Celebrating our Mothers first birthday in heaven

It has been part of Filipino culture to continue celebrating birthdays of passed love ones even if it still hurting or on recovering stage. It's like having anniversaries that not just for happy moments, happy people but for everybody having any reason to celebrate. The reason for it mostly show how you acknowledge the things, how it happen and how it impacted your being. And most important is how you love to savour the happiness and pain this will bring and to make lots of memories to cherish and last till forever.

Last week we visited at the cemetery to celebrate and have a little Salo Salo for our mothers birthday. Here's a snip of photo with my little one who wished to blow the candle for his Nanay. It was our first time to celebrate there and I know will do it again in the coming years.

I have here message for my mother on her first heavenly birthday.

Happiest birthday in heaven to the strongest woman I've ever known and admire the most. It's your first birthday in heaven MA, wish you to be truly happy and at peace out there like no more pain, struggles and issues to deal with. I have witnessed all those struggles, issues and pain you've been through and I can tell dili jud lalim imo gi agian MA (everytime I feel down and in trouble Maka Ana ko unsa na Lang kaha c mama noh? Unsa ka iyang gibati nga mas labaw PA man iyang struggle nko) You always remind me MA to be strong and with you I Found strength. I thank God for making you that strong and for making you an instrument for us imong mga anak, for raising us well and responsibly in spite sa ka lisod. With you MA and your guidance you mold us to be a good person and a responsible one, you thought us many. AWA imo mga anak MA mga maayo ug responsible (I am not claiming it for my self ha? Hala mga buotan pud bya ako mga igsuon.. Bahala na Lang nang mga WA ka uyon dha basta motuo jud ko nga mga maayo mi hahahahah and tungod jud Nas among mama nga super strong and mapa ubsanon kaayo). D jud ko kalimot unsa siya ka buotan sa ubang Tao nya cge ra jud kag kabati para Nila, e. Judge ka ug uban pa dha pero never jud ka ni confront, nangaway ug nipalit sa ilang isyu... Para nimo bahala sila basta wala ka ngbuhat ug dautan nakat.On jud MI nimo Ana MA Kanang kutob rata sa linys nga bahala sila wui importante ngtarong ta.. Salamat jud kaayo nimo MA mag unsa na Lang ug d ikaw among mama.. Nag rant jud ko wui agwanta pud d nata ka chikka every time mgpa hilot ka nko or magpa ibot uban.. Naa na man ka dha gud pero happy birthday ghapon not that I'm happy that ur gone for good Kay till now galibog pako sa pain ug unsaon pag manage (pain from losing you and ate pia as in gasunod jud MOG biya nako just to move forward in life huna huna on na Lang MA nga happy jud MO diha and your both far from ka kuyaw and ka ngilngig sa panghitabo dri sa kalibutan.. Acceptance is the key na Lang gyud ko Ani sa Hinay2x.. Huhayzzzt MA bisag maldita kayko nimo miss you ghapon pero MA sa akong ka maldita MO ngisi man sab kag dako sa akong mga jowk and I miss that badly.. Basta MA happy birthday and be happy dha and padayon sa imong journey at peace ayaw kaguol namo ha? We have our strength from you and we have learned a lot from you gyud for us to strive and struggle in this world.. I love you so much and you'll be forever in my heart (tattooed)..

In spite of all the hardship, struggles and bitterness life brings we always have reason to celebrate life and its goodness. That's how most of us face life problems and conquer them all.