By Cleofe Uy Catuday
There are many odes and ballads crafted to honor a mother’s love and sacrifice, all intending to detail how utterly vast the breadth and depth of a mother’s desire to share everything she must do to keep her loved ones provided and sheltered, making it difficult to match a mother’s heart.
I have been asked numerous times myself about what keeps me going and what gets me through as a mother of four and a grandma of one, what my heart speaks of as a mother who, at the same time, has a quite demanding career. I can choose to lament on the many things I cannot do and the many school occasions of my children that I have missed, the times when a hug could have made my children’s day better, a simple lazy lounging at the living room in the evenings after work, good night kisses, and a motherly reminder of how they should sleep early and moderate their games and binge-watching. How simple these are for others and how precious they are for people like me who, should I say, are not in conventional situations like others.
I am who I am because of the heart of a mother that I have. I keep going because I have my children to protect and provide for. I often give my best so I get to grab the best opportunities to create a character with gravitas and one that others can trust. The accolades are a bonus; they are not a desire; they are offshoots of hard work that’s driven by a will to survive and withstand the many tests of time and the unpredictable challenges that may come our way. The desire is to shelter my loved ones, to keep them from worrying if we can make it through, and to assure them that Mama is someone they can run to.
Now that they have grown and have some independence to be on their own, I can’t help but look back on what I have missed but with a heart full of gratitude for what God has equipped me with. He extended my motherhood to many more, to teams that have reached more than a thousand, to create a culture that addresses a person’s needs to fulfill himself, to take care of her family, to prioritize work as an enabler to provide for our loved ones, to give back to the community, and to put God at the center of it all.
Like many homes, a lot is a work in progress, with so many things to improve and polish. Others get to be prioritized while others take a back seat. But leading with a mother’s heart gives one a goal to develop each child in each leader and each associate. Some get to be ready ahead of others and gather independence while others need more handholding before they take flight on their own. A mother’s heart in a leader will keep us with patience longer than others can expect us to give. A mother’s heart in a mentor keeps the inspiration flowing so the child in others will build their confidence and maximize the empowerment.
I have always believed that the leader that I am is driven by a karmic mantra in life, that one day I know someone will do the same good to my children like the way I give to my people. The heart of a mother in me recognizes that my heart was filled with gratitude by God so I can close my eyes on the hardships and focus on the hope. Today as we celebrate our mother’s day weekend, I just want to thank God for the gift of my late mother who has been an epitome of selflessness, for surrounding me with people who have given me a chance to be a better mother, and for my children who have been the core of my mother’s heart.
