My 4th Mother’s Day



It seems like yesterday when I celebrated my first Mother’s Day, six months after giving birth to my son. Now, it’s my fourth. And it always felt even better than celebrating my birthday. Maybe that’s because when I celebrate Mother’s Day, I always celebrate it with my son. It’s like a “mother and son” day. And rightfully so, since without my son, I would not have been a mother. It’s amazing how motherhood changes you. Your hormones raging like a teenager — all whacked-up and uncontrolled, your weight more difficult to manage than ever, your emotions more unpredictable than the weather, your patience tried every minute, makes you irritable and grumpy at times — many times.. and yet, we mothers know that a simple, innocent and sweet smile from our children makes all those worries and anxieties go away. And somehow, all of a sudden, you don’t really care how fat you are or how tired you are chasing your kid the entire day or even how you lose sleep every night making formula for your baby. All you care about is getting that feeling, that certain “high” that nobody else can ever give you, that no amount of promotion, reputation or monetary reward could ever duplicate. And yes, all of a sudden you realize there is meaning to your existence in this world after all. I am blessed. Very blessed. Not all mothers have the luxury of being with their children 24/7. Most mothers are compelled to work all in the interest of their children’s future, of course. And I salute those moms. It takes a determined and strong mom to do it everyday. It’s heartbreaking to leave a crying child, begging you to stay forever at his side. I remember when I used to work, everyday is a struggle. It would take me almost an hour just saying goodbye. It’s never easy.

I thank God for the gift of motherhood. It made me the person that I am today. It may not have made me perfect but it gave meaning to my life. A lot of people go through their lives trying to make sense out of it. Hence the songs like “What’s this life for?..”. I’m happy to know that I know what my life is for. All I wish is that when my son grows up, he would remember how much I loved him and how having him made living in this crazy world worthwhile and fulfilling.

This is also a tribute to my mom. For all the love and support, for all the pain she endured for us, for all the lessons she taught us, for all the patience she had, for all the understanding she willingly gave us, and for all the time of her life that she spent choosing to do what’s good for us over what’s good for herself, no amount of words or flowers can ever compensate her.

2 responses to “My 4th Mother’s Day”

  1. Happy Mother’s Day!!

    Like

  2. hi there pinoyconsole! :) thanks for the greeting! :)

    Like

Let me know what you think… :)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me
Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera Marmol aka RJ Marmol profile picture

I’m RJ Marmol — writer, musician, and independent creator based in Manila.

I write songs, essays, and books about the messy overlap between money, overwhelm, creativity, identity, and rebuilding. Much of my work circles around what happens when life stops feeling manageable — and how we try to think clearly, make decisions, and keep moving anyway.

I’m also the author of Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur, a nonfiction book published under Steady Hand Press. The paperback edition is listed under my full publishing name, Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera.

On the music side, I release work as HeyRJ. On the writing side, this site is where I gather my books, essays, notes, and whatever I’m building next.

Music

HeyRJ is my sonic soul project. I create raw, minimalist-style and deeply personal music interpretations that feel like a late-night conversation with your truest self.

By blending lo-fi acoustic textures with poetic honesty, my work explores love, loss, grief, healing, and the quiet in-betweens of life. Each song is a letter — a journal entry — a gentle companion for when the world feels too loud or too quiet.

While my catalogue began with intimate cover renditions, my work is increasingly being shaped by original writing, drawing from years of poems, lived questions, and emotional survival.

“Stuck Home Syndrome” released on March 20, 2026 is my first original 20-track album written during a period when time felt compressed and days began to blur into each other. The songs came from sitting with thoughts that had nowhere else to go — unfiltered, repetitive, and sometimes uncomfortable. It’s a concept album that isn’t built around singles or polish. It’s closer to a continuous inner monologue, recorded with minimal production and very little ornamentation and meant to be listened to as one cohesive body of work. The goal wasn’t to resolve anything, only to document how it felt while it was happening.

On May 29, 2026 I released new original singles – “Rapturous”, “Uh Huh”, “Look At You”, “All That” and “Blew Print”. I continue to release both original and cover songs and intend to so for as long as I can so check back every once in a while — you might. just find something you’ll like.

For business inquiries relating to music, email me at: heyrjmusic[at]gmail[dot]com or my personal email at: rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com.

Books

Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur

A nonfiction book about what debt does to the mind — and how to begin functioning again when financial stress has made everything feel blurred, urgent, and overwhelming.

Rather than treating debt only as a financial math problem, the book explores the emotional and cognitive realities of financial distress: shame, decision fatigue, avoidance, panic, relationship strain, and the difficulty of making sound decisions while mentally depleted.

Published under Steady Hand Press. It’s available worldwide in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon. Bookstores and libraries can also be order it wholesale via Ingram.

Contact

For book-related inquiries, media requests, bookstore questions, or discussion-group invitations, you can reach me through the contact page on this site or send me an email to rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com or hello[at]steadyhandpress.com