11/17/2025
For Filipinos raised to be strong instead of soft —
there are wounds that never bled,
but still live quietly inside us.
They show up in how we apologize too much.
How we flinch at anger.
How we work ourselves to exhaustion
just to feel worthy.
Many of us are still waiting.
Waiting for the apology that never came.
For someone to say,
“Anak, I’m sorry.
You didn’t deserve that.”
But accountability was rare in our families.
Admitting harm was seen as weakness.
So love came through food, sacrifice,
and silence.
We learned to survive instead of feel.
To say “Okay lang,” even when it wasn’t.
To convince ourselves,
“Hindi naman ganun kasama…”
even when our bodies knew otherwise.
Because the body remembers.
Inside us lives a child who still shrinks at certain tones,
still fears rejection,
still aches to be believed.
And what makes it harder
is the love that was also there —
the long shifts, the pasalubong, the sacrifices.
Our parents held us and hurt us.
And holding both truths is its own kind of grief.
But healing doesn’t wait
for the apology they may never give.
You are allowed to break the cycle —
not out of blame,
but out of love for the child you once were.
Letting go of the apology
doesn’t erase your pain.
It simply means giving yourself now
what you never received then.
🌿 This is why I wrote Roots & Rebirth.
A 30-day guided offering for the Filipino inner child —
for the ones still learning how to be held,
loved, and softened.
💛 Comment “Rebirth” below
and we’ll send you the link to join this soul offering.
Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized mental health care. Filipino experiences differ across culture, faith, class, and region, so these insights may not fit everyone’s situation. If you are thinking about or planning to harm yourself, please seek immediate help by going to your nearest emergency room, calling a mental health crisis hotline, or contacting a licensed therapist or counselor. You are not alone, and help is available.
