Flowers for Mom

The greatest experience that I had with my Mom was one Christmas morning. I could still remember sitting on my bed and staring up at the ceiling thinking of a Christmas present for my mom. I wanted to get her something she would remember for a long time. I thought of a big screen TV, but where am I going to get the money? I shook my head and imagined myself gathering a bunch of wild flowers and a big “I LOVE YOU” card. I can’t decide, so I went out and asked my Grandma.
“Grandma, should I get my mom flowers or candies?”
My grandma placed her novena book down and stared at me as if she was annoyed.
“Un rato ha.” She replied irritably.
I walked out of the room with a huge sigh and the rolled my eyes. What am I going to get for mommy? I had too many thoughts in my mind; it was giving me a migraine so I needed to sit down. As I walked into the living room, I overheard my mom talking on the phone with my sister and saying that she didn’t need anything for Christmas because she had had enough already. I smiled when she said that and tears rolled down to my chubby cheeks. I am so proud of my mom for so many reasons; I like to watch my mom teach in the classroom because it made me proud that she is a teacher and that other kids look up to her. Most of all, I love to watch her cook a tasty chicken kelaguen. My favorite part was eating it! I am proud to say that my mom is the best cook on Tinian and I wish I could yell it out to the world so that they would know my mom’s talents.
After she was done talking to my sister, she said that she needed to go to the post office because my sister sent something for us, and I felt so excited. I waited near the door for my mom and I wondered what my sister sent, while I was still undecided about my gift for her. When she arrived, we opened all our gifts and I noticed that my mom got a DVD. I felt so bad because I didn’t get her anything. So I went outside and collected a bunch of flowers, tied the bottom with a piece of string, slowly walked into the house, and handed the flowers to my mom and said that I love her. A big smile appeared on her face and I felt myself blush. “Sorry that it’s not anything special,” I said. My mom hugged me and I could tell she was trying to hold back her tears. “Baby, all I ever wanted was right in front of me, I love you too!”
Jorgianna Paulino
Tinian Junior Senior HighSchool
8th Grade

“Story of My Mom”

Our mother is a figure who brought us into the world. Our mother is delicate; she helps us grow with warmth and care. A mother is a wonderful influence; she teaches us and keeps us from harm. A mother is the figure whom all girls aspire to be. My mother is all of that; she is an important figure, a role model, a hero, and a guardian. She has supported me diligently since I came into this world as her daughter.
During my childhood, my health was a critical issue. My mother’s delivery was a difficult time for her. I was very ill as a newborn, so my mother and my grandmother had to watch me constantly for several months. After three decades passed, I had another incident in which my finger was injured in a door. My friend accidentally closed the door on my finger. The hospital had to graft my skin from my hip to my hand. As a result, one of the fingers on my left hand looks different from the others. Then, as I entered first grade, my eye-sight worsened until I could barely see. This led to me need surgery on my eye. Through all these surgeries and health problems, my mom was always beside me, guiding me, caring for me. She was my guardian and my rock.
My family and I arrived in Saipan in 1996. As a newly arrived international student in the CNMI, I did not comprehend English at all. My mom enrolled me in a private school where I could further my education by taking English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. I hardly understood what the teachers were saying or what my classmates were talking about. My mom would always take me to the library to read books, spending hours a day just to help me learn. As I kept listening and trying to speak English, I eventually grew to know what I was saying. It took me about a year or so for me to be completely familiar with English.
One day my mom posted up a paper with a quote that said, “Never leave that till tomorrow what you can do today.” This was an inspirational quote that I looked to daily. In essence, my mom would stay up with me until midnight for me to finish my work. This in turn made my relationship with my mom closer. She became like a “best friend” figure for me. She helped me with the problems I had for homework. In the way that my mom raised me with warmth, so did I always stand up for her. Since I was fluent in speaking Korean and English, I regularly followed her to places and translated for her. However, the passion that I saw in my mom made me devote myself to my education. I decided to succeed in high school to make my mom proud. As of now, I am still striving to graduate as a top 10 student in Marianas High School. I have never stopped dreaming for my future, the way my mom taught me. I really appreciate how my mom brought me to this island just so I could get a better education than I could in Korea. She has sacrificed so much for me throughout my life.
The biggest turning point in my life was when my mom became severely ill. When I was in the seventh grade, she threw up blood. I did not found this out until some weeks later. I was disappointed that she held this information from me, but I guess it was difficult for her to tell me and my sister. The results from the check-up at CHC were not good, so she visited Korea to get a second opinion. Then she was told to have an operation. She apparently had some sort of pre-cancerous symptoms which could have led to cancer. I was pretty upset that I could not be there for her, but I was grateful that the surgery went well. When she returned back from Korea after a few months, the big scar on her stomach seemed extremely painful. Yet, I was glad she was still with us in this world, able to continue to be a great mother to me. Since then, my mom has had to visit Korea frequently for treatments. She is currently there now, getting better and waiting to return to her family in Saipan. I miss her dearly, and I truly appreciate everything she has done to make me strong enough to live through her absence. She is the best, most awesome, most wonderful, and strongest person I have ever known.
Min Seon Park
Marianas High School

