about it for days until I eventually came up with an idea for a gift for my mother—a personalized gift.

It was this ⤵

At the mall, I did purchase a plain white canvas tote bag. I also purchased two permanent markers. I scribbled the phrase "Best M❤M Ever" on the bag because I know how to do calligraphy. Instead of the letter "O," I intentionally made it a heart since it symbolizes love, and I love my mom. I also used my colored markers to add shading to the letters to make them more appealing to the eye. However, I thought it was a little too boring for me. So, I crocheted a black ribbon with a white flower and stitched it to the side of the tote bag.

I was ready to go home; I already prepared everything. It had been on my plan to arrive at home before her special day but I was suddenly hesitant. I asked myself, should I go home knowing that I have not yet been vaccinated? What if I'm infected with the virus? What happens if they become infected?

I have a lot of bad thoughts in my head, so I chose not to go home, and this gift of mine will remain a secret for her, not because I don't want to give it to her, but because I will give it to her when the time is right.

We celebrated mom’s birthday through video calling. Even though she missed us terribly, she understood the situation. That's when I realized I needed to get myself vaccinated. I need to protect myself and my family. COVID-19 is not a joke; it is a serious matter that we must not underestimate.

Thank you fam for dropping by! Stay safe and hydrated always! 😘💕