Do you pray to Mary? What's your experience with her like? Or meron ba at all?
Lately kasi I've been trying to develop a personal relationship with her. I studied in an all girl's school that celebrated her assumption to heaven, from kinder all the way to high school and yet I never, as in never, really had a relationship with her. For some reason, out of nowhere, or siguro since we just celebrated her birthday recently, naisip ko lang magdasal sa kanya. I have a lot to pray for pero for now I don't want to even think about imploring her intercession. Gusto ko lang magdasal. I don't even know where to begin. I don't even know how to pray the rosary anymore. 
What's your experience with her like? If any, that is.
Lol, Darling -- San Lo too, or Antipolo? Haha
IMO, my mom was a very loving wife but a negligent self-centered mother.
But the thing I am grateful to her for is the devotion to our Mother of Perpetual Help.
My personal experience? The Assumption is fine, but just doesn't resonate with me, even if I grew up being exposed to that. It was always the Perpetual Help that got me through the blackest of night.
I finally got to Lourdes the other year.
At midnight, after the 11pm mass (in French! ha, lol).-- at the grotto, I got to talking to Mama Mary.
I said: well, I really don't have a gift for you, but you have been with me ever since. There isn't anything beautiful I can give you, to show my love and gratitude. Some come to give you a symbolic beautiful bouquet made of a life time of good deeds they dedicated themselves to. Fine, I did my best but it has served me well too, life is good. Ewan ko naisip ko bigla, na hiyang hiya ako. I never felt more poor -- sabi ko, the deepest effort of my soul has been engaged in the heartaches caused by my husband and my persistence to continue loving him. All is good now, he gives me whatever to make me happy nowadays. It is God's Will, I am forever grateful. But all that big ball of heartaches and regrets is what engaged me most. I have no advocacy, great deeds to offer you. So, it's like here I am hiyang hiya with a ball of brown twigs, may konti leaves and few tiny flowers.
Voila! It was like she spoke to me in my head.
She said: That big ball of grief and regret, anger and wasted time spent on all that -- it is a good gift from you to me. Give it to me. Thank you. It is beautiful. It is part of your life."
I cried. I said Thank you for true Mother's love. There. There I found forgiveness for myself, for my husband, my parents, my aswang SIL, etc etc etc.
I have 4 or 5 rosaries to give away. All never used. All blessed at Baclaran. Instead of bead decades -- there are small platebars on which the mysteries of the rosary are written. Guide according to