Do you believe in fairy tales? Wherein the princess waits for his prince charming to live happily ever after? Because if you’ll ask me, I don’t. Even if you’ll sprinkle me with your magical pixie dust.
My parents’ little steps towards their life’s journey didn’t go well in the first place. Mom is sixteen years younger than Dad and my father is separated from his former ex-wife before he courted my mother. Many people criticized them and of course, they were insulted because of their relationship towards one another. But throughout the controversies and all, they decided to fight for the love that they both deserve.
Through God’s grace, they were showered with abundant blessings and they were given a child and that is me. Yes, I’m a menopausal baby. My mother named me “Clarice” because she told me I will serve as the light in the darkness. Oh, I wish I were but I guess I’m not because I’m easily affected by my thoughts especially the sad ones. However, my father insisted to add the name “Mutya” because it means “one and only.” I am their one and only child. Eventually, my mother has no siblings too. Anyway, my surname “Ganancial” means “financial” in Spanish. My whole name is a combination of English, Filipino and Spanish words. Honestly, I can’t find any connection between all of them and it doesn’t make sense for me. The combination, I mean.
As I grew up, I’ve been teased a thousand times because of my name. At that time, it is unusual not unlike now, almost every Filipino uses my name especially when it comes to Teleseryes and other stuff. Every time they make fun of my name, I cringe because it means a lot for me and of course for my parents. They came up with that idea because in the first place, they were thankful for the precious gift that God has given them. It hurts me a lot when other people don’t think first before they say something awful, especially to the younger version of myself. I do believe that verbal abuse is more painful than physical treatment. I must say that I’ve been bullied but it never came up to my mind to change my name because I know having this name is a privileged. They had given me a unique identity for myself.
Maybe we’re not perfect. We don’t live in the castle. I don’t have a royal family, which were the King and the Queen to live up the fantasies that were spoon fed to us children for our bedtime stories before we go to sleep. But I’m proud to say that I am raised as a lady of the simple, yet perfectly imperfect parents that other kids wish they could have.
Most of the time, they don’t usually read the things that I write, but I want to dedicate this article for them. Mama, Papa, thank you for all the things that you’ve shared with me and for all the sacrifices you’ve made just to raise me up as a good person. I wouldn’t be in my place right now if not because of you and for all the hard works you’ve done for me. I will forever be grateful and blessed to have you in my life as my parents and nothing could change that.
I love you both, always.
A Slice of Life 