For the first time, my daughter asked me to bring her to the cinema to watch Moana.

Yes, this is a first. Usually kasi, ako magdadala sa kanya hoping that she’ll like it. And also, this is the first film that she watched in full. Di natulog. Di naglikot. Di nawala ang attention sa film. She focused on watching the entire time and she was having a great time. My gulay, dalaga na ata talaga anak ko!

She even requested for a popcorn. “We’ll watch a movie Nanay. So where’s my popcorn?”. Antokwang batang to. Ang demanding eh. San ba to nagmana? Nyahahaha!

So how was the movie? Oh well, their official soundtrack is on repeat on my Spotify right now. So I guess you all know that I love it soooo much!

Dear Disney, you are definitely upping your game with your films and I love it. More than anything else, it’s the wonderful lessons that you’ll learn from movies like these that I super love. The very nice portrayal of the Polynesian culture and tribes. The gentle way that they incorporated the fact that because we took the heart of our mother nature, it is now slowly destroying us. I mean! Wow!

But most of all, this movie reminds me that someday, one day my daughter would want something I don’t want her to do because I love her and I want to protect her. But I have to let her do it even if it will kill me because she is her own person. She has to follow her heart and her calling. And she has a mind of her own and I don’t want to imprison her with my love. Sa dami ng lesson sa movie na to, dun ako pinaka natinag. That father-daughter angle. Hanggang ngayon as I type this, I can’t help but shed a tear. Ang hirap hirap nun for a father pero kelangan.

Nakakaloka na how my views about everything has changed. Ibang anggulo na yung importante for me. Iniba na talaga ng motherhood ang buhay ko. Pero masaya ako. Masaya ako na we have films like these that reminds us how to be better parents. Sabi ko nga kay Kakay, “Someday anak, you will have to defy me to follow your heart. I just pray that like Moana, God would guide you and protect you on your journey. So you could go home safe. Back to my arms.”

Ermergerd! Ayoko na. Naiiyak na ko!!!!

Basta watch it. Promise. You won’t regret it.