The Love and Sufferings of Parents

Parents in general will do anything for their children.

They will sacrifice their own wealth, health, and even dignity to protect and save the lives of their beloved children.

It is nature. It is human.

Parents cry the most when they lose their children. They feel the most pain, to experience the beginning and end of their own flesh.

When we were young and clueless about life, we take for granted everything that our parents do for us. We don't appreciate what our parents do for us, instead we expect them to do things for us.

When we become teenagers, we get worse. Not only that we do not appreciate our parents, instead we rebel and contradict everything that they stand for.

Only when we become adults and oftentimes only upon becoming parents ourselves we realize the extent of the complex choices that our parents have made to nurture us safely and lovingly, that we begin to feel gratitude to our parents and appreciate the immensity of their capacity for love.

I would like to share a very special song that speaks of the true love of a parent to his child and dedicate this to my own parents, who have since lost 2 of their 7 children.

Entitled 'Anak' (literally means child), this classic Filipino song was sung by a famous Filipino folk singer named Freddie Aguilar. 'Anak' has been a worldwide hit since the late 1970s, having been released in 56 countries and translated in more than 26 different foreign languages. It has sold over 30 million copies to date.

Freddie Aguilar via last.fm

Anak ( Child )
by: Freddie Aguilar
(English version)

When you were born into this world
Your mom and dad saw a dream fulfilled
Dream come true
The answer to their prayers

You were to them a special child
Gave 'em joy every time you smiled
Each time you cried
They're at your side to care

Child, you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you here

How many seasons came and went
So many years have now been spent
For time ran fast
And now at last you're strong

Now what has gotten over you
You seem to hate your parents too
Do speak out your mind
Why do you find them wrong

Child you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you near

And now your path has gone astray
Child you ain't sure what to do or say
You're so alone
No friends are on your side

And child you now break down in tears
Let them drive away your fears
Where must you go
Their arms stay open wide

Child you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through
And God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you here

Child you don't know
You'll never know how far they'd go
To give you all their love can give
To see you through and God it's true
They'd die for you, if they must, to see you here


Filipino Version
Noong isilang ka sa mundong ito,
Laking tuwa ng magulang mo.
At ang kamay nila
ang iyong ilaw.

At ang nanay at tatay mo,
'Di malaman ang gagawin.
Minamasdan pati pagtulog mo.

Sa gabi napupuyat ang iyong nanay
Sa pagtimpla ng gatas mo.
At sa umaga nama'y kalong
Ka ng iyong amang tuwang-tuwa sa iyo.

Ngayon nga'y malaki ka na,
Nais mo'y maging malaya.
'Di man sila payag,
Walang magagawa.

Ikaw nga'y biglang nagbago,
Naging matigas ang iyong ulo.
At ang payo nila'y,
Sinuway mo.

Hindi mo man lang inisip
Na ang kanilang ginagawa'y para sa iyo.
Pagka't ang nais mo masunod ang layaw mo,
'Di mo sila pinapansin.

Nagdaan pa ang mga araw
At ang landas mo'y naligaw
Ikaw ay nalulon
sa masamang bisyo.

At ang una mong nilapitan
Ang iyong inang lumuluha.
At ang tanong,
"Anak, ba't ka nagkaganyan?"

At ang iyong mga mata'y biglang lumuha
Ng 'di mo napapansin
Pagsisisi ang sa isip mo,
Nalaman mong ika'y nagkamali.