“My Hero, My Mom”

My mother is Jacinta Cruz Ayuyu Kaipat. This is her story. My mother was born on the beautiful island of Saipan. She did not grow up with a lot of things in life but she was able to provide for me and my siblings. Her family was less fortunate but this only made her a strong woman.
A couple of years after her and my father (Francisco Litulumar Kaipat) met, they started their own family. My mother would go out of her way to make sure that we got what we needed to the best of her ability while making sure that we did not take things in life for granted.
My mom is a hero, you see, she has a minor disability. She is unfortunately forced to live her daily life while suffering from a pinched nerve in her spinal cord that limits her physical abilities. She was practically ordered by her doctor to quit her job so that she would not worsen her condition. She has trouble bending down to pick up things off of the floor but she still does a lot of chores around the house.
There are mornings when I look at her face and I can clearly see that she is in excruciating pain. But guess what? She still keeps on going without complaining. She still wakes up every morning to ensure that I go to school on time and cooks breakfast for the rest of our household. My mother is not rich in money but she is rich in love. There are many people living in our home but she manages to spend time with every one of us. Even after a long and tiring day for her, she would talk to us about the day’s highlight before retiring herself to bed. She puts her children and husband before caring for herself. And it takes a really strong person to do that.
For these and many more reasons, my mom is my hero. She inspires me to become a better person and to always try my best. From her, I learned that even though life can be tough, it’s still worth living and trying your best to care and love others.
Christine Kaipat
Marianas High School

