Spending time with our children during their early days is priceless. We work to give our loved ones a better life, but life spent working is not life at all, perhaps, not even an excuse.
I had my own share of tragedy. Being an OFW earlier, I too was guilty of leaving behind my first 3 children to work overseas. I was lucky enough to have been able to reach them through video calls via yahoo messenger that time. I was thinking about the batches before me during the 70's, 80's, and 90's when snail mail was ruling the communication department.
I have seen life's drama overseas. I have seen worse. I have seen how ofw men and women tangle up into illicit affairs which eventually ends the original plans of working hard, saving for the future, and heading back home to live the fairy tale happy ending.
I heard horror stories about husbands and wives back home, living a spending spree from the hard earned remittances.
I also listened to fellow Filipinos crying, telling me about his 4 months pregnant wife while he has been away for 5 years straight.
There was however more than a handfull of inspiring stories that I know of first hand. Ofw's that were able to bring their families, spouse and children alike to the country where they are working.
I was also able to know about moms and dads who spent their whole career life working abroad diligently. They were lucky to end up with faithful and loyal spouses back home. Ofw's who left their first time pregnant wives, who every couple of years ends up pregnant. Daddy's who never saw their kid's first day in the world alive.
Hardworking moms who left their infant kids to work abroad in exchange for hopes of the future, as well as the painful longing to even touch their baby's toes.
I listened to parents how they wish to say happy birthday to their sons and daughters personally. How they wish to have attended kinder, elementary, high school and college graduations. How they would exchange a month's or couple of to attend a funeral.
I was with them when they were finally required by their companies to retire after years of services. Years working with blood, sweat, and tears that brought college diplomas to children. Bringing back a hefty sum from retirement.
Going home? ...or should it be simply called "returning"?
Home is where our spouses and children lives. A house is never always a home.
How ironic it is to return "home" only to find out that we are grampas and grannys. That our children has their own lives. That they have grown up. Grown ups just like the people around us while overseas. Grown ups that does not need our time as often as they should have. We have lost the experience of parenthood, but only the role of a remarkable provider.
I was lucky to be blessed with two more kids. I was lucky enough to have at least witnessed my elder kids when they were still qualified as "kids". It may have been late, but it was never a "never".
Life is short, time is blindly and deafly passing us by.
Life is short.
The phases of life are shorter.
Originally published on Benjie's Bench - Measuring Life's lessons in Millimeters
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