Page Title
Mother-Daughter Bonding Time
Heidi M. Pascual*
Publisher & Editor
* 2006 Journalist of the
Year for the State of
Wisconsin (U.S.-SBA)
Publisher & Editor
* 2006 Journalist of the
Year for the State of
Wisconsin (U.S.-SBA)
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Recently, my daughter got a Round Trip ticket for two to Hong Kong (a
reward for yet another year of hard work) and she invited me to travel with
her. It was supposed to be a “mother & daughter bonding time,” we both
decided, to make up for some lost time and just enjoy Hong Kong for three
brief days. This trip was very special for Sherry as it was her first trip
abroad. I could sense the excitement in my daughter’s eyes every time she
clicked her camera. Would you believe Sherry even took a photo of our meal
at Hong Kong Airport’s Burger King? She took a photo of almost every move
we made, every scenery that looked “Kodak perfect,” and everything that
caught her interest. My daughter was like a little child enjoying a new toy,
and I felt so happy just watching her smile with every click of her little
camera.
Because we were part of a tour group, so much time was saved as we
already had a prepared itinerary – Victoria Peak and Madam Teussaud’s Wax
Museum plus the Night Market on the first day; City Tour and DisneyLand plus
the Night Market on the second day; and our own shopping and packing for
home on the third day. Those three days were OURS alone, despite the home-
checking Sherry did using her cellphone while on tour. The new experience
of riding a tram to Victoria Peak was another exciting moment for both of us.
We had real fun as we posed with wax figures of Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Pres.
Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth, the Beatles, Nicole Kidman, Marilyn
Monroe, Pierce Brosnan, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie, Mel
Gibson, Shakespeare, Einstein,Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Yao Ming and
many many more! I truly felt as if I was accompanying my little girl to a
circus, like I used to do a long time ago, in Cubao, Quezon City, where the
now defunct “Fiesta Carnival” stood. Our little “shopping spree” at the Night
Market was simply moments to remember as we bargained and bargained
until the prices got so unbelievably low. Sherry bought a lot -- not for herself
-- but for her two kids. Her face was all aglow whenever she would succeed
in getting an item at the amount she bargained for. Our Disneyland tour was
marvelous, as well. My daughter loved the “Let It Snow Christmas Parade,”
the shops at Main Street U.S.A., the fake snowflakes, the costumed elves
and story-book characters, and the beautiful man-made scenes. We both
enjoyed watching the fireworks that night, although Sherry – teary-eyed--
wished her kids were with her that moment and dreamed of bringing them
back next year. A very unforgettable ride we had was at the Space Mountain
which almost took our breath away, literally. That horrible monster of a roller
coaster scared the wits out of us, made us dizzy and trembling for awhile.
What a scary moment to remember! We held each other and remained seated
at the park for awhile to catch our breath. Well, the lesson we got there was,
we wouldn’t allow any of my grandchildren to ever try that Space Mountain
ride should they visit Disneyland in the future!
Small conversations just about everything seemed huge and significant
to me. For the first time, a discussion of food quality, preparation, and
waiters’ attitude became such a fun undertaking. Trying new blended drinks
along alleys were like an adventure of a lifetime. Spending time together
looking for bargains suddenly turned out to be precious, unbeatable
moments. Indeed, we refused to sleep but just keep each other’s company
until wee hours in the morning. It was a miracle none of us got sick after
three days of doing that!
All I can say is, Sherry and I had a beautiful time in Hong Kong. I know
that it won’t be the first and the last, because we both agreed we need to get
out once in awhile to enjoy the loving moments -- and fun -- of a mother-
daughter bonding time … away from the noise and hassle of daily life.
reward for yet another year of hard work) and she invited me to travel with
her. It was supposed to be a “mother & daughter bonding time,” we both
decided, to make up for some lost time and just enjoy Hong Kong for three
brief days. This trip was very special for Sherry as it was her first trip
abroad. I could sense the excitement in my daughter’s eyes every time she
clicked her camera. Would you believe Sherry even took a photo of our meal
at Hong Kong Airport’s Burger King? She took a photo of almost every move
we made, every scenery that looked “Kodak perfect,” and everything that
caught her interest. My daughter was like a little child enjoying a new toy,
and I felt so happy just watching her smile with every click of her little
camera.
Because we were part of a tour group, so much time was saved as we
already had a prepared itinerary – Victoria Peak and Madam Teussaud’s Wax
Museum plus the Night Market on the first day; City Tour and DisneyLand plus
the Night Market on the second day; and our own shopping and packing for
home on the third day. Those three days were OURS alone, despite the home-
checking Sherry did using her cellphone while on tour. The new experience
of riding a tram to Victoria Peak was another exciting moment for both of us.