A Strong Mom

ONE of the few times I ever know my mom is truly happy is when she speaks of her childhood. Born a blue baby, she was the sixth of eleven children. Stuck smack-dab in the middle, like me. But unlike me, her illness and adversities never fazed her. Growing up a child of God, an athletic and academic star in high school-she shined, radiantly, despite and against her poverty-ridden background.
Even in those early days she spent her life in servitude to others. She may try to soften the harsh reality, but I am my mother’s daughter. I know better. She was the selfless one, silently finishing homework and all the chores while her siblings played. Oh, she played, too, sneaking out at night sometimes. Always returning with frogs and fish to appease her father for all eleven of them. She was Daddy’s girl. As a teen, she worked multiple jobs and studies from place to place, full time. All the while she would keep house for her older brothers, pay her tuition, and give the rest over to her parents. Then, at the age of 26, this lovely young accomplished girl reluctantly married to please her heart-diseased father.
Two years later, in 1983, her in-laws sent her to the island of Saipan. She was nanny and housekeeper for her newly settled sister-in-law’s family. In 1985, my father and 3-year-old sister followed her here; she was the main breadwinner, working as bookkeeper, then PR girl, then finally at the Philippine Consulate. She barely saved my sister (and, in doing so, 300 others) from being deported back to the Philippines.
The year I was born (like her, I nearly died-thrice, with my umbilical cord), she went to the Philippines. She was the first Pacific recipient of the Bagong Bayani Award and got a raise in salary. Sadly, however, she returned to only find her hard-earned position taken by someone else.
She set up her own business the next year, naming the mom-and-pop store after me. We prospered enough to lead a life with tuition fees and a couple other luxuries. Then we moved. Property complications arose, and business just stopped.
Then my sister finished high school; moved on to college. Since then until early this year, she has been jumping. From coursed to course; one DJ job to another. And my mom supports her every step of the way, though it cost our family perhaps too much. Even robbed my mom of all her savings.
My mother has serious health issues. She still has not been able to check it. We all know the only reasons she still fights to stay strong is to support me and my younger brother. She always puts us first. As I write this, she comes up to me, requesting that I add she took legal secretary courses. You see? I ask her for life details and she focuses only on joy.
I have had many dreams in the past-nurse, entrepreneur, psychologist, astronaut, Harvard. All big dreams. My mom guides me through each and every one. She makes me think. She helps me realize that people never really stop changing and growing, ever, until they die. We live our lives together, every day, just trying to make it through. We feel our way, learning, painstakingly crossing the rocky paths. She is selfless. Running to the Internet Cafe’ in the dead of the night for assignments, waking up on two hours’ sleep to prepare out things, not eating her food so we can. These are only small examples of the daily sacrifices she makes for her family.
Today life is not as easy as it should be. My mother has missed out on too much. First honors, her own earnings, her own life. Yet she keeps giving and giving. It pains me each time it crosses my mind, though I try to push the thoughts away. But avoiding it will not make the truth go away, or be any less real.
I am not saying my mother is perfect. She has her own shortcomings-she is forgetful, too softhearted-but she is entitled to them. And it still will never be enough, never equal her due. Only recently have I allowed myself to contemplate this. Selfish child that I am, I just did not want to. But now I have. I am ashamed and confess that I can never be selfless like my mother is. I can never live my life for anyone else.
My mom says she is proud of her scholar. But that’s all I do-work hard in school, occasionally help out at home. I have never really begun to pay her back since those first nine months. No one has.
My mother may not be perfect. But no one has lived through quite as much of an ordeal as she has, either. She is turning 53 this year. More than half her life, she has spent either in hardship or in giving to others. I bet she’s never even tasted a month of relief in her entire life.
This Mother’s Day will be like any other-a bunch of greetings, kisses, and love. No meaningful presents to give. She would not was anything material, anyway. I have not even told my mother how much I her in ages. For some reason, I feel ashamed. Now I know why. (“You’re finishing all the paper in the world. Go eat dinner, Jayce! What is that, it’s so long!” Hah, all the paper in the world is nothing compared to you, Ma. No peeking.)
You see, my love will never be enough. Endless may it be, it will never be enough. I am eternally indebted. Which is why I continue to work hard. Because whatever my dreams, whatever my plans, I know my future is all built around one pot of gold.
Since I am still young, I am afraid it will take too long. But I can only hope and pray, that one day, before my mother leaves this earth, that I will be able to assuage at least part of all she’s been through. Just one day, dear God. Please, let me be ablt to make her happy.
I love you, Mom. Happy Mother’s Day.
Jayce Jurado
Marianas High School
10th Grade

‘Perfect Match’

