Ligaya: My Choice
Tagalog | English
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Jovert
I chose Mama.
What am I talking about? Let's back up a bit.
Over the last 25 years, I don't recall Mama and Papa having any major fights or arguments. The last big fight I remember them having was in 1995 when we lived in Maple Ridge. In those earlier years, they definitely had a few "shouting matches," and I would always get scared that they'd get divorced (oh, the silly fears we have as kids).
In 1990 or 1991, Mama and Papa had a particularly bad spat. I was 6 or 7 years old, and it was Christmastime because I remember being at Lolo Manuel's house in Malabon and Mama singing "O Holy Night."
I'm not entirely sure why they fought, but the end result was that Mama wanted to leave Papa, so she asked me, Jen, and Jayson to make a choice: go with her or stay at home with Papa.
Jen and Jayson chose to stay at home with Papa.
I chose Mama. I didn't know where we were going, but I knew I wanted to be with her.
Jayson, 4 years older, certainly believed Mama and I were really leaving because I remember him giving me his Lady Jay G.I. Joe action figure as a parting gift.
In the end, Tita Rosie and Uncle Eduard came to the house and sat Mama and Papa down. Whatever the issue was got resolved and we stayed.
But I chose Mama.
Matching 😐 expressions from 1991
Jayson
I did not choose. And I did not want to leave the house. Jen was crying; she didn't want to choose either. Because we couldn't choose, we were going to be left behind at the house with Papa.
I remember the Maple Ridge situation. Silent treatment: she didn't cook, she didn't go grocery shopping with Papa. It was like she went on strike. I can't remember how it was resolved. And the last time Mama was angry with Papa was late evening 2012. I saw her, tears streaming down her face, and she said, "I'm so angry. So so so sooo angry." It was like a volcanic eruption. All the pent up frustrations came out.
Late 2013, she was hospitalized and had to get a pacemaker. And that was the beginning of all the medications she had to take.
But despite all the anger, Mama and Papa never parted ways. And through the years, Mama never actually left. It was truly "'til death do us part."
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