We had real fun as we posed with wax figures of Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Pres.
Barack Obama, Queen Elizabeth, the Beatles, Nicole Kidman, Marilyn
Monroe, Pierce Brosnan, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie, Mel
Gibson, Shakespeare, Einstein,Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods, Yao Ming and
many many more! I truly felt as if I was accompanying my little girl to a
circus, like I used to do a long time ago, in Cubao, Quezon City, where the
now defunct “Fiesta Carnival” stood. Our little “shopping spree” at the Night
Market was simply moments to remember as we bargained and bargained
until the prices got so unbelievably low. Sherry bought a lot -- not for herself
-- but for her two kids. Her face was all aglow whenever she would succeed
in getting an item at the amount she bargained for. Our Disneyland tour was
marvelous, as well. My daughter loved the “Let It Snow Christmas Parade,”
the shops at Main Street U.S.A., the fake snowflakes, the costumed elves
and story-book characters, and the beautiful man-made scenes. We both
enjoyed watching the fireworks that night, although Sherry – teary-eyed--
wished her kids were with her that moment and dreamed of bringing them
back next year. A very unforgettable ride we had was at the Space Mountain
which almost took our breath away, literally. That horrible monster of a roller
coaster scared the wits out of us, made us dizzy and trembling for awhile.
What a scary moment to remember! We held each other and remained seated
at the park for awhile to catch our breath. Well, the lesson we got there was,
we wouldn’t allow any of my grandchildren to ever try that Space Mountain
ride should they visit Disneyland in the future!
Small conversations just about everything seemed huge and significant
to me. For the first time, a discussion of food quality, preparation, and
waiters’ attitude became such a fun undertaking. Trying new blended drinks
along alleys were like an adventure of a lifetime. Spending time together
looking for bargains suddenly turned out to be precious, unbeatable
moments. Indeed, we refused to sleep but just keep each other’s company
until wee hours in the morning. It was a miracle none of us got sick after
three days of doing that!
All I can say is, Sherry and I had a beautiful time in Hong Kong. I know
that it won’t be the first and the last, because we both agreed we need to get
out once in awhile to enjoy the loving moments -- and fun -- of a mother-
daughter bonding time … away from the noise and hassle of daily life.
By Heidi M. Pascual
When I left the Philippines for the U.S. in the ‘90s, I left behind a daughter (named Sherry Anne) who just had a baby girl of her own.
It was truly painful to leave her -- and my first grandchild -- although Sherry’s already married; but because the U.S. Embassy in Manila
rightfully gave me a deadline to leave my country in exchange for a green card, I had to pack my bags and off I went. I ended up in
Madison, Wisconsin, where I would spend the next 12 years adjusting to a very cold climate, a new kind of environment, and a
diverse community with significantly varied cultures, interests, ways of looking at things, politics, and societal levels. Within that
period, I visited my daughter and her family five times, a few days of vacation each time, and definitely barely enough to get acquainted
with my grandchildren (she now has two grown children) and most important, to get re-acquainted with Sherry.
My daughter has changed a lot. The responsibility of motherhood -- as well as the family situation she is in -- has already taken its
toll on Sherry.
I remember Sherry as a bubbly little girl always excited to perform on stage. She was Miss Talent when she was in Prep School,
always in the top 10 of her class in her elementary grades, a champion Scrabble player in high school, a very good singer, and a
dancer in some school events. An entrepreneur at an early age, Sherry used to sell candies in school and later in high school, Avon
products. I remember she got an award for outstanding sales performance at that time! While many of my contemporaries’ kids went
through the cracks and never completed their studies, my daughter graduated from the University of Santo Tomas with a business
degree, of which I am very proud of. She fulfilled her parents’ wish for her to finish college before getting married, and for that, I was,
and still am, very grateful.
During the years I was away, Sherry encountered many challenges -- from personal relationships with her husband who couldn’t
keep a regular job, to finding better jobs herself to put food on the table. She moved from one sales job to another in hopes of bettering
her family. She has become its breadwinner, a sad fact, but something that surely molded her to become a strong woman whose
singular focus has always been to provide a good life to her two children. There were times Sherry had tried to apply for jobs abroad
for the proverbial greener pasture; however, luck seemed to knock on other people’s doors. I told her every time she got turned down
that maybe the Lord didn’t want her to leave her young children then. I would remind her that I myself left my children (Sherry and John)
for the U.S. when they were already college graduates, above 21 years old, and she was already married. It was in fact time for them to
leave the nest and fly, so to speak.
When I came back this year to probably stay for a while (or for good), my daughter is already a Sales Manager for a big realty firm
that develops and sells condominiums and single family homes in Metro Manila area. She now drives her own car and her career
seems to be in the upswing. She has several “Outstanding Sales Performance Awards,” proofs of Sherry’s hard work and
determination to succeed. Although things look good as far as Sherry’s professional horizon is concerned, she remains the sole
breadwinner and with her oldest of two children about to enter college in a year, more doesn’t necessarily mean enough. In addition,
being away from home to work almost every day of the week means less time for her children. My heart aches for Sherry and I pray
hard that she be blessed with health -- and success, not only in her professional life but also, and most specially, in her personal life.
As a mother, I feel my daughter’s pain, and if I could help alleviate it, I would. The first thing I did, of course with the concurrence
and signature of my ex (Sherry’s dad), was to build Sherry’s home on our family lot (my son John’s, too), and gave her the title to her
property. In many ways, I firmly believed that this bold move on my part boosted her morale. In addition, I want to think that my
physical presence nowadays seems to do some good to her and her family. I live “next door,” in the house of my youngest son,
Dennis, so I’m practically my daughter’s neighbor.
When I left the Philippines for the U.S. in the ‘90s, I left behind a daughter (named Sherry Anne) who just had a baby girl of her own.
It was truly painful to leave her -- and my first grandchild -- although Sherry’s already married; but because the U.S. Embassy in Manila
rightfully gave me a deadline to leave my country in exchange for a green card, I had to pack my bags and off I went. I ended up in
Madison, Wisconsin, where I would spend the next 12 years adjusting to a very cold climate, a new kind of environment, and a
diverse community with significantly varied cultures, interests, ways of looking at things, politics, and societal levels. Within that
period, I visited my daughter and her family five times, a few days of vacation each time, and definitely barely enough to get acquainted
with my grandchildren (she now has two grown children) and most important, to get re-acquainted with Sherry.
My daughter has changed a lot. The responsibility of motherhood -- as well as the family situation she is in -- has already taken its
toll on Sherry.
I remember Sherry as a bubbly little girl always excited to perform on stage. She was Miss Talent when she was in Prep School,
always in the top 10 of her class in her elementary grades, a champion Scrabble player in high school, a very good singer, and a
dancer in some school events. An entrepreneur at an early age, Sherry used to sell candies in school and later in high school, Avon
products. I remember she got an award for outstanding sales performance at that time! While many of my contemporaries’ kids went
through the cracks and never completed their studies, my daughter graduated from the University of Santo Tomas with a business
degree, of which I am very proud of. She fulfilled her parents’ wish for her to finish college before getting married, and for that, I was,
and still am, very grateful.
During the years I was away, Sherry encountered many challenges -- from personal relationships with her husband who couldn’t
keep a regular job, to finding better jobs herself to put food on the table. She moved from one sales job to another in hopes of bettering
her family. She has become its breadwinner, a sad fact, but something that surely molded her to become a strong woman whose
singular focus has always been to provide a good life to her two children. There were times Sherry had tried to apply for jobs abroad
for the proverbial greener pasture; however, luck seemed to knock on other people’s doors. I told her every time she got turned down
that maybe the Lord didn’t want her to leave her young children then. I would remind her that I myself left my children (Sherry and John)
for the U.S. when they were already college graduates, above 21 years old, and she was already married. It was in fact time for them to
leave the nest and fly, so to speak.
When I came back this year to probably stay for a while (or for good), my daughter is already a Sales Manager for a big realty firm
that develops and sells condominiums and single family homes in Metro Manila area. She now drives her own car and her career
seems to be in the upswing. She has several “Outstanding Sales Performance Awards,” proofs of Sherry’s hard work and
determination to succeed. Although things look good as far as Sherry’s professional horizon is concerned, she remains the sole
breadwinner and with her oldest of two children about to enter college in a year, more doesn’t necessarily mean enough. In addition,
being away from home to work almost every day of the week means less time for her children. My heart aches for Sherry and I pray
hard that she be blessed with health -- and success, not only in her professional life but also, and most specially, in her personal life.
As a mother, I feel my daughter’s pain, and if I could help alleviate it, I would. The first thing I did, of course with the concurrence
and signature of my ex (Sherry’s dad), was to build Sherry’s home on our family lot (my son John’s, too), and gave her the title to her
property. In many ways, I firmly believed that this bold move on my part boosted her morale. In addition, I want to think that my
physical presence nowadays seems to do some good to her and her family. I live “next door,” in the house of my youngest son,
Dennis, so I’m practically my daughter’s neighbor.
