I availed of a life insurance policy eight years ago, back when I was still single and working as a classroom teacher. My motivation then was to have a fund to back me up during health emergencies.

Eight years later, I am a wife and mom, with heavier financial obligations my younger self wouldn’t even have imagined. Honestly, there were a lot of times when paying my insurance premium was hard on my pocket, and believe me when I say I almost gave it up. However, I pushed through because I realized that my insurance policy wasn’t just meant for my own peace of mind.

It ultimately became an expression of love for my family.

Let me tell you how.

There’s nothing like the mental load parents have. My husband and I have to secure our daughter’s daily, weekly, and monthly needs, and we have to think about the education and kind of life we dream for her to have at the same time.

Because we understand that our time to attend to our day jobs and side hustles are finite, we need to keep our life insurance policies because it is one of the best ways we can simultaneously attend to our daughter’s present and future needs.

Love is not passive. It finds ways even in the most difficult situations.

When I was still pregnant, my husband and I spent so much time conversing about what kind of home we want to raise our daughter in. As educators, we strongly believe that values formation starts at home. We agreed that our home will be a safe place to discuss difficult topics – money included – so our daughter sees consistency in what we believe in and what we do.

Unfortunately, money remains to be a taboo topic in many Filipino homes. This results in members of the family mishandling the money they have, ultimately showing their children that there’s a mismatch between their beliefs and actions.

Our life insurance policies as parents are our real-life examples to our daughter of our values and outlook, not only with money, but with life in general.

Love does not thrive in hiding. It blooms in right intentions and open communication.

I was a high school student at the time when nurses were very much in demand abroad. Well-meaning family and friends encouraged me to take nursing so I am sure to earn big upon graduating. I am thankful for the privilege to walk away from that road to pursue my own dreams.

To be able to afford my daughter’s choice for a course and a university is daunting. The rising cost of commodities and tuition fees can be really unforgiving.

However, with the possibility of earning and growing money healthily and legally in this generation, I am going to do my best to keep my life insurance in force so having my daughter fulfill her own dreams – whatever it may be – will not be as daunting any longer.

Love is not forcing children to pursue the dreams we parents never had. It is making sure they can spread their wings in their chosen field later on.

I don’t mind being part of the grind and hustle culture now, for as long as I know that my daughter won’t remain to be a part of the sandwich generation. My husband and I continue to strive to provide her needs and a little bit of wants now, but never to the extent of wishing to tell her in the future that she needs to take care of our needs and wants in return.

We have long agreed that we will make sure to fund our retirement well, so our daughter can live a burden-free professional and family life. Believe it or not, our life insurance makes this happen.

For love is not lavishly providing everything we can to our daughter now, without thinking about tomorrow…

nor is it about scrimping on our daughter now just so her good future is guaranteed.

Love is the reason we make the most of what we have now so our family’s todays and tomorrows are happy, healthy, and worry-free.