Dearest Anak

Dearest Anak,

It’s been a tough two years for all of us. Yes, you made a lot of mistakes. Big time. Actually super big. Yes, we were mad. Yes, it brought our family tremendous hurt and worry. Yes, it made mommy cry an ocean. Yes, it made daddy and I look 25 years older. But yes, we love you still. We know you are a good, loving, kind, generous person. We know you meant well, except that you were too trusting, aggressive, and you totally ignored our warnings. You did exactly what we didn’t want you to do that’s why the pain was indescribable.

You can make things better. You are still very young. Your life is just starting. Do not be in a hurry to succeed. For now, just concentrate on the present. Work hard, be humble and kind. Live simply and appreciate life. Learn from your mistakes. Life is not just about money. Kami ng daddy, when we work, money is not the primary consideration. Of course money is important because it brings food on the table and pays for tuition fees and doctors but money is not what motivated us. Basta we just worked with honesty and sincerity in all our dealings. Basta, wala tayong nilolokong tao, Tayo nga ang laging naloloko.

Learn to decipher the kind of people around you. You trust, but don’t trust 100%. Some people sadly see you only as an opportunity. And since you are kind and gullible, you easily fall prey.
Since you were honest, you absorbed all the risks. Sad to say, you trusted them fully and believed in every word they said, more than you believed your parents. But ipapahamak ka nila anak. Ipinahamak ka na nga nila ng todo-todo.

Be careful with the kind of people that you meet. Especially in this day and age, we don’t know what people are up to. People have envy deep inside them. Even people who are close to you, we don’t know what they are thinking and doing. Neighbors could be growing marijuana or manufacturing shabu. It’s hard now to just go to other’s people houses or condo or apartments. Baka drug dealer pala sila, bumibisita ka lang, madamay ka pa. Mommy is paranoid, true.

Do not ride in other people’s cars. There could be drugs or guns. If someone invites you to go with them, know where you are going and what actually they are doing. Many people get into trouble without realizing it. Kalokohan pala ang pakay nila, without you knowing. Be careful, maraming salbahe sa mundo. Avoid bad influences. Avoid trouble.

We can’t teach you how not to trust, how to doubt. In time, as you grow older, you will learn how to read people, how to protect yourself. We can’t teach you all that. I’ve trusted a lot of people too and I didn’t have a clue they were just there to cheat me from the beginning. Yun pala, they were taking advantage of me. So we have to be doubly and extra careful. The gullible are eaten alive by vultures. We are exposed to the realities of the cruel world. Unfortunately, people see our family as an opportunity.

Not all ideas presented to us or came to us would succeed. So always think “WHAT IF” this idea fails? If you want to go into a venture, weigh both opportunities and risks. Do a simple SWOT analysis. Not just look at the potential success, more importantly, ask yourself, what if the idea fails? Will you be able to absorb the risks and financial losses? Don’t bet everything that you have on an idea most especially if it’s somebody else’s idea that you have no control of. Remember this phrase “Calculated Risk”.
And remember what daddy says “if it’s too good to be true, then it’s not true”.

I believe the friends you’ve lost were not really friends in the true sense of the word. They were only nice to you because of the benefits. A few years from now, your true friends will emerge. You will look back to today, and you will be grateful to those who stood by you in your most difficult times.

Keep your faith. Always honor God and be grateful.
If there is something that bothers you, pray to him.

Despite the challenges, life is still beautiful.

I love you anak. Very much. Always take care of yourself. I am going to miss you. A lot.

With all my heart,

Mommy

P.S. Happy Birthday