HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPE-VINE: OUR NEW ABNORMAL
Yes, I know last Sunday, May 12, was officially Mother’s Day 2024; but hopefully, you’ll give me some slack if I insist that today, May 19, is my Mother’s Day. It’s my late mother’s birthday, and she’d have been 90 this year - if she hadn’t left us in 1996, at the ‘young’ age of 62.
Forget what people say about time healing all wounds. It may dull the ache and pain, and not be something one thinks about as often; but when you do remember, or there’s a moment that you know you’d have wanted to share with your mom, the pain is still there, as acute as ever, just not lasting as long. That’s my experience. And I don’t mind it, as it is a timely and persistent reminder of how much I do miss her.
My eldest son was just five years old when his Nona Helen passed away, my middle boy would have been two, and my youngest son was born in 1999. So whenever I see posts about how grandparents are the best, or the special relationships they create with their grandchildren, I get a twinge of envy and regret. My eldest has some dim memories of being taken out to lunch with his Nona; but even he’s not certain if that’s a genuine memory, or suggested by us telling him there would be those lunch dates.
I say this with the knowledge that the older cousins of my boys have such vivid and hilarious memories of my Mom; of traveling with her and my father, just my parents with their grandkids. Memories like their first visit to Disneyland Paris, or some birthday celebration that turned extra special because of something my mom had planned.
And hilarious because both my parents had such idiosyncratic personalities. Baby powder being one of the obsessions of my dad. He’d have it in his underwear, his armpits, all over his body, and in his shoes - so much so that the grandkids traveling with them, and having to share a bathroom, would recount about the clouds of baby powder they had to face before leaving any hotel room, and how it would get in their eyes and hair - and how my mom would have to pat it off.
My mom was one of the last great buyers in bulk. When she passed away, we found cartons of moldy anti-bacterial soap, stone dry alcohol wipes, and expired medicines, in her private storeroom. That’s just the way she was wired; and I’d have loved to see her argue her case with my youngest, Luca, who’s the complete opposite as a consumer. Luca is the ‘I’ll own one pair of sneakers, until they’re falling apart’ kind of person, banking on the logic that he only has one pair of feet.
Treasure the moments you have with your mother - and find triggers that will bring back these precious memories. Back then, in my wildest dreams, I never thought she’d be gone at 62 - and there are so many elusive memories and anecdotes of her time with us, where we only recall fragments, bits and pieces. Issa’s mother passed away at 44, when Issa was 15; so one really needs to start building up this trove of memories.
Circularity and upcycling
Filipina designer and circularity advocate Zarah Juan recently collaborated with the SM Store, coming up with the SM Green Finds x Zarah Juan Tarp Project. Executed to help promote the circular economy and green living among the Filipino shopper, one can find the project’s line of pouch and tote bags at SM Store Makati, at SM Store Aura, SM Store Megamall, SM Store North EDSA, and SM Store MOA.
Used tarpaulins from SM Store were collected, turned over to Zarah and she repurposed them, giving them a new lease on life - reused and recycled to minimize waste, and lower the environmental impact. It was also done in support of local communities; one, the Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL’s) of Quezon City, as they were assigned the cleaning and cutting of the tarps. Then, two, local artisans from Bulacan, who handled the printing and assembly of the bags.
Proceeds from the sale of the bags will go to SM Foundation’s Youth and Education projects, thereby fostering this cycle of empowerment and social impact. As for the design component of the bags, Zarah Juan had this to say, “The seamless coordination of the project hinges on the careful consideration of each step and aspect of the design process… I prioritized ensuring that the colors and prints transcend fleeting trends, aiming for enduring appeal and longevity, a reflection of the bag’s overarching purpose.”
Forgive me for putting a historical perspective in all this, but I happened to be around when SM Retail launched SM Green Finds two years ago, in 2022. Back then, it was a function of curating what was already available in the SM Store, so consumers would be guided as to which retailer brands and products/SKU’s championed Sustainability. So it’s nice to observe how SM Green Finds is constantly evolving, and not some ‘one time, good time’ concept.
With the Tarp Project, SM Retail is taking the lead in creating these Green Finds; and no longer merely acting as aggregator or passive retail platform. I love this development, and how it shows a progressive and aggressive stance on the part of SM Retail to being a Sustainability advocate.