Sunday, April 22, 2012

June Keithly Castro - Woman with a purpose

Dear Ms June,

I may not know you from Adam, but you have touched my heart so deeply, so intimately.

A mother's love, like that of our Mother Mary, is unconditional. Sure, there are exceptions, but they are just that - exceptions. Good or bad, a mother would do everything to protect their children. I remember one mother who was recently in the news. Her son might be a cold-hearted monster to a lot of people, but to her he is just a little boy who needs her complete love and attention. She would do anything, everything, even if it makes her look insane to the entire world, just to protect her son.

I saw how you calmly accepted your beloved Angelo's passing. I see the courage by which you deal with your own health challenges. Your body may no longer be the sprightly dynamo it was during the heydays of the EDSA revolt, but your mind, your spirit still soars. And now, reading your latest piece on the Philippine Daily Inquirer, I understood where that fortitude comes from, for it can only be given by the same God that gave us His only Son and His Mother. God loves all of us, sinner or saint. If God does not love us, why would He give us mothers who love us so unconditionally?

You write with your heart. Every tap on the keyboard must be like a prick to your heart. It is not easy to so publicly share dark episodes of your life. But in doing so, your soul shines forth like a beacon for all of us whom you have touched with your sharing. Your pain is our comfort, your suffering is balm for our anguished souls. Your brokenness makes us whole. You heal us with your illness.

Thank you for letting us share in your life, for showing us what we are capable of doing and enduring. Thank you for showing us how to love - our mothers and fathers, our families, our country, people we do not even know. Thank you for saying "YES!" to God's invitation to be His instrument. It must not be easy for you, but you accepted it just the same. God Bless your good heart.

I am tempted to say, "Be strong...". I forget that you are much, much stronger than anyone of us. I want to say, "God be with you...". But God is already with you - in you! I will continue to pray for you and your family, that is the least I can do.

Maraming Salamat!

Dennis Concepcion

1 comment:

Mona Sabalones Gonzalez said...

she has great courage and conviction