Mother’s Day from near and far

“For Mother’s Day I sent my mom some food goodies, face masks, and a handwritten card for Mother’s Day that pretty much let her know how much I love and miss her. I also definitely plan on calling her on the day of and spend time with her through video chat! Most likely going to have a long distance ‘breakfast/dinner date’ due to time zone difference.”
—Annika Matias, Washington

“I will greet my mom by preparing a heartfelt message through Facebook. I know that she would love that because I would always greet her that way even when I was back home. Usually when I am back home I would also create cards to show my mom appreciation for her day, but since I have been busy balancing all my schoolwork, I think the best I can do during this crisis would be to video call her and show my love and appreciation to my mother.”
—Carl Garon, Portland

“Happy Mother’s Day to the strongest and most thoughtful woman I know. Although I may not be able to celebrate Mother’s Day on the same island as my mom, I plan to greet her in the morning through a video call. I plan to send her flowers to Tinian for her as well. For my sisters who I will be home with, we will celebrate by making our favorite dishes for dinner and enjoy our time in our backyard.”
—Stephanie Borja, Garapan

“If I was back home on the island, social distancing wouldn’t stop me from seeing her in person because she deserves to be with her family on her special day and would be happy to see her only son after a while. Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be able to accomplish that because of the Pacific Ocean between us. So, I would call her on FaceTime and greet her happy Mother’s Day, appreciate what she has done for us, and tell her I love her. And also I will send a package of gifts.”
—June Alipio, Arizona

“Although I’m far away from my mom this Mother’s Day, I am going to make sure I show my love by taking the time to greet her. I usually make a card and wait until it hits 12am to give it. But with the distance, I plan on sending her a message. It is important to express our love to our moms, especially during these hard times. So I will make sure I make her happy by reminding her how much I’m grateful for what she has done for the family.”
—Alliyah Fernandez, California

“There are many different ways where we can show appreciation to our mother. We don’t necessarily have to go out to celebrate. Doing it at home can still hold the same meaning and appreciation for mothers. Families can cook meals or do a little something special, like helping moms out.”
—Tessie Schweiger, Navy Hill

“Despite the distance between my mom and [myself], I plan to write a heartfelt paragraph to my mom. I also plan to video call her to greet her happy Mother’s Day. To show love, I will let my mom know how much I appreciate all the hard work and sacrifices she has made. I will say all I can just to make her feel appreciated and loved.”
—Guine Borja, Texas

“Despite this challenging time due to COVID-19 and being far away from home, I am glad we have the internet to keep in touch. This is the first time for me to be away from home during Mother’s Day, and I plan to greet my mom through a video call. I plan to send my mom flowers this Mother’s Day even if I’m away from home! I hope she enjoys her special day and loves her surprise. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom. Dad, Ate, Kuya, and I love you so much!”
—Jasmine Phan, California

“Despite the terrible situation our world is facing at this time, it shouldn’t be a reason to not give back to our hardworking and passionate mothers. Simply preparing a small feast at home and spending quality time as a family is more than enough to make our mother’s feel loved and appreciated. I hope that everyone will have a wonderful Mother’s Day!”
—Ciscabelle David, Koblerville

“We would love our mom extra on Mother’s Day and spend quality time with her. Our family would make letters for her to read since we are in a quarantine. Despite being in a situation like this, we are going to try and make the most of her special day. Happy Mother’s Day! You have taught me so much and it has helped me grow. Thank you so much for all the sacrifices you have done for me and the family. I’m so grateful to have such a caring, supportive, and loving mother. Happy Mother’s Day and I love you!”
—Kohtaro Koto, Chinatown

Note: Compiled by Chevy Alipio