"You come home with me right now!"
Startled by the sudden ring of a strangely familiar voice, my fingers froze inches above the keyboard. I stared blankly at the computer screen as I registered the voice my sensitive ears picked up. It took me awhile to process the information, cause my mind was numb from the icy grasp of Warcraft III, but when I did, warning bells immediately started ringing in my head. As I slowly rotated my head around, I was greeted by the most horrific sight any teenage boy could ever imagine : Mom's icy stare. Aside from soiling my best pants, I swear I had a mini heart attack right there and then. Usually, I'd come up with a witty excuse to weasel myself out of trouble, but there was no escape this time, I was caught red-handed. As a son, I committed the highest act of distrust, I lied straight-faced to my mom and gamed all day at a cybercafe. The other players watched distastefully as I got up and skulked all the way back home, to receive the scolding of a lifetime.
That embarrassing bit of flash-back was exactly five years ago. Back when I was a careless, hairless 12 year old who was addicted to cyber-gaming like his next fix of cocaine. Sometimes I still laugh at my younger self. About the stupid decisions I made and at how I would always get my mother to erupt like a super-massive volcano. Consider yourself lucky that you didn't know me as a child, here are but a few of my mischievous misdeeds:
a) Broke a boy's nose.
b) Started a fight with a girl on the first day of school.
c) Opened my Christmas presents before Christmas day ( I was THAT badass )
b) Started a fight with a girl on the first day of school.
c) Opened my Christmas presents before Christmas day ( I was THAT badass )
I takes a real woman to survive a child like I was. Looking back, I shudder at the thought of how I would turn out if she hadn't dragged me out of that cybercafe. A blessing in disguise was what it was.
Come to think of it, I owe a lot of good things in my life right now to Mom. The good food, a comfortable house, a working computer, a hot shower. Even so, these material must-haves are dwarfed by the changes Mom brought for me in my life. If it were not for her firm and strict guidance, I would still be lost in the desert of my addiction. If it not for her nagging and endless ranting, I might not have learned my lesson and I would still be in the dark. In fact, it's because of her (and dad) that I exist today. And so, I would like to dedicate this small crumb of cyberspace to my mom. I know it may not resemble much in the material world, but I hope you enjoy reading this mom :)
Dear mom,
You once told me that there are only two things in the world that worry you. Your son and your daughter. Although I found it hard to believe at first, I took some time to ponder about it. I mean come on, there's gotta be tons of other thing you're worried about right? But every little worry I managed to bring up led right back to us. Your over-demanding children. It didn't take me long to realize how guilty I was. Oh, guilty on so many charges. Guilty for not feeling thankful about you investing your Sunday afternoon's on me for that "A" in accounts. Guilty for how I didn't acknowledge the fact that you forked out tons of money so that my feet wouldn't hurt when I ran. Guilty that I didn't apologize to you when I made you mad and high-strung.
I've been through a lot during my past 5 years of adolescence. Fickle friends. Raging acne. Heartbreak. But no matter how many obstacles I overcame or how many changes I went through, there was always one thing I could count on when I needed it. And it was you, Mom. I didn't even have to say a word and you'd know that something was wrong, like a motherly sixth sense. It seems that for every failure that I've been through in my life, you were my cushion. A cushion that would bounce me right back up every time I fell down. You'd pick me up and brush me off with your encouraging words, words that I hold dear to. "Don't waste your time on someone who doesn't appreciate you for who you are." I may be heartbroken and trampled on, but that managed to put a smile on my face.
No words could possibly describe the gratitude that I and this family are indebted into you. I can honestly admit that this family would be in shambles if not for your efforts and love. Even though we don't see eye to eye at the best of times. I just want you to know that I love you mom. I might not say it everyday. I might shy away every time you try to hug me. But deep down, I know I owe a huge chunk of my life to you and I appreciate you for that. Do remember to set aside some time for me this Saturday. We are going to pig ourselves out. Happy birthday mom!
Come to think of it, I owe a lot of good things in my life right now to Mom. The good food, a comfortable house, a working computer, a hot shower. Even so, these material must-haves are dwarfed by the changes Mom brought for me in my life. If it were not for her firm and strict guidance, I would still be lost in the desert of my addiction. If it not for her nagging and endless ranting, I might not have learned my lesson and I would still be in the dark. In fact, it's because of her (and dad) that I exist today. And so, I would like to dedicate this small crumb of cyberspace to my mom. I know it may not resemble much in the material world, but I hope you enjoy reading this mom :)
Dear mom,
You once told me that there are only two things in the world that worry you. Your son and your daughter. Although I found it hard to believe at first, I took some time to ponder about it. I mean come on, there's gotta be tons of other thing you're worried about right? But every little worry I managed to bring up led right back to us. Your over-demanding children. It didn't take me long to realize how guilty I was. Oh, guilty on so many charges. Guilty for not feeling thankful about you investing your Sunday afternoon's on me for that "A" in accounts. Guilty for how I didn't acknowledge the fact that you forked out tons of money so that my feet wouldn't hurt when I ran. Guilty that I didn't apologize to you when I made you mad and high-strung.
I've been through a lot during my past 5 years of adolescence. Fickle friends. Raging acne. Heartbreak. But no matter how many obstacles I overcame or how many changes I went through, there was always one thing I could count on when I needed it. And it was you, Mom. I didn't even have to say a word and you'd know that something was wrong, like a motherly sixth sense. It seems that for every failure that I've been through in my life, you were my cushion. A cushion that would bounce me right back up every time I fell down. You'd pick me up and brush me off with your encouraging words, words that I hold dear to. "Don't waste your time on someone who doesn't appreciate you for who you are." I may be heartbroken and trampled on, but that managed to put a smile on my face.
No words could possibly describe the gratitude that I and this family are indebted into you. I can honestly admit that this family would be in shambles if not for your efforts and love. Even though we don't see eye to eye at the best of times. I just want you to know that I love you mom. I might not say it everyday. I might shy away every time you try to hug me. But deep down, I know I owe a huge chunk of my life to you and I appreciate you for that. Do remember to set aside some time for me this Saturday. We are going to pig ourselves out. Happy birthday mom!
