Agony of an OFW Mom

How does it feel to be away from your family? How painful it is for a wife to leave her husband? How miserable it is for a mother to leave her kids? And why does she have to go?

It’s terribly painful for a mother to leave her kids. I don’t know how it feels to be away from my child, but I have seen the desperation and misery from the eyes of those mothers I’ve been with when I was abroad. They wanted to be with their children but they just had no choice.

How does it feel missing the birthday celebration of your child? All you can give is your remittance so he/she could have a grand birthday party. How depressing it is for a mother to learn that your child is sick? You cannot kiss, hug, or even caress your child longing for your comfort. A mother will always be a mother as they say it. How many Christmases, New Year celebrations, and school recognitions have you missed spending with your family? How many balikbayan boxes have you sent to substitute for your absence?

The pain of being away from your family especially from your child is horrible wishing you could do something about it. But all you could do is just stare at their pictures, always wishing, hoping, and praying that they are doing fine.

Life outside Pinas

I admire OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers). Yes it’s true, they are the ‘heroes of today.’ They are heroes to their own families that they have to fight the sadness, aloneness, and homesickness of being away from them. They have overcome ignorance and fears of being a stranger in a foreign land. I was once an OFW and I enjoyed it - learning new things, adjusting in a new place, meeting new people. I was earning a lot, approximately five times of my salary when I was working here in the Philippines. I was able to buy branded clothes, watches, bags – shop till you drop! I was able to buy my family anything they requested. But in spite of living a comfortable, secure, safe, and let’s say, a bit luxurious life, it was not at all worth it. Each day of my life, I worried about my parents who were getting older day by day. I used to think of the days, months, and years that I was not able to spend with them and it made me feel regretful for the wasted time. Material things were just not enough to fill in the emptiness inside you being away from the people you love. Then I realized that sometimes, ‘A SIMPLE LIFE MEANS A HAPPIER LIFE’ Four years spent outside of my native land is enough, I want to go home. And here I am…happy and satisfied…no regrets!

Burj Al Arab in Dubai