The Habit of Living Poor

My mom is 70 years old and is still riding a jeepney wherever she goes. If you don’t know what a jeepney looks like, here it is.

It’s a mode of transportation for the masses in the Philippines. It’s not a bus, that’s too big. It’s far smaller. It fits about 12 passengers in the back - 6 on either side facing each other. You get in scoot hunched over to the next available seat. 

When I was younger and still living there, I remember during rush hour, some people wouldn’t mind hanging in the back. Literally, holding on to dear life on the back of a moving vehicle to make it home in time for dinner. It sounds outrageous but that’s a normal thing in Manila.

Fast forward to today. I’m now living in the US and my mom remains back home, still taking this mode of transportation. I keep telling her to take a cab instead wherever she needs to go (she never learned how to drive) as I am concerned about her safety but she insists on either taking a jeepney, the bus or worse, a tricycle.

What drives me nuts is she can afford it. Can way afford it. She gets into worse situations that’s too embarrassing, actually not embarrassing, but sad to share. 

I feel sorry for her because she’s trapped living in such poverty mentality despite her being more than capable of providing herself a life that’s quite the opposite. It’s so hardwired in her that it inhibits her from enjoying the simplest conveniences such as a damn cab ride. 

To her, those things are a luxury. A waste of money. Which leaves me wondering what must she think of herself to feel she doesn’t deserve them?

I’m looking forward to the time when she finally comes here to live with me. Fingers crossed, that time is soon.

I cannot wait to spoil her and I’m guessing it wouldn’t even take much. Give her a taste of the life she has refused to allow herself to enjoy. And hopefully make the last of her years the ones she’d treasure the most.

Marge

A Life Well Lived Member

www.alife-welllived.com