Appreciate your parents

I do appreciate my parents. On how they work hard for us just to provide material things, how they became a good example to become a better person, and how they came to be reasonable without controlling us. This is what I appreciate even before just by observing and recalling the good things they've done for us. But now that I'm a mother, I appreciate them more. Indeed, you can solely appreciate your parents if you become one.

I realized today as a first-time mom how my Dad and Mom love us. Not because they help us today on how to handle our newborn baby, but just because I experienced their struggle and sacrifices when we were just as little as my son today. From the moment my Mom takes care of me when I'm on her belly until I grew up, go to school, and decided to have my own family. It's not easy to be a parent. It's not easy to take care of a baby. You'll have to sacrifice every strength, time, and even your work... Just to provide everything to your child. These are the things that I didn't realize and for sure will not realize if I didn't become one of them.

Well, as a child, I didn't grow up in a sweet family that says "I love you" to each other. You can't hear us saying that word. We're not used to it. But that doesn't mean we don't love each other. That's just not the way we express ourselves.

So how do we show that we appreciate them? As for me, it's when their anniversary. When I was still in elementary, Mom and Dad used to celebrate their wedding anniversary. So I knew every year what month it would be. So as a girl without money that can be consumed to buy gifts for them, I wrote a letter. I stated there how I love them, how happy I am that they are my parents, and I said sorry for all the things that I did. Lol. As a child, of course, your parents will be mad for whatever reasons you and your siblings are doing. But that letter is my way to declare that I love them. And surprisingly, my Mom hide and treasured it in her wallet. She shows it to me when I was in high school and I got uncomfortable after reading the clingy messages. Lol. Well, I can say that I grew up as a sweet and beautiful child. Lol. How come beautiful is also there? 😂

But now that I can buy gifts and cakes for them, I make sure that every anniversary is a special one. That's the time that I can express my love for them. With just a simple cake or some not-so-elegant gifts, maybe, just maybe they know that I love them. Especially today when I'm not with them, I can't monitor how they get old as time passes by. I don't want to repent in the end when I can no longer have a chance to show them how much I appreciate and love them. So now that they are still strong, but little by little struggling with their health, I want to let them know that I do admire the sacrifices they did for us just to provide us with a comfortable life.

Hope you do the same. Don't waste time. Do some efforts even their not that appreciative. At least you tried and in the end, you show them how much you love them. Coz time flies so fast. Don't wait until there's no amount of time to show it to them. Make time for them while you still can. ❤️