Among the stories we have read for the past week, the story of the Travelers and the Plane Tree is what I love the most. Let me share with you the lessons we’ve learned.
The travelers and the plane-tree
The Travelers and The Plane-Tree
Two Travelers, walking in the noonday sun, sought the shade of a wide-spreading tree to rest. As they lay looking up among the pleasant leaves, they saw that it was a Plane Tree.
“How useless is the Plane!” said one of them. “It bears no fruit whatever, and only serves to litter the ground with leaves.”
“Ungrateful creatures!” said a voice from the Plane Tree. “You lie here in my cooling shade, and yet you say I am useless! Thus ungratefully, O Jupiter, do men receive their blessings!”
The mother and the three boys
Sometimes out of exhaustion, I would question the boys’ insensitive acts and not appreciate the sacrifices I do for them. I would wake up early in the morning, for instance, to prepare their school baon but then they would go home with their food still inside the lunchbox. They didn’t touch the food.
Perhaps it is but common for other moms to ask “how could you do this to me after all the sacrifices that I have made for you?”
To which the children would innocently question “what have I done wrong? I did not ask you to sacrifice for me.” Or maybe they are thinking it is the responsibility of the parents to bring them up.
Love and sacrifice
Most parents are driven by loving intentions. They are eager to provide for their children. As more dads are working overtime and even having a second job in addition to their regular employment, more and more moms are giving up their promising careers to be full-time parents.
As some may call these acts as sacrifices, others regard these as a demonstration of love.
I am then left thinking if what I do are mere sacrifices or acts of love. They say sacrifices are meant to give up something of value in exchange for something of greater value. That means then that I know for a fact my priorities thus I am merely leaving behind something of lesser value. There is no selfless act in there then as I choose the more important and valuable.
Some men underrate their best blessings
From experience then, I must say loving our children can be the purest form of love. Or perhaps the most selfless service we give. We go beyond sacrifices. Because we know in our heart that our children are our blessings who deserve not only our sacrifices but our selfless love.
So next time I feel exhausted and think of my children as ungrateful, I must remind myself that I underrate my biggest blessings. Again, my boys are God’s graces worthy of love and not mere sacrifices.
I think what you felt is understandable. Nakakatampo naman kasi talaga yun. Kung kay Nate siguro mangyari un, sasabihan ko siguro talaga sya. haha. I always say this – I really admire you for sacrificing for your kids. You have a decent job with a good salary but you gave it up. That’s not an easy decision to make. You sure know your priorities.
I feel you, it happened to me and I was not happy, ang hirap gumising ng maaga just to prepare snacks and lunch meal tapos hindi kakainin. I even told my son, “kung wala siya plan na kainin baon niya just tell me so I won’t cook anymore”. I have “no leftover rules”, pag may leftover sa baon bawas oras sa iPad pag weekend. hehehe!
I love my family. They bring me so much joy and happiness. I never felt unappreciated for everything I have given. Their happiness and successes are mine as well.
Yes often I to have felt the same way you do when the lunch boxes come back untouched.
But then you are right they are our greatest blessings. It is not a sacrifice we are doing but our duty that we have chosen. There may be so many childless women craving to do this very job.
I also feel the same when my school kid won’t finish his baon, I do bento boxes pa naman. I just explain to him that I put so much effort into preparing his baon so he should finish it every time. I’m a fulltime mom and sometimes I feel the negativity, but yes, spending time with our kids is our utmost declaration of love.
I have gone through this phase with my husband but glad that we are able to work it out. From then on, he was able to appreciate the things I do more.
After reading this post, it made me think – what if I am the one being ungrateful?
I feel you Momi Berlin.. it hurts sometimes that after all that you’ve done, the efforts you’ve exerted just to give them the best and yet they were ungrateful. Many times i cry esp. with my son. But many times i feel rewarded too coz there are really times that they are worse but then after that they were sweet and loving and everything that they do which is not nice os automatically forgiven. I think sacrifice is love and love is sacrifice.. it both work ways..
Hugs mommy. They may not know how great your sacrifices are but surely one day, when they become parents themselves, they will tell themselves that you’re the greatest mom they had. Rearing this baby of mine makes me think of things like that. Most of the time, I have questions in my head if what kind of man this little creature will become someday. I also sometimes think if my sacrifices will pay off. I always pray that I hope my son will be a good man like his dad or even better than him.
Sometimes, others don’t really get to appreciate the things the other people around them do to help ease their burden. It hurts especially if the people we think could appreciate the things we do fail on doing that. I feel you. Sometimes, others don’t even care about the hard work that the people are doing because it benefits them at some point. Life is give and take. Even if we give, we have to take something also.
Mothers really give out the purest form of love and I salute all mothers to that. Im not yet a mom but i can relate to this post being the eldest. Sometimes i would feel that my siblings don’t appreciate the help I’ve exyended, although by the end of the day we brush it off and think that we love them and they’ll realize it sooner than later. I understand the feeling and I guess its alright. Carry on!
I understand how you feel. I sometimes feel sad (and mad) when my kids do not value what I give them. But I still choose to make sacrifices and do selfless acts for them. Like what you said, I acknowledge that they are God’s gifts to me. In fact, they are answered prayers. I prayed that I would become a mother.
this post made me appreciate my mom even more… I’m no longer a kid but I felt so much guilt that I never said that heartfelt thank you when I was younger.. i think mom will appreciate it even more after all those efforts and sacrifices they did ever morning.. but now I’m already a grown up.. i understand my mom more
This is a great reminder for us to appreciate everything our parents have done for us. I agree that it is only by selfless love that one can do sacrifices. It’s tough but it feels rewarding to see one’s loved ones happy. May we continually show our gratitude for our loved ones as no money can ever
Raising up mids is an enjoyable experience. However, once grown up, the kids must understand their responsibilities toward their parents. Unfortunately, in modern times, we have this culture of old age homes which is too bad.
I feel the same way and I always get into the conclusion being a mother is not easy… my son is 6 and I have felt a few times bursting into tears how could my son be so ungrateful for what I have done for him. I also felt that he is always wanting more. I told my mother, children are very selfish.. but all these experiences made me appreciate and love my mom more… I guess we’d all come to realizations when we finally be in the other person’s shoe.