Pride of the Family

My mother recently passed this really impossibly difficult exam by the SEC (something like Financial Representative yada, yada). She was one of the 10% fortunate (and clever) ones in the Philippines who made it through the tortuous exercise that tested participants, among other things, on the AMLA (Anti Money Laundering Law - like Nikki, I try to inform the, uh, well, uninformed, a little something every time I post), Investment Computation (yep, number crunching) as well as other related legal and accounting issues for investments and insurance (a bit more number crunching). This is the third exam she has taken and passed. And while I don't want to parade on somebody else's rainy day, I can't help but brag that my mother beat this valedictorian type (you know, the one who always got perfect grades and had neat handwriting and perfect English and crisp uniforms) who had previously perfected the other two exams.

Is it obvious that I'm proud of her?

My mother at the age of ______ (ha! Even I will not risk incurring my mother's wrath by putting in her age), has accomplished much - she passed four licensure exams since retiring, started up her own business and now has gone into the investing industry, because, as she reasoned it's better to know how to manage your own funds. Being somewhat aware, if not totally an expert, on such things, I know how difficult it is to study the scope of subjects that she did. But not only did she do it, she succeeded. And while everyone else her age were going to parlors and salons and fancy restaurants (which she does - at least, the parlors and the salons, not the fancy restaurants), which I think she deserves after working most of her life (my mother's life is like Ana-Luna which is too convoluted to summarize in one blog - suffice it to say she and her family ended up dirt poor), she's out doing stuff, accomplishing things, not necessarily for the money (my dad suspects we spend more for her tests, gas, books and all, than she actually brings in), but for her.

I wish when I'm ______ I'll be as brave as she is.

I'm proud of you mom.