by Anabelle Payod-Balla
(Editor's Note: Ana has written this article in memory of her mother, Mrs Peregrina Payod, who passed away recently. She has kindly given us permission to publish this eulogy in the web.)
Oh how we love Mama. She is always there for us. All of our life, mama is always there, a silent, patient, and hardworking mother. She is very gentle and loving, understanding and kind. She has the air of a royal lady who can put her emotions under control. She has very good posture and very good manners. She is a real lady. I have seen her photographs when she was still young and yes, she is a beauty. She comes from a huge, above average family in Zamboanga. She is the youngest among the twelve children who is well loved by her family and relatives.
Mama stood by my Papa’s side all throughout the trials we’ve experience. She held the us together to ensure we stay intact as a family. She is the wind beneath our wings who is always there to provide support, comfort and understanding. Though gentle, Mama is unquestionably tough as well. She didn’t give up from all those trials. She remained strong, determined and hopeful. She is a very simple woman who is so organized in our things at home. She owns only a very few jewelries, shoes and yes, even clothes. She has very simple needs. She seldom asks for favor, she is too shy to do that but she would take courage if she needs to do it for us, for her love ones. She is a generous mother who anticipates and provides our needs. She would skip meals if that would mean extra bite of food for us. She had persevered a lot. We remember most of the allowances we’ve got are coming from her earnings at home.
Mama is one of the most hardworking person I know. She never stops doing things. For her, rest is washing clothes all day. She doesn't want me to hire a house help for her. She wants to do things on her own. She has worked double in her lifetime. She just can't stand doing nothing and be idle. She always has things to do. She has used every minute of her waking and even some of her sleeping time, serving the family.
Mama is a very good dressmaker. She strove to learn and perfect the skills in order to provide more help to Papa, to earn more money for the family. She can repair and do new dresses. We may be poor but we never ran out of good clothes. Mama made sure we have enough of good clothes, the right clothes we need in school, church, etc. Most of our dresses were sewn by Mama. She likes us to wear formal dresses and act like true ladies.
We grew up never hearing mama complained about our life, about how much work she needs to do. We never saw her being bitter. She came from a good family, was taken away from the good life she grew up to live a poor life but we never saw any regrets and frustrations. We saw her being sad but she always managed to move on right away. We’ve never saw or heard her and Papa quarreling or became bitter to each other. She managed to contain all those heartaches and difficulties and maintain same vigor to keep the family going. Our Mama is so loyal to my Papa. She cares and loves him dearly.
Mama is a sweet mother to us all. She knows and understands our hearts desires and would talk to us about it. She is never demanding. She is also a happy person who doesn’t dwell so much on negative things. She loves us dearly and can’t remember a time when she had hurt us physically or verbally. Her concern for us is so evident in her actions and words. She is so loving, so thoughtful. She may have a silent relationship with God, I know it was intimate enough.
When we were younger, we went through a lot of challenges but we never really felt the pain of those “hurricanes”. We were not bruised but made better. She made life easy for us with her overflowing love, perseverance, devotion and hardwork. She held the family together so well. We were poor but we are happy. There are times that we lack food on the table and yet we were able to share to our less fortunate neighbors. We were strangers in Manila but we were able to reached out well. We had a difficult life, we struggled though we never really felt them because she cushioned us with her generous love, and we came up stronger, wiser and more grateful. Though struggling financially, all of us were able to graduate with a degree. All because of her and Papa. She and Papa are a great team.
Mama likes to hug and kiss us even now that we are older. She is still fond of sewing dresses for us and for our children. She is truly a wonderful mother, the best mother of all. A real lady…gentle yet tough, loving and kind, open and understanding, forgiving and generous, happy and hopeful, shy yet confident, warm and patient, hardworking and diligent. She is our firm foundation. She is one of the best gifts that God has given to us. We are so blessed to have her. She is truly a masterpiece of God!
She has lived well. She did well, so well. She has arrived, completed and surpassed her mission here on earth. I love her so.
