Butterflies & Memories . . .

Trish Panlilio shares recollections as a tribute to her mother, the late Fe S. Panlilio.

Albeit leaving a void so deep, I am fortunate to have fond thoughts of her, our relationship, and countless experiences that have carried me through the years.

She was a woman like no other. A lady, formidable yet vulnerable. Stern and set in her ways, nonetheless genteel, easy and kind. Poised, but hilariously candid and oh, so funny.

Our relationship was a complex one. It was speckled with anecdotes that represented a plethora of feelings. When, at once, she was my most staunch supporter, at the next breath, she would be my toughest critic. Ours was more of a friendship that had all the facets of any mother daughter relationship.

What impacts me the most when I think of her was her devotion. She often used the phrase, “Prayer is my powerhouse.” This embodied the woman that she was.