Article
June 10, 2011
Mom’s Eulogy-- From A Daughter to a Mother
By Cheryl Zarate
Good afternoon friends, family and loved ones. My name is Cheryl and I am Cora and Gerry’s only child. I’ve been reading a book of meditations and grieving and one quote really stuck out to me, by a poet Margaret Atwood,
“The Eskimos had 52 names for snow because it was important to them; there ought to be as many for love”
I quickly posted this on Facebook and was quickly reminded by a good friend, mentor of mine Al Garcia that in the Philippines there are many sayings for love;
Pagmamahal, pag ibig, umibig, pag irog, pag sinta, I counted over 20 verbs and nouns and this is in Tagalog only and to satisfy my Ilocano side ayaten (I-ya-ten).
I thought this was quite fitting because my mom definitely embodies all the different variations of the word love.
As I said, I am the only child, but because of my mom’s love I am able to have many brothers and sisters, which most of you are with us here today.
In the last few weeks, there have been so many that have said, “She is like a second mom to me.” Throughout my life our house has always been some kind of “half way home” for any family or friend who needed a place to stay for a while until they got back on their feet.
The last few days and weeks reinforces the kind of Love I speak of about my mom.
This love I speak of comes from each and everyone one of you who are here today, and who are hundreds and thousands of miles away.
My mom always told me to give and give because the more you give the more God will provide. She provided to her family back home to the Philippines as often as she could, she provided her time to the church with festivals, feeding the homeless, and simbang gabi. She provided her nurturing character with every nursing job she had, and of course she provided my dad and I with a good home life, and made sure I received a good quality education, and taught us how to live modestly and always be grateful especially to God.
She lived her life with this motto and I know she has given herself to each and everyone she has met. She was the kind of person who would never judge your character, and looked for the best in each and everyone. Even if you offended her she would search deep in her heart, pray of course to the Lord, and found a way to forgive you. Her motto lives true because God has truly provided us with wonderful friends, a supportive family and reconnecting me back to my faith.
With love comes strength and courage, and that was another trait that my mom carried with her until her very last breath. As a little girl she stood on the streets selling Pancit and orange juice fighting off rabid dogs.
In her college days she threw Molotov cocktails out of her chemistry class window at police harassing student protesters during the Marcos days.
When she came to America, she stood up against any administrator or coworker who mistreated her and her fellow colleagues.
She was always the mediator and the facilitator for every family function, and even every family drama.
Her last true example of strength showed when she told the doctors, nurses and family that she does not want to see her family watch her suffer anymore and chose to be with God. Her unselfish act of strength and her true sacrifice to the family is what my mom is all about.
So the same way I ended my poem I wrote a few days ago, I end this Eulogy.
her love
her love remains in me.
her strength
her strength grows stronger each day with me.
So another day goes by and now you are not physically here.
I hope your soul finds its way mom,
for I know that you will live within me forever.
***********
June 10, 2011
Mom’s Eulogy-- From A Daughter to a Mother
By Cheryl Zarate
Good afternoon friends, family and loved ones. My name is Cheryl and I am Cora and Gerry’s only child. I’ve been reading a book of meditations and grieving and one quote really stuck out to me, by a poet Margaret Atwood,
“The Eskimos had 52 names for snow because it was important to them; there ought to be as many for love”
I quickly posted this on Facebook and was quickly reminded by a good friend, mentor of mine Al Garcia that in the Philippines there are many sayings for love;
Pagmamahal, pag ibig, umibig, pag irog, pag sinta, I counted over 20 verbs and nouns and this is in Tagalog only and to satisfy my Ilocano side ayaten (I-ya-ten).
I thought this was quite fitting because my mom definitely embodies all the different variations of the word love.
As I said, I am the only child, but because of my mom’s love I am able to have many brothers and sisters, which most of you are with us here today.
In the last few weeks, there have been so many that have said, “She is like a second mom to me.” Throughout my life our house has always been some kind of “half way home” for any family or friend who needed a place to stay for a while until they got back on their feet.
The last few days and weeks reinforces the kind of Love I speak of about my mom.
This love I speak of comes from each and everyone one of you who are here today, and who are hundreds and thousands of miles away.
My mom always told me to give and give because the more you give the more God will provide. She provided to her family back home to the Philippines as often as she could, she provided her time to the church with festivals, feeding the homeless, and simbang gabi. She provided her nurturing character with every nursing job she had, and of course she provided my dad and I with a good home life, and made sure I received a good quality education, and taught us how to live modestly and always be grateful especially to God.
She lived her life with this motto and I know she has given herself to each and everyone she has met. She was the kind of person who would never judge your character, and looked for the best in each and everyone. Even if you offended her she would search deep in her heart, pray of course to the Lord, and found a way to forgive you. Her motto lives true because God has truly provided us with wonderful friends, a supportive family and reconnecting me back to my faith.
With love comes strength and courage, and that was another trait that my mom carried with her until her very last breath. As a little girl she stood on the streets selling Pancit and orange juice fighting off rabid dogs.
In her college days she threw Molotov cocktails out of her chemistry class window at police harassing student protesters during the Marcos days.
When she came to America, she stood up against any administrator or coworker who mistreated her and her fellow colleagues.
She was always the mediator and the facilitator for every family function, and even every family drama.
Her last true example of strength showed when she told the doctors, nurses and family that she does not want to see her family watch her suffer anymore and chose to be with God. Her unselfish act of strength and her true sacrifice to the family is what my mom is all about.
So the same way I ended my poem I wrote a few days ago, I end this Eulogy.
her love
her love remains in me.
her strength
her strength grows stronger each day with me.
So another day goes by and now you are not physically here.
I hope your soul finds its way mom,
for I know that you will live within me forever.
***********
