Regrets in your life?

Do you have any regrets in your life that you wish you can turn back the time and do it right?
I want to share some of the lessons that I’ve gained from that question, and it helps me to become a more loving son and brother after I realized how lucky I am. I just hope that you can get some lessons from there, too.

One time during our conversation with one of my colleagues here, I asked him one question, it was a spontaneous conversation and out of nothing it popped up on my mind and asked that question to him.

"Pare do you have any regrets in your life that you wish you can turn back the time and do it right? You know what he replied to me, "Alam mo pare, ang pinakapinagsisihan ko eh yung hindi ko man lang naiparamdam sa nanay ko kung gaano ko s’ya kamahal, at kung sana maiibalik ko lang ang panahon ‘di sana’y pinasaya ko s’ya sa abot ng aking makakaya!!!
Nagtanong ako, "Bakit ano ba ang nangyari." Then he continued his story: "Alam mo Drake, nung unang beses ako na nagbakasyon sa Pilipinas I was so overwhelmed and happy that time. Most of the time, I went to my friends’ house for overnight. I made up with my girlfriend and we were always together. I was out of the house all day and party all night long. I didn’t want to stay in our house even for one hour; thinking that it would bore me too much. I was occupied with a lot of things, I was so blinded by my happiness that time, blinded that I didn’t notice my mother wanted to have a quality time with me.

I remember one instance when she tried to lay her head on my shoulder. Medyo nabaduyan ako. I just said, "Nay tama na ‘yan, nakakahiya baka isipin binebeybi mo pa ako."
That time hindi ko alam na nilalambing n’ya pala ako. After my vacation in the Philippines, I came back here in Saudi knowing that I had the good time of my life, and after a few weeks, I received a call from my sister. It was a call that changed my life in an instant, a call that made my heart pound intensely.

She was crying and sobbing on the telephone when she gave me the news, it was like a bomb that she dropped over my head: and slowly she told me that my mother died in a car accident. She was crossing the street and then a fast car hit her, and the car ran fast as if nothing happened, as if no one was hurt, as if no one was gasping her last breath because of him. I was shocked, and knelt slowly while crying silently. At that time, everything flashed back in my memory, and later I realized that I have forgotten my mother when I was in the Philippines.
I didn’t have time to make up with her. I was so lonely and depressed that time. I was so disappointed about myself. And it was too late for me to show and express my love for my mother.

If only I can turn back the time I will try to make her happy as much as I can. I will try to make every day, hours, minutes and seconds become a special moment for us.

You know, I’ve seen tears flowing from his eyes. You can see how really sorry he was to his mom and to himself. He was so emotional that time. Even though he looked tough and strong outside, he was crying inside.

I realized that even a man with the hardest heart will be softened and will crumble when it comes to his family. I hope his tears become words of love and gratitude that can be sent in the wind and whisper it to his mom.

I hope his agony and pain become arms that will hug his mother so tight and she will receive it in heaven. And I just hoped he has forgiven himself.

Right after he told me about his stories, it wakened me up from my deepest sleep. Right after our conversation, I called my family, and told them all the things that I haven’t said to them before. I opened up myself to them.

Every conversation that we had, I make it a point that I tell them how much I love them, and how thankful I am to have them as my family.

They oftentimes worried for the things that I’ve said because they don’t often hear those kinds of phrases from me before. They thought that I was just so lonely that time, that’s why I was saying those kinds of words to them.

It may sound baduy or corny, pero okay lang maging baduy, at least wala na akong pagsisihan. Okay lang maging corny, at least naipapakita ko sa kanila na mahal ko sila!

From that day on, I will try to fulfill my promise to them. I will take care of my parents even when they are old. I will help my siblings to finish their studies even if sacrificing my own happiness for now.

I thanked my older siblings for helping me to finish my studies. Now it’s my time to pay them back all the things they’ve given to me.

I know they are not asking me to pay them literally but instead they wanted me to help my younger siblings like they did before, and help them to reach their goals in life, too. I acknowledged their help and told them that I’m really blessed to have them.

Sometimes it might sound that it would be the last time of my life, giving my last words before I die. But it’s okay to be like that; trying to show them how grateful I am, as if, this is the last time we would be hearing each other’s voices!

We will never know when will be my time and their time to be with the Lord, so it’s better to be that way. At least you will never regret it for the rest of your life, just like how my colleague feels.

Kahit na baduy minsan, pero okay lang ‘yun, ‘di ba!

Ito ang kasunod na mga tanong.

When was the last time you said "I love you" to your parents and siblings? When was the last time you thanked them for helping you and for taking care of you? When was the last time you had quality time together as a family? When was the last time you called them? When was the last time you hugged and kissed them (family)?

Hindi ko na kailangang malaman ang sagot d’yan! Ikaw na ang may kakayahan na sagutin ‘yan para sa sarili mo! Gawin mo ang makakaya mo para wala kang pagsisihan sa huli! Sana hangga’t nand’yan pa sila, maiparamdam mo kung gaano mo sila kamahal, malayo man sila sa atin. ‘Di pa naman huli ang lahat, ‘di ba?

Whahahahah!!!! Madrama pala ako, pang telenovela! Pero I just wanted to share every lesson that I’ve learned from that experience!