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My dearest Fin!  I worry about you all the time.  You’re two and I am no longer twenty-one… hahahahah!  When I start adding the years, I worry.  I worry that life has become so short all of a sudden.  I worry that I won’t be healthy enough to take care of you until you will learn to spread your own wings.  I worry that I might not be able to teach you the lessons I learned in life.  Those were hard lessons for a reason!

As you traverse the sea called life, there will be huge waves and the current might sway you away from where you intend to go.  But always remember that family is family. We will be here to watch you grow.  You have a father who is present in your life.  He loves you very much!  He’s busy every day building something for you just so you wouldn’t have to tread the sea of life as hard as we did.  Forgive him if sometimes he forgets about how quickly the hours of the day go by.  It must be his age (sorry but happy birthday to you too) or too much occupy his mind.  But know that I notice every time he looks at you with adoring and loving eyes.  I am sorry if sometimes I argue with him about certain things.  One day you will hear your grand mother tell you or your older brothers say how strong-willed I am.  How I’d make a point if and when I know a point needs to be made.

I wish I could give you parties every year.  Grander as the years go by.  But I also want to teach you that there are greater things in life grander than parties.  I want to bring you to places instead.  To your favourite ocean or where there are trees dancing or an open space where you can run around until your legs couldn’t carry you anymore.  There are eminent things in life than material gifts.  Time is on one of them!

I want to tell you about the beauty of freezing moments.  You can play with my film cameras as much as you want. Those toys has been wanting to be held for the longest time. Memorise the curves and the creases.  I bring you with me when I photograph people every chance I get because I want you to see how happy I am when I am holding that black and huge thing in my hand called a camera.  You know, I might direct them into poses they find weird and funny, but those unguarded moments are what I am after.  My work is based on trust, love and passion.  Trust the whole process of meeting people because the universe conspired to make you the instrument to freeze moments with and for them. Some will become your friends (for life) and some will pass thru but will leave you something special.  Passion because you have to love it to love you back and when you do every photo assignment won’t feel like it is work.  Instead, you will consider it as a release of what you have inside you.

If only you could see me try to blink away tears during weddings and hide behind the camera, you’d find me funny and pretentious and yes very very weird.  There is magic in trying to photograph love.  All these years that has been what I’ve been doing.

You’re just two!  I’m sure you won’t understand everything I am saying.  I hope you grow up to be free-spirited, fearless and adventurous.  I wish you will make mistakes and learn from them.  Every day I tell you that I love you because I want you to always remember.

Happiest birthday my Finsoy.

Love always,

Mama.

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Comments

Awww…wonderful heartfelt words…Happy birthday lil gwapito Finsoy! know too that many are inspired by your Mama and i’m one of them! xx

Thanks Jo.. when he turned one you took pictures of him.

Oh what a beautiful message you wrote here for Fin. I wish someday Fin will be able to read this and thank you for the lessons, adventures, memories but most of all the love. ❤️ Happy happy birthday Fin! I also wish that someday i will walk with you by the seashore, pick up seashells together, hold it close to our ears and listen to the ocean. ??? ?? ? For now, sending you my love and best wishes.. good health, happiness & more sea adventures with your family.

Thank you ninang Jen for always being there since day one.

Very beautiful and moving — both the photographs and your letter to your son. Happy birthday to your lovely son Fin!

Happy Birthday Fin. You are very lucky to have an awesome mother. (and father)