Singlestalk: Parent and child

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Michelle (M): I thank the Lord for the gift of life. Micaela was born last July 25. Tomorrow, my eldest son turns five. He wants to be called Ben 10 and thinks he is Ironman, the Transformer robots and Capt. America rolled into one. When we came home from the hospital and Micco first saw his baby sister, he immediately asked what happened to her because there was a bluish mass underneath her right eye. Doctors said it was a dacryocele—a congenital condition in which the infant is born with a swollen lacrimal sac filled with mucoid material. The doctor told us to massage it three times a day for a week and if it won’t be gone, treatment includes antibiotics as well as nasolacrimal probing and irrigation in many cases.

My apprehensions diminished when I saw Micco pray over his sister, fervently asking God to “fix his sister’s eyes”. The following morning, to our surprise, the dacryocele was gone, just like it was erased and was never there the day before. A child’s faith makes us believe even the impossible. Children are indeed precious gifts. I am humbled by the privilege and the opportunity to be a steward of the lives of the children God has blessed me with.

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Darwin John (DJ): There is grace in the workings of a child’s heart and mind. And Micco’s faith most likely took off from how he sees you and Francis living your faith out loud. Kids have tremendous faith. Look at how they believe in superheroes. They just need every chance possible to express it.

When we faithfully seek God in all things, children notice. When we have genuine interest in them and build a connection with them, they cherish it. And when the chance to be part of an incredible work God is doing in the world comes, they rise to the occasion.

M: If it is a great blessing to become a parent, it is a greater blessing for me to be the daughter of a father who is not only an inspiration to his family but to many others whose lives he has touched. My dad turns 80 this coming Wednesday. Happy birthday, dad! His sense of humor, positive attitude and zest for life makes him look young and feel young at heart. My dad had a hard life but it did not make him bitter but better person.

His example of hard work, tenacity, and integrity makes us very proud of him. We should appreciate our parents and never take them for granted, especially in their old age.

DJ: I remember a story my late dad shared to me and my sister. He lived a hard life too; a self-made man. When he was seven, my grandparents had to do work in the city. And so he was left alone for a night in their nipa hut with nothing but a candle for his light, corn and salt for his dinner. When he said he cried very hard when the heavy rains came and the water began to rise, I thought it was because he was scared. But I was wrong. It was because he caught lots of mud fishes.

He wondered what his parents were having for dinner. And wished they were home so they could partake of the feast. This story sticks to me not only because it shows a picture of the hardship dad went through before he became the successful man I knew. I remember it well till today because through it I see the depth and width of the mind and heart of a child who was seven and who I eventually called “dad.” And it’s something I like to carry on now that I am all-grown.

M: It is said that to whom much is given, much is expected. An attitude of gratitude makes us appreciate even more what we have and what we do not have. Life certainly isn’t perfect and there are a lot of challenges along the way. But for as long as we have faith and know that there is hope, we can carry our burdens knowing that there are people who are there to love and accept us as we are. Just like our parents and our children. We may not always agree or see eye to eye with each other, but what binds us together is so much more than what meets the eye. It is rooted in our hearts.

DJ: Dad used to say that everything starts and ends with family. For parents, it is a great power and a responsibility. For children, it is great learning and an opportunity. And it’s something that we all can together cherish and live.