For those of you who have noticed my absence, there’s reason behind it. For those of you who haven’t, carry on.

I had every intention to share my current experience with the IAB Certification program but life has since inspired me to share my car ride with my mom, instead.

Just recently, my mom and I were heading to meet my sister for a sorority event she was part of. The car ride itself was short, less than an hour but I really enjoyed the quality time spent with my mom. I don’t know when the shift occurred in the parent/child paradigm but it did and I couldn’t be more grateful. Somewhere along these lines, I’ve realized how ridiculously entertaining my mom is; she’s no longer just “my mom” she’s so much more than that, she always has been – I just haven’t taken notice. My mom is one of the most genuinely caring people I’ve ever known but even above that, she’s an absolute hoot. The way she loves her family is admirable (some of them, who shall remain nameless are quite difficult to love – just saying), her thought process is absolutely sound and the fact that she cracks herself up before finishing her story is endearing, to say the least.

During our ride, she shared stories with me about her brothers and sisters, some good and some far from being good. She told me stories about when she was growing up in the Philippines, things she experienced and what she’s ultimately learnt from it all. We talked about life and what she wanted for me. She told me how proud of me she was, told me that she knew I’d be fine because I was strong & too stubborn to accept any less than what I deserved. She shared the fact that she prayed for me, my brother & sister every night; she prays that we all find the happiness we’re looking for. We listened to the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac, she mentioned how I was getting old because I never used to like the classics. We laughed, I agreed; it was a really good moment, a perfect memory I’ll happily store away in my mind and heart.

The purpose of me sharing this with you all is two folded. First, I’d like to one day re-read this post and I hope by then, the nostalgia overwhelms me enough to bring me back to that car ride. It’s my way of imprinting it permanently in the vast space of the world wide web. Secondly, if I could offer some advice to all my readers – I’d tell you all to invest some time in your parents. Take even just a moment, give them a genuine hug and tell them you love them; I can guarantee that it will put a smile on their face.

Often times, we easily forget how fragile life really is. It can be taken away instantaneously, so enjoy the moments you do have. Play some oldies, sit on the couch and enjoy their company – you won’t always have that opportunity so I suggest that you do it now, it will be time well spent. I promise.