My Friday started with a blurred vision. My eyes were no different compared to my old Dell Dimension 2400 desktop trying to move on after few hours of sleep mode.

In a few minutes, I will be doing my morning rituals which include listening to some pirated music placed in YouTube, reading the “news” from ABS-CBN News and Inquirer.net websites, and lastly, segregating my legitimate emails from those ones which promise me one to three inches of growth length added to my manhood if I buy their products, yes, spammers. They were my prereqs  before I can go to shower, wear my scrubs, and head to my workplace.

There is one task today that I did, which I only do once a year. I have to greet my mom a happy birthday. Today is her’s 49.

I was shouting across my room to the living room just to share my greetings to her. She was moving so quick. My eyes try to chase her body as it moves but failed. So I stood up and looked around for her. She was in our bathroom. It was wide open. She wanted the light from the outside of that room to come in and to give more aide to her impaired vision.

“Rut, roh!” I saw her with hair brush and black dyes on both of her hands. She was on her next attempt to cover the “white strands.” She wanted to look probably few years younger.

After few minutes of what seems to me as an endless strokes of hair brushing, she moved out of the room and offered me to take the shower first.

Standing naked in front of our bathroom mirror, and thinking of my mom in her 49 years old hair, it reminded me that I, myself, am not getting any younger.

I guess me and my mom, share the same wishful thinking: to turn back the time!

***
When I was a child, I honestly thought that the little girl in this picture was me. I kept asking my lolo, why I was dressed inappropriately. I vividly remember him laughed as he replied: It was Your Mom, not you!

I love you Ma!