All I ask is Time

“A sick young boy has been bedridden for a couple months. Mom never had time with his kid for a very complex reasons, she’s busy, busy and busy! Until one instance the boy got to talk to his mom and said mom will you lend me money? Just a hundred dollar. He’s mom went hysterical and said we don’t have money left. Stop it I am busy for this. Then the child insisted and said I just want to buy an hour of your time mom.”(From an article I read long ago)

Parents now a day have been so preoccupied on how they will earn. And sometimes forget to spend time with their children. How would one react if you will hear that from your kid “ma/pa I just want to buy an hour of your time”? He isn’t asking for a day, he only settled for an hour. Perhaps the boy may see the mother or father often times but never had quality time with them. Kids are observant about it. Parents may talk to their children maybe just because they need to and not because they love to. Preoccupation will always show up. You’re may be physically visible but still thinking of something else.   Sometimes parent’s got to confuse the importance of material support over emotion. How would you handle it if your kid will say “I don’t need that I just need you mom”? Difficult isn’t it. How much more if you’re an overseas mother?

We always see the need of going out of the country for a better life. Mother’s set aside emotional discomfort with their children. Some may have thought about it. Others may say all they need is time. This whole thing is not forever. They just need to earn for their children’s future. And make up to them later.

 I am a bare witness of some mother’s struggle abroad. They struggle not just about work but of emotional distress being far from their loved ones specially their children. I got a chance to be a friend to a working mother who has been so emotional when watching movies about families. Those who have been counting the days left when to be with their children again. Also those who want to give up with their work and go home.  These are mothers who acquire their strength from their children. The working mothers who restlessly spent nights thinking back home. These are same mothers who can hardly buy something for themselves without thinking if their children have something new.  The same mothers who feel guilty of living their children even for good intention. These are mothers who make up with their children even through phone calls. These are also the mothers being accused that they chose luxurious life over their children. The mothers who live with fear that upon going back home their suffering went out for nothing seeing their kids with no direction in life. Fear that they are the ones to be blame.

Sometimes we feel the unfairness of life. There are those mothers who are blessed to be with their children and spent no time with them yet appeared good because they stay. Those overseas mothers who want nothing but to be with their children get accused. Even how good is the intention things don’t go the way we want them to flow. Even the best acclaimed Mothers receive negative feedbacks. Sometimes mothers and children were just victims by how the society dictates us on how to react on situations. Too much of those movies portraying parents abroad and children end up miserable. This may be a possibility. But have we forgotten that there are also children who appreciate their mother’s sufferings? Who would want to be far from what you consider your life? NO mother will ever leave her children for nothing…

By: Chesnut