My Parents

 

                                                                                                                                          

HOME     LILIA    THOMAS    LORRINA    THOMAS, JR.  

                   

 
My dad hires jewelers to come to our house and make custom-made jewelries for him and me.  I had a set of pearls, bracelets, sapphire rings all in gold. 

 

 

God took the sunshine from the skies
and made the love light in your eyes.
He gave you breathe and with His love,
 He made you mine.

                                                                                                                                                                                                      

In my whole lifetime, I saw my dad cried.  The first one was when my mother died and the second one was when he was torn between me and my siblings.

                                                                           

   
   
My dad was a very good provider.  He gave me big allowances that I grew up without experiencing money troubles.  The only time I had money problem was when he remarried for the third time after my mother died.

 I felt so secure before.  I and my dad would save money for my college education but after he married Claring, he had to withdraw all the money.  With a heavy heart, he assured me that upon his death, I'll be well taken cared of . I just have the house that my mom and dad bought and named to me.  In short, I struggled through my college years and almost didn't graduate.  Librada, my sister lent me $50.00 to pay for my college diploma.  I had to borrow money from my sister, Helen to migrate to the United States. 

I first experienced paying rent in America.  I had rough times and during those times I cried and held my dad's picture and asked why he didn't keep his promise.   My front door started to shake as if someone wants to get in hurriedly banging the door.  When I opened the door,  there was no one there.

I knelt and prayed and talked to my dad's spirit.  I told him that I'm grown now and I could take care of my problems on my own and I don't need to seek any of my inheritance.  I'll get them toiling on my own.  I asked my dad not to haunt me because it is scary.  From then on, the pounding on the door stopped.

 		  

Cecilia del Rosario - my Dad

 

    
       
     
  Gentle woman, quiet light;
Morning Star so strong and bright;
Gentle Mother, peaceful Dove;
Teach us wisdom. Teach us love.
 		    
       
       
     
  MY MOTHER AND I
 		    
Like me, my mother was born in Paete, Laguna, Philippines.  It was a town nationally
noted for "sweet lanzones."   The town also, was internationally known for wood
carvings.  Children, adults and old folks wake up early to carve wood and create
bakya, salad bowls and other work of art.  

When my mother finished 6th grade, there was war and everyone had to seek the
refuge of the mountain.  My mother improvised many things like using bark of trees for
shampoo, guava leaves to heal wounds, etc.  After the war, my mom became a
teacher in Paete, Laguna.

Although my mother's name was Fortune, she wasn't lucky to grow up with her
parents because she became an orphan when she was a toddler.  She was cared for
by her 2 brothers,  Blas and Dimetrio.  Blas  was a noted wood
carver.  Dimetrio was an entrepreneur with business ventures on a trial
and error basis.  There were good times for Dimetrio.  He had a flourishing bakya
(wooden shoe business).  He became so rich that he could afford to send Mary, his
daughter to Philippine Women's Academy in Manila and commute using taxis back
and forth from Paete to Manila.  Then, disaster struck.  The mountain  that was once a
haven during the war and source of running water to the town eroded upon the bakya
factory.

To further her studies, she decided to pursue Bachelor of Science in Education at the
University of the Philippines in Quezon City.  She didn't have any money then.  Like me,
she struggled after her parents died.  There were cable cars they call the "trambia" in
the Philippines and my mom would ride many miles to the University.  It was the
roaring twenties and my mom managed to eke by with $20 pesos a month.  

She worked for Mr. Dunns when the Philippines was a Commonwealth of the United
States.  Barely 5 foot tall, she even managed to be in a basketball team.  She said that
her memorable song was, "Let me Call You Sweetheart," when an American suitor
was dancing with her.
 
    Because my mom frequent Manila, she became the fashion pace-setter in Paete.  All
my female relatives were good seamstresses and it was easy to create a fashion
trend from imagination.  There were no patterns then.  In one "Flores de Mayo, " my
mom became the "hermana mayor."

After her graduation from the University of the Philippines, my mom worked as a  
Social Worker for the Social Welfare Administration in Manila.   She learned that during
the brief occupation of Japan, divorce was allowed.  She divorced her abusive
husband and married my father.  My father was a debonair, tall man that looked like
Maurice Chevalier.

Later on, she became the chief safety administrator at the Bureau of Safety in Manila.  
After her death, Belle took over her position.

I'm the only child from the marriage of my mom and dad.  I have brothers and sisters
from both sides.  My sister, Belle from my mother side didn't want to hear that I'm just
her half-sister because we established such a close bond.  I had nannies but my
mom only trust Belle.  So, I literally was cared for by Belle since I was a baby.

Through the years after my mother's death in 1959, I was guided by her strong spirit
and her examples when she was alive.  She was a woman of principle.  I had a fight
with our maid and she sided the maid.  Hurt, I asked her why she didn't side with me.  
She said that she side with the one that is RIGHT.
 		    
     
   
                

                Fortune, my Mother

       I cannot spell out her name for security reasons.

    
   
  May 19, 2008 9:21 PM