As the end of my one year sabbatical draws near, moments of panic make me subdued, thinking that this past year was NOT enough to have spent them with my mom. Were those times spent with her really quality times? Her once in a while smile can be confirming and i hope that when am gone, she will be more than ok.
Her becoming sick again is not an option. But for now, her on and off coughing is playing-up and with the heat starting, this won't help her at all. In this part of the world, summer is here, and with it is El Niño. My mom will be staying mostly indoor.
One thing that's been consistent in my stay in the Philippines is the pottering around in the backyard. Some say i have green fingers, I say i've learnt from the best.
Growing-up, i usually helped out my mom in the garden or even when vacationing from abroad. When she retired, her orchids have been her babies, even in bloom during the typhoon seasons.
With her stroke, she can only gazed at her garden from the porch. But as much as we try to maintain her orchids, only one bloomed last year, the rest perhaps are trying to live from the less frequent water they get.
Telling my mom that I will be leaving soon, looking at her eyes, i think that she understood. For now i am counting the days and part of me thinks that I am ready to leave her. I hope it won't break her heart to see me go. She's a fighter and have inner strength and stubbornness that we see daily. Somehow, i need her to be that.
All images were taken with my Samsung Galaxy S7, taken yesterday while out cycling on our way home.