IT seems that married life is agreeing with Sarah Geronimo, who wed fellow actor Matteo Guidicelli early in 2020.
In an article in Inquirer.net, the “Star for a Night” winner talked about skills that she has learned during the quarantine, her thoughts about raising children and how she has learned to conquer her fears as the COVID-19 pandemic raged on.
While there is no news yet of a bun in the oven, so to speak, Sarah was forthcoming when asked if she would allow their kids to join showbiz seeing as how she had begun to work at a very early age.
“Iniisip ko po lahat ’yan… araw-araw (laughs),” she was quoted as saying in the article.
“Paano kaya kung nagkaroon na ako ng mga anak? How do I raise them well? Because as a parent, you’re responsible for molding their beliefs and helping shape character. How do I balance giving in to what they want but, at the same time, making sure that it is what’s best for them?”
“Showbiz may not be something I’d encourage them to pursue, but if ‘she’ decides what she wants to do and says to me, ‘Ma, gusto ko ring maging singer, dancer and actor,’ I will definitely support my kid,” she added.
But Sarah, first and foremost, would like her children to finish their studies.
“Gusto kong unahin n’ya muna ang pag-aaral. Nakikita ko kasi minsan ang mga pamangkin ko, and I go, ‘Ay, matatanda na pala sila—20-plus na. They’ve all grown up, ang bilis ng panahon,’” Sarah revealed. “Sandali lang ’yung time na mag-aaral ka. Then, after that, you can do whatever you want in life—mag-motocross, play the piano, whatever—sige, gawin mo. But it’s important to get a degree first.”
As for herself, the pop star has learned many things during the lockdown… and that includes cooking/baking and taking care of her own finances.
Saying that she thought she would never learn to cook her own food, Sarah has delved full steam into the kitchen, churning out Filipino fare like kare-kare and pinakbet as well as her own baked goodies.
“As for baking, I started with bread,” she related. “Pero ‘yung isang bread na pinatikim ko kay Matt, naluwa pa n’ya sa tigas (laughs). So, inulit ko hanggang lasang tinapay na s’ya—from texture to taste. I also learned to make cakes and even Korean-style cream cheese in garlic bread—ang sarap! Never kong naisip na kakayanin kong mag-bake ng masarap na cake. At ako pa ang umuubos (laughs).”
While husband Matteo has certainly benefited from Sarah’s new-found kitchen skills, he has also been key to her staying active and healthy during the lockdown.
“I work from home most of the time these days, so na-enjoy ko ang pagkain lately. But I’m very lucky that my partner in life has a very active lifestyle, which helps keep my weight in check. Malaki ang influence n’ya sa akin to stay fit and eat healthy,” she revealed.
Sarah continued: “Mas ginaganahan ako sa buhay, mas masarap bumangon sa umaga.
Before all this, I used to get up at 11 a.m. Now, I wake up at 5:30 or 6 a.m. to bake. ’Pag sinipag ako, I run with my husband. O, ’di ba (laughs)?”
With regard to taking care of her money and finances, Sarah had this to say: “Now that I’m married, unti-unti ko na kasing natututunan lahat—how to handle my finances, take care of my own money and invest it somewhere, with the help of my husband. We’re learning together and it’s a continuous learning process. Kasi, hindi dahil may edad ka na, alam mo na ang lahat.
“Married life has expedited ‘adulting’ for me. I had to learn how to handle a budget and decide where to invest my savings. Kasi ang mama ko is the kind of mother who would do everything for her kids para hindi na sila maistorbo. Ganun s’ya ka-loving sa mga anak nya.”
The shutdown of ABS-CBN and the pandemic which brought about lockdown in many parts of the world has brought a lot of changes in her life. Although Sarah struggled initially, fearing about the lack of opportunities to earn a living and worrying about the virus, she eventually settled herself and found that her faith gave her strength.
“Eto, buhay pa naman ako. I’m still sane (laughs),” she answered when asked about her adjustments to the lockdown. “Maraming struggles ang dinulot ng pandemic. To some, physically, but for many people, the difficulty was mental and emotional. That’s why I’m thankful that all my loved ones are OK. What we’re going through right now is a reminder that life is too short.”
“I’ve also learned not to take things for granted. I’m thankful for the gift of life and the opportunities that come my way, kasi we tend to think na, ‘OK lang, nandyan lang naman ’yang mga ’yan,’ she added. “But you look at things differently when you see people you know lose jobs at hirap na hirap sa buhay. You become even more grateful for what you have … more contented kung anong meron ka, regardless of the trials that come. The coronavirus has connected all of us in a lot of ways.”
“Ang nakatulong lang talaga sa akin was my faith in God. Now more than ever, we realize na kailangan nating kumapit sa faith… lalo na ’pag naririnig mong palapit ng palapit na ang virus sa ‘yo at sa mga mahal mo sa buhay, or mas dumarami ang nai-infect,” she revealed.
