Aside from lauding Cory?s great contribution in restoring our country?s democracy, I also salute her for being an exemplary mother.

?To Filipinos, she is an icon of democracy. But to us her children, she was first and foremost our mother,? said Kris Aquino.

And what a mother Cory must have been! I believe that the courage and grace of Ballsy, Pinky, Noynoy, Viel and Kris in the face of seemingly endless political and personal tribulations reflect their mother?s faith, humility, inner strength and selflessness.

As a mother, I believe that parents can best honor Cory?s memory not only by continuing her struggle for democracy but also by emulating the qualities that helped her raise patriotic and morally upright children.

Good children

In their own small way, my friends Col. Mike Viaje and wife Wina are doing just this. These simple, God-fearing folk are totally committed to raising good children, one of whom is their 17-year-old daughter Elielle.

Elielle was the first prize winner (category B) in the Sonata Competition held by the Piano Teachers? Guild of the Philippines in 2005. She represented the country in the Suzuki Music Conferences in Australia (2005), Italy and Spain (2006).

In 2007, she represented Austria in the Children?s Cultural Festival with the theme ?Joy of Europe? held in Belgrade, Serbia. Last year, she performed in a solo concert for the benefit of the Word Community Church ministries.

My son Franco had the privilege of performing with Elielle in various countries around the world. While he took up music as a hobby, she is pursuing a professional career in music.

Since September 2006, Elielle has been a student of Music (Piano) at the renowned Prayner Conservatory of Music and the Dramatic Arts in Vienna, Austria.

Elielle?s journey to where she is now is best summed up by the mystic and author Stella Terrill Mann: ?Desire, ask, believe and receive.?

Hers is a story of persistence in the face of extreme difficulties, of unconditional love and unfailing support from family and friends, of great love for music overcoming tribulations.

True to their innate humility, Mike and Wina credit the kindness of friends for whatever success their daughter has achieved, kind souls like Aries Cases, Pinky Tobiano, Carmencita Arambulo and many more.

On Aug. 23, Elielle will perform a solo piano recital for the benefit of the Support Our Troops (SOT) Projects. Titled ?An Afternoon to Remember with pianist Elielle Javier Viaje,? the recital will be held at 3 p.m., in St. Joseph Theater, La Salle Greenhills.

Please help support our brave Filipino soldiers and their families by joining Elielle in what is sure to be an afternoon filled with beautiful music. (Tickets are available at P500 and P300. Tel. 9122365 or 0917-8291526.)

Insights

As I continue to reflect on the lessons I learned from the life and death of Cory, I recall some of the parenting insights I shared during a recent television interview with Issa Litton and lawyer Mariz Manalo aired over NBN-4.

Writer Erwin Husmalaga asked me about common parenting misconceptions, and how these could be dispelled. It was a difficult but relevant question. A few I could think of:

Parents are always right. Parents are only humans and they make mistakes. We must always remember this thought so that we remain humble and on our toes all the time.

Parents know best. In most situations we do, but there are instances when we find ourselves out of our depth. In such situations, I find that admitting my limitations is the best first step. The next step is to seek help and advice.

Being a good parent means playing the ?martyr? role. ?Isusubo mo na lang, ibibigay mo pa sa anak mo,? the Filipino saying goes. Parenting is a tough, demanding, 24/7 job, so parents need to replenish themselves by setting aside some private and personal time. How can we be good parents if we?re physically and emotionally spent?

Drop everything and focus solely on your children. While this may sound altruistic, I believe the best way to teach our children about true success is to show them how we achieve our work goals and succeed in our professional endeavors.

Quality time is enough. I believe that children are not mature enough to tell the difference between quality and quantity time. Therefore, a parent should spend both quality and quantity time with their kids.

Great gift

Strive for the ideal family life. Nothing in this world is perfect. There will always be issues and problems in family life. Only faith coupled with perseverance can help a family hurdle the many challenges that life will throw their way.

In my nightly prayer time with my children, I thank God for giving the Philippines a ?great gift? whose countless stories of courage, humility and generosity I share with my children, stories which I?m sure they will pass on to their children as well.

Cory showed us that a simple ?walang alam na maybahay,? armed with a brave spirit and pure heart, could do great things. But she also taught me that good parenting can be achieved with a higher purpose in mind?raising children who will grow up to serve God and country.

The author is the corporate affairs and market access director of Novartis. A parenting advocate, she is also the secretary of the Philippine Suzuki Association, a nonprofit organization dedicated to music education for the young.