"A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle."
Men come and go, so if women depend their happiness on men, they will be unhappy half their lives. And I know I sound like a hypocrite but I swear I am not. I have one good reason why I do not depend on men... my mom.
I was about 7 years old when my Dad decided to be with another woman. His exact words to my mom were "I want my freedom back." I witnessed my mom's most vulnerable days. I would sneak into her room, hide under the bed and listen to her cry. I think she knew I was there so she tried not to cry so hard but I could see her hurting. It lasted for weeks, maybe months, but she got back to her feet and acted like the man she married was not with another woman.
One day, when my mom, my sisters and I were in the car, we asked her how long it took her to get over our dad. She said, "I don't know. I just did." with a smile n her face. In that very moment, I've realized that I have a strong mother and that I wanted to be like her.
I tried so hard to be like her -- independent, strong, happy. But I have come across men who brought out my vulnerable side. I was disappointed with myself because I wasn't as strong as my mother.
My mom dated another man few years after my dad left her. That relationship didn't last but I never saw my mom cry, not even once. I guess she took the break up just as well as when my dad called it quits. I think my mom is Superwoman.
Last February, Mama came to visit me here in Singapore. I asked her, "Given the chance, will you still get back with Papa?", she said no without batting an eyelid. It reminded me of the person I wanted to be. Yeah, Superwoman.
It's nice to be independent. It's nice to be the strong person who can do things on her own but I have to admit that it would also be nice to have someone who would want to do things with you, who will laugh at your silly questions, who will take care of you and who would protect you. I may have already found that person -- the person I want to share my hobbies with, the person I like laughing with, the person I want to be with. But if I lose him, I promise I would take it the way my mom did... with resilience and grace that every other woman must have.
I was about 7 years old when my Dad decided to be with another woman. His exact words to my mom were "I want my freedom back." I witnessed my mom's most vulnerable days. I would sneak into her room, hide under the bed and listen to her cry. I think she knew I was there so she tried not to cry so hard but I could see her hurting. It lasted for weeks, maybe months, but she got back to her feet and acted like the man she married was not with another woman.
One day, when my mom, my sisters and I were in the car, we asked her how long it took her to get over our dad. She said, "I don't know. I just did." with a smile n her face. In that very moment, I've realized that I have a strong mother and that I wanted to be like her.
I tried so hard to be like her -- independent, strong, happy. But I have come across men who brought out my vulnerable side. I was disappointed with myself because I wasn't as strong as my mother.
My mom dated another man few years after my dad left her. That relationship didn't last but I never saw my mom cry, not even once. I guess she took the break up just as well as when my dad called it quits. I think my mom is Superwoman.
Last February, Mama came to visit me here in Singapore. I asked her, "Given the chance, will you still get back with Papa?", she said no without batting an eyelid. It reminded me of the person I wanted to be. Yeah, Superwoman.
It's nice to be independent. It's nice to be the strong person who can do things on her own but I have to admit that it would also be nice to have someone who would want to do things with you, who will laugh at your silly questions, who will take care of you and who would protect you. I may have already found that person -- the person I want to share my hobbies with, the person I like laughing with, the person I want to be with. But if I lose him, I promise I would take it the way my mom did... with resilience and grace that every other woman must have.