I used to see just her faults. The list is long and we still fight about them now. But I realized soon enough that her great traits far outweighs her shortcomings. I now know that my mom is also her own person and not just a mother to her three daughters. Being a mother myself had put things in perspective. Now I appreciate the care that my mom had given us. She never gave us tough love. She was always lenient. She had always given me her trust and confidence that I can decide on my own. They were not always the most popular decision, nor do they always turn out fine. But I turned out fine. From my mom, I learned to be independent. She just let me be. And I was always brave to try things. Because I know that I got her to back me up and I can run to her even if she does not always agree with what I do.
We rarely see each other even if we are just a few minutes drive from each other. I'm busy with work and she's busy traveling all over the country (yeah, lucky her). So this Mother's Day, as a special treat, I invited her to join me for a lunch at The Peninsula Manila, as Downy Pays Tribute to Mothers on Mother’s Day.She had a great time seeing my friends I've met through blogging, as well as other celebrities and personalities. It made her feel like a part of my world. She was never really interested with my blog until now. As we eat our lunch, Guji Lorenzana serenaded us. Flashes of our messages to our mother's played on the big screen, and I could see my mom a little teary eyed.
That day, mom was wearing her favorite perfume. It always reminds me of the time when we used to go out together a lot, even share a drink or two with my friends. They say that of the five senses, smell is the most closely linked to smell. Smell acts as an extremely emotional trigger for most. I remember watching a YouTube video with blindfolded kids asked to find their mother among other women. It was amazing to see how the smell of their mom pointed them to the right person. In fact, babies know a mother’s scent before they are able to see their mothers so it should not be a surprise. Scents remind you of moments you can never forget – moments you shared with the woman who has always been and will continue to be by your side, your mother.
There was this wall of scented flowers that served as a backdrop for our mom-and-daughter photo. It smelled subtle and calm. Like a warm embrace. It was the smell of the new Downy Timeless from the Parfum Collection. Downy Timeless represents a scent meant to evoke the sincerity and simplicity of unwavering, genuine love - just like a mother's love.
“We wanted to provide a classic scent that mirrors how a mother’s love never goes out of style,” de Padua adds. Downy Timeless combines the playful notes of citrus fruits that hark back to memories of youth; the feminine scent of flowers reminiscent of femininity; and is mixed with a trace of musk and sandalwood, to evoke stability and calmness.
Celebrating Mother's Day at @ThePeninsula with #DownyTimeless You really appreciate your mom more when you become a mom yourself.A photo posted by chronicles of life with mila (@milastolemyheart) on May 5, 2015 at 9:03pm PDT
A mother’s love not only endures but also evolves over time. Her words and actions stay with her children forever, and affect the kind of parents her children may eventually be. The best gift I can give my mom is creating new memorieswith her and her grandchild. And the #DownyTimeless scent will now be a remembrance of this good memory with my mom on Mother's Day. This sweet moments, complemented with the power of timeless scent.
To all my fellow moms - those who carried their child in their womb, and those who held them in their hearts - Happy Mother's Day!
