Our mother, the greatest

By PERCY A OSTONAL

Mrs Germelina “T’yang Mena” Abasula-Ostonal turned 90 on Sunday, June 2.

 

WHENEVER people told me with envy how lucky we are to have a mother still around, I would think of her as a person with "stock file" of life, agility and clear recollections of the past.

Celebrating her 90th birthday on Sunday, June 2, our Nanay, Mrs Germelina  “T'yang Mena" Abasula-Ostonal could still recall the early days of her life settling in Mambulao from Talisay, CamNorte in 1938 with her mother and step-father.

“Your Tatay (the late Priscillano R Ostonal) and I were married in civil wedding by then Alkalde (mayor) Marciano Agua in December 29, 1943 in Mambulao.

“Then we had church wedding ceremony in Talisay in January 4, 1949, officiated by then Rev Fr Dalmacio Asis.

She said: "We were very much in love … at that time, at age 18 and he, at 20, we were both working at San Mauricio Gold Mines (later taken over  by the occupational Japanese forces of its operations and management) … our 58 years of married blessed us with eight of you, with everyone of you realizing your respective careers."

“I ask the Almighty nothing more and I guess I've been fortunate enough to have reached this historic age of 90, where lots of my  friends, relatives, kababayans, kapit-bahay, kumares and kumpares had failed to reach.

“Thanks you Lord for such blessings,” Mother uttered in her prayer.

To our Nanay: We love and honor you and that if there's something that we, your children, had missed to say and do, it’s because sometimes we treated moments like this simply as ordinary and casual time for family bonding.

This time, it's special and soon you'll have your biggest day of your life.

Three of us from distant shores will not make it to the occasion but our thoughts and spirits goes along with everyone to greet you happy 90th birthday celebration.

You are the BEST MOTHER ever and God bless po Nanay!!!