11/02/2025
In 1977, my dad wrote a letter to my mum asking her out. In the 47 years that have preceded, he continued to express love through letters, poems, and notes.
Early on, he adopted the English-to-Filipino translation of
“I love you”: *Mahal Kita*.
From then on, he signed off everything to her with those words: Mahal Kita.
My dad loved unapologetically, fiercely, and authentically. He didn’t just write of his love; he embodied it. He demonstrated and taught me that love is a foundation—it can be soft, intense, stubborn. It can be expressed in a handwritten card or through a song with a bespoke verse each day to wake his children (true story). Or with the ability to create humor in any situation, even when it is deeply inappropriate.
His love is evident in how a whole community of friends and family have held my mum these past 2 weeks.
I truly know how fortunate I was to have a father who loved me deeply, showed me affection, and did right by me for forty years.
For the past five years, I have used Mahal Kita Flowers as a vessel to share a love story.
I’ve never beern truly interested in the stems alone, it’s the narratives we created with them —the notes written, the flowers delivered, the celebrations of weddings, the remembrances at funerals, the joy of new births—that matter. All of these moments are interwoven with love.
Mahal Kita Flowers started and ended with him. He was a very nice guy.
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p.s if you have encountered me and questioned my questionable humor or played a game with me and questioned my questionable sanity, Martin Burger is the reason.
I’m cool with it.
Mahal Kita Y’all
Time is short x
