AMACON 3 : OIKOS (MY ENTRIES)

DAY 29

OIKOS: Day 29

PROMPT: 'How do you feel about love before us?'  'How do you feel about love these days?'

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'Mommy, Daddy is saying he misses you and that he loves you', Athena called out to her mother who was busy fixing up sandwiches for the kids.

'Tell him I love him too and come here in the kitchen.. Snack's ready', Maine told her. 'Thirdy, come downstairs', she called out to her son and then goes back to the kitchen where the twins have already attacked the sandwiches while little Charmaine watches them with glee.

'Mommy what does love mean?', she asks as her mother busies herself with picking up the crumbs from the floor

'Why you ask honey?', she gave a smile to her 4 year old. Always the inquisitive one

'We are always saying I love you to each other. But what does love actually mean?'

Maine takes a moment to find the best way to make her daughter understand

'Darling.. Love is an emotion.. It's a feeling for something that you really really like. When you get it, you feel really happy about it'

' Mommy... I'm really happy that you made sandwiches. They are my favorite.. Does that mean I love them?' she asks in a very serious tone

Maine laughs at her child's innocence. 'Yup.. That means you really love them since you have eaten your Kuya's sandwich too'. The twins snicker while Charmaine becomes frightened of her Kuya getting angry. Maine senses it.

'Cee..? You know what else love means? If you share or give someone what you really love, it means you love that person too.'

'Do you think Kuya loves me? He won't be angry?' she asks in a little voice

'Of course I love you, silly', Thirdy ruffles his little sister's hair as he enters the kitchen, and overheards them

Charmaine hugs him tight as he settles beside her and splits his other sandwich half and gives it to her. She couldn't wipe that smile off her face.

'Mom.. what do you love?' Athena asks as she sees her mother smiling over them

'I love how you all love each other, take care of each other. To me love means always putting others before yourself. Love is sacrifice in the most beautiful form. When I see our little family all safe and happy, I feel loved'

'Ma, I wont call our family of 6 little though', Thirdy comments, with a smirk on his face. Just like his Dad.

Even Maine joins in as the entire kitchen erupts with their laughter.

This is love, she thinks to herself. Only after becoming a mother did she realized that when people said a mother's love is selfless, it was true. No one can even begin to imagine the satisfaction a mother feels when she works day and night just to ensure her family is happy, safe and sound. When she told Thirdy Love is sacrifice, she meant it

'But Ma, what about before us?' Siegfried's voice jerks her out of her thoughts.

'What do you mean?'

'Like you said you feel loved seeing us all happy and stuff..What about when none of us were here. When it was just you and Daddy. What did love meant to you then?'

'Is this a Hugot session we are having? I wasn't informed about it' her asthmatic laughter rings in their kitchen.

'Hmmm.. Love pretty much meant the same thing'

The kids groan in unison. Her kids never settle for vague answers

'Back then.. Love meant conquering my fears. The thing about love kids is it makes you want to be a better person. I tried to overcome my flaws and insecurities. And in the process I not only came to love myself but also your Dad because he give me the strength and motivation I needed to do it in the first place.

And you know what kids? Love also means to accept the imperfect parts too. It teaches you to compromise. There were a lot of things I didn't like about your Dad, I still don't. But every day I love him more cause not only his good qualities overweigh his flaws but also because he tries his hardest to overcome them. Like I said, love makes you strive to be the best version of yourself and always look for good in others'

When she finishes her little speech, all of them nod as if they have understood every single word of her, even little Charmaine. Suddenly the sweet sound of the ice cream van is heard from outside and her kids jump from the stools and hurry off shouting 'Ice creaaaaam!!!!!'. Only Thirdy remains, a thoughtful look on his face

'Hey big guy.. what's up?' she asks him as she sits on the stool next to him

'Mom.. I was just wondering.. You said you love Dad cause he brought out the best in you. But why do you love us? I mean we are always making you tired and giving you trouble. You keep worrying about us all the time, even when you are at your shoot... How come you love us after all we do?'

She pinches him 'Thirdy... Who wouldn't love you guys. You are cute, smart, obedient.. And kids are supposed to be trouble. It's like your job. But that doesn't mean I hate you for that. I might be angry, sad or disturbed. But I would never stop loving you. That's the thing about loving. If you love someone so dearly, you won't ever get tired of it', she gives an assured smile to her first born. He smiles back and plants a kiss on her cheek as he runs away to join his siblings.

As she stands up to clean up the mess, she can't help but thank the Lord for letting her experience all these different kinds of love.