As most of we all know, Mother’s Day has been around for as long as anyone can remember. As do we know why we celebrate it: For all the hard working mothers that work hard every day to take care of their families, as well as themselves; and I think that mostly everyone has someone to think of as their mother. It doesn’t have to be your real mother: it could be someone that has been a motherly figure to you. Someone who is important to you, someone you care about. Which is why I am going to tell you about someone who’s important to me, someone that I care about; my motherly figure…my mom.
As I stated in the last paragraph, the person that I consider to be my motherly figure is well, my mom. I know that she passed away, but I still feel like she is watching me, and somehow guiding me to make the better decisions in life, and that she still deserves the right to be called my mom.
My mother was the brain of the family. She knew how to balance family time and business time. She would pay all the bills, cook and clean while my dad was at work; then afterwards, take us all to the park…or we did something else family related. It was like our family was…perfect because of our mother.
For my father, she was”…the perfect match…” he would always say as we reminisced on all the good times we had. He would always talk about how she was such a good person, and about all her special talents: She was a good cook, she was very athletic, she could speak sign language, and was very smart business-wise,” my dad used to say. He also said that she gained these special skills through life experiences: She learned to speak sigh language from helping disabled kids at W.S.R, she became a good cook by helping my grandmother around in the kitchen all her life (my grandmother was a really good chef too) and inherited my grandfather’s businessman-like mentality. If she or my father was to loan anything to anyone; money, house hold appliances and so on, she made them sign a promissory note to make sure that the item loaned was returned or paid in full(if relating to a money loan) on a certain time and date.
My mother was a very neat person. She was also very strict about our cultural heritage. If we were o address her in English, she would ignore us until we talked to her in Chamorro. I have heard from my grandmother that I was very good at speaking Chamorro when I was younger, but the habit just died out after my mother passed away. She always had us take a nap once a day and if not, we were punished. My mother was usually patient. She would pinch us if we made her mad. That was considered a warning. If we really tried her patience, we would get spanked.
All in all, my mother was a good person. She was a balance of business, and culture. She died a good person, and as the world’s best mother.
Tanielu Leuta
Hopwood Junior High School

My Mom

IF someone asks me "Whos is your idol or hero you look up to?" I would not give them a famous athlete or actor. On the other hand my mom is not very famous at all. Growing up in the Philippines, my mom went through countless obstacles to get an education and help feed herself. Being in a family of eight, they were too poor to afford food for everyone. Everyone had to work to survive even when they were only three years old.
At the age of seven she agreed to work at her aunt's house for food and shelter because there was no longer enough food or space to live in. Little did she know that she was agreeing to 17 years of indentured servitude with no pay, only shelter and a occasional bite to eat (to her "slavery"). She first started simple jobs, such as washing dishes, sweeping, making food (for the aunt) and laundry (she had to carry this was basin that weighed 50 or 60 lb on her head for 2 miles). As she grew older the workload increased, and so did her school work.
Her aunt and parents did not understand the value of a good education. As a result, some of her brothers never passed 3rd grade because their parents needed them to do farm work (My mom disciplined me, but never threatened to take away education). When my mom was 10, she had to wake up very early every day to go to the farm or rice field to weed in the hot sun. Every morning she only had rice porridge to give her energy throughout the hot day. This usually was not enough and left her famished. This was probably why she got stomach ulcer and had to live in a hospital for a few months. Through all this she still managed to do well at school even if she had to walk four miles a day with a backpack on and play sports such as basketball, and softball (and she was a fairly good boxer).
I find it hard to believe the amount of courage, strength, and wisdom my mom had at such a young age. Even now, I see the effects of those years of suffering. She has pains in her feet from over lifting at such a young age (the tendons snapped ecause she carried things that were about her weight or heavier). This could also be why she is so short and why she has trouble exercising. Her hands are worn, rough, thick, and even callused because of the years of farm work, weeding and housework.
I will always love my mom and she will always be the perfect mom to me. She still continues to work, but now she has my counsins and uncles (who never passed 5th but was home educated to an 8th grade level) to help her at the farm. Now she is doing this to help them rather than to hurt them, unlike her mean aunt. Now she is struggling to send us to a school to obtain the best education possible. That is why I will not take all her sacrifices and suffering for nothing. Every day her loving smiles helps me feel secure and gets me through my day. I hope that she lives for many happy years.
I Love You Mom

Géza Baka III
Mount Carmel School
8th grade