My Favorite Superheroes

When we talk of superheroes, many would pick Superman, Spiderman or Batman as their favorite simply because all of them can do the impossible, the unthinkable, the unimaginable. Mine can do exactly the same, but no, he cannot fly, nor can he swing from one building to another, and no, she cannot fly too, nor does she wear sexy outfit when she is in action. They are just ordinary people who happen to possess extraordinary powers unlike those of Superman and company.

He is a lawyer in the province who does not run any business but was able to produce a lawyer, has two sons taking up medicine, another taking up law, another is in college, and the youngest is in an exclusive school in Quezon City.

One time he had to travel on a bus for nine hours from Ilocos to Manila then transfer in a van to travel again for seven hours to Camarines just to attend a hearing. And then he had to endure the same duration of time on the road going back to Ilocos. He had to do this once a week for several months. There were times when he had to undergo this long trip only to find out, upon arriving in Camarines, that the hearing was postponed to a later date.

He accepts cases from as far as Cagayan Valley and Isabela, and he also has cases in La Union, Pangasinan, and Laguna. And so it frequently happens after attending hearing in Cagayan, he goes straight to Isabela, then to Manila to meet his clients from Laguna. He also has to wake up as early as four in the morning to avoid being late in his hearing in La Union or Pangasinan.

When at home, he works from morning until midnight making pleadings, reading law books and deciding cases, then he has to type those pleadings and decisions all by himself.

Normally, the load carried by one gets lighter as he grows older, but his gets heavier as time goes by. At the age of 53, he should be earning money for his retirement, but still he has to work like a horse to earn good money. He has never complained though. His happiness is for all his children getting good education and top-notch profession. In fact, he is suffering from a stress-related skin disease but that does not stop him from making a living.

Nevertheless, he still spends quality time with his family – he gets to cook good food for everyone, goes to the beach or have a road trip with his whole family, tailor-repairs polos and jeans of his kids, gets to sing once in a while in the videoke, and watch basketball with his boys.

Maybe he possesses the strength of Superman, Spiderman and Batman all combined.

She is a full-time housewife. Imagine how difficult it is to take care of six children – five boys and one girl.

When she wakes up in the morning, she has to decide the amount of food to be served for the whole day making sure no one will complain. She goes to the market all by herself, and usually when she returns, she realizes she forgot something and so she goes back to the market again to buy that thing.

She sees to it that all bills and tuition fees are paid, and if not, she always takes the blame. She also always gets messages via cell phone from her children asking I need money or I need this and that, and so she goes to the bank to send money, rain or shine. And when house helpers decide to go home, it is her obligation to go to the remotest places in the province to look for their replacements.

One time, when she was taking care of her sick child in the hospital, and her other children were at home without money to spend for their merienda, the moment she received a text message asking for merienda, she went home, delivered merienda to them, then went back to the hospital right after.

At the age of 53, she should already be sitting pretty, her children should have been serving her, but still, she loves what she does. The fact that all of her children are seeking further studies, she is more than happy to serve them until they finish it.

Despite her flaws and shortcomings, she is very much loved, knowing that her duty is indispensible to everyone.

Wonderwoman might need a word from her on how to become a “real” wonder woman.

They sacrifice everything for their children. All the money they earn goes to their children. Almost nothing is left for them, for their future. But their children are all aware of these sacrifices. And so when everyone will turn their backs on them, their children can assure them that they can count on them. And they are hopeful that they will be their parents’ future.

He is my father and she is my mother. Sorry Superman, sorry Wonderwoman, but my favorite superheroes are my parents.

The world would be a better place if all the parents in the world are their children’s favorite superheroes. So that, we, their children, will grow up idolizing them, and we will someday become superheroes, ourselves, the ones whom our future children idolize.

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