Today as I was looking through my phone’s photos, I saw a picture I took of a man from the hospital almost a month ago when I gave birth to our baby boy. It took me several seconds to remember why I took his picture but I remembered clearly now why.
I was alone in my hospital room that time when this man arrived. I just gave birth a few hours ago. My husband was going to sleep in our house with our daughter while my companion for the night, my sister, went out for a while to buy something.
I was alone and starting to reflect on the responsibility of having to raise 2 lovely children. The trust given to us as parents is not a joke or easy at all. I was in cloud nine but worried. Worried if I will be a good mother or a good example to my children and if I will.be able to be the best mom to them. My thoughts that night were chaotically unorganized. Was it the medicines from giving birth? Was it fatigue from my 22-hour labor? Was it my obsessive compulsive me? Was it a normal parent’s worry? Regardless of what it was, it was disturbing my peace.
Then this guy knocked on my door and when said he was going to collect the baby’s cord blood and other stuff for the cord blood bank plan we got for our baby and family (more details soon on this on another post. We’re more than excited to share this decision we made for our family with you). He was the company’s pick up guy. As I was filling up a few forms, we had a little conversation that changed my parenthood perspective forever.
(Conversation in Filipino)
Guy: Congratulations Ma’am (with his genuine smile).
Me: Thank you. (Looking at the big cooler with wheels) Wow, galing naman may cooler ka pang dala. After dito, straight mo na ba dadalin yung blood sa facility?
Guy: Yes Ma’am.
Me: ang layo pa tapos ginabi ka na. Madami bang pick ups today? (I know, I can get overly curious or maybe talkative? Hahaha!)
Guy: Ok lang po ganon talaga. Actually, galing pa din po akong Zambales kanina for pick up. Ganon po talaga ang trabaho.
Me: Ha? Zambales? Wala bang ibang magppick up dun? (It was raining heavily that night)
Guy: Ako lang po ma’am. Ok lang po yun. Kailangan magtrabaho. (Still with a smile on his face). Ano pong baby nyo, boy or girl?
Me: boy. Yung panganay ko girl. May anak ka na? (I was still filling up forms at this point)
Guy: ay kumpleto na ma’am boy and girl. Congrats po.
Me: ilan yung anak mo?
Guy: 6 po
Me: 6? Madami na yan sa panahon ngayon ah. Ilang taon yung eldest?
Guy: 9 years old Ma’am
***I was honestly surprised and thoughts came into my head that his wife was pregnant almost every year for several years! And I felt that being pregnant for a long time was already so hard!
Me: So kung 9 years old yung panganay, dikit dikit yung age nila? Grabe. Tapos nagwworry ako sa 2 kids na magkasunod. Yung wife mo nagwwork din?
Guy: ok lang yan Ma’am. Blessings ang mga bata. Yung wife ko sa bahay sya. Bilib po ako sa kanya. Mas mahirap po yung ginagawa nya kaysa sa ginagawa kong trabaho. Tutok lang sya sa mga bata. Yun pong dalawa kong anak, nga honor students po. Nakakataba ng puso. Yan po ang mga konswelo nating mga magulang. Nagpapasalamat kami sa Diyos.
Me: Nakakatuwa naman. Ang galing ng asawa mo. Bilib din ako sa kanya. Ako nga dalawang anak nagwworry nako tapos ikaw ang dami tapos kayang kaya pala.
Guy: yes ma’am. Blessings po yan. Mahirap po pero ganon po talaga. Masaya po yan. Kaya ako po talagang nagttrabaho mabuti para sa kanila.
***After finishing the forms. I handed it all to him.
Guy: Thank you Ma’am and congrats po ulit. Pakita ko din po Ma’am, nacheck ko na po lahat ng boxes and nalagay ko na po sa loob ng cooler. Update na lang po kayo sa planta kung ok na lahat.
Me: thank you ah, anong name mo ulit?
Guy: welcome po, congrats po ulit. Jorge po Ma’am, Jorge L. (he also mentioned his surname and I got it too on the forms I have. But I’ll keep his identity private).
***And then he left
I was left dumbfounded and feeling so stupid with my worries. How can I feel so worried when here’s a man so happy with everything and not clouded by worry and tiredness from a whole day’s work. Was I being too selfish?
God works in many ways and gives me these little miracles everyday. But this one was an immediate answer to my worries! I was in shock.
Up to this day when I get so overwhelmed with housework and everything that needs to be done or when the 2 babies cry at the same time (the other one is in a bad mood and teething while the other needs to drink milk or needs a diaper change), my thoughts take me back to Jorge and his family and I realize how dare I complain when everything we need is here and we even have the comforts I want to make motherhood or childcare easier for me and our helpers. I realize everyday how lucky we are that we are all healthy and complete.
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