Maligayang Kaarawan

Maligayang Bati sa iyong Kaarawan

Translates to Happy Birthday in the Philippine language. The main language spoken is Tagalog.

I usually do not write about my family matters, but with my mother going senile, I felt the need to share her tale. My mother is a registered nurse, going on 30 years in the medical field. Unlike my father, who's a computer programmer, her passion is a driving force in how the rest of the family deals with love. She is the kind of woman who will get to know her patients, put smiles on their faces, and will gracefully don them with angel pins in their hour of need. She's got a big heart, and a charismatic demeanor. It's no wonder she's done so well for herself. It's cool she brings home more beacon than my father. ;)

Lately I've wondered if my mother has lost her marbles. Not so much in the sense that I have to check her in to a pysch ward, but she's losing what we normally call "common sense." I first took note of my mom's peculiar behavior when she asked me where she last put the dog. Yes, the dog. (She puts the dog down, and the dog won't move unless my mom picks her up again. We have a female Pomeranian. She acts like a cat, and is sometimes mistaken as my mother's second daughter) She'd ask me if she's seen her, make a pot of tea, and then forget she asked about the dog. And, scary enough, forget she was boiling water for tea. Maybe my mother works too hard. She does work the late shift, which is a shift that runs from 7pm-8am. (It pays more. A LOT MORE)

As far as I can remember, she was always working the late shift, where I would find my mother sprawled on the couch after a rough night. I was usually on my way out the door for middle school when I often found her passed out with her favorite stethoscope wrapped around her curly brown hair. My brother would sometimes put a blanket over her, only to find her in the exact position when he came home. We both didn't have the heart to move her. Two reasons: One, she'd be pissed as hell for waking her up. Two, she would have to go back to work in a few hours anyway. "Just let me sleep!" she would bark.

My mother's birthday is in a few days. She will be celebrating another year of birth on April 1st. I haven't decided what to get her as a present. (I do have the day off tomorrow, so I may as well get her something wonderful then) Is it not a mental struggle to figure out what to get people for their birthday? I say this because it's never easy to get the people you love what they want. Often times enough, these are the same recipients who don't even know what they want themselves! Making it only harder for us to purchase the "perfect present."

This weekend, I was given my birthday present from the same woman I have been writing about. The box is even dated "MAY 26, 2005" which is my date of birth. I'm still not entirely sure she felt the need to give me my present now, so early on, and so awfully close to her own birthday. I can only come up with my own personal theory on her actions, and that theory is her going loony. Of course it's nice to get birthday presents, but 2 months earlier is pushing it past the crazy line. Another theory I have is that she decided to give me an early birthday present, so that I can get her something nice for hers. Way to play it, mother. Touche.

If my mother, though bizarre in her own right, felt the need to offer an early present, I can only love her even more than I already do. Who am I to turn away her gifts of love? With that being said, I hope the woman remembered to take off of work the on April 1st. She has this uncanny way of working at the hospital during major holidays, family get togethers, and sometimes her very own birthday. I can only pray she gets over this "loony" hump. If ever.

I dedicate the song playing on my computer to my mother. (One of my most favorite songs from Ray) Love ya, crazy lady!

Ray Charles
Hallelujah I Love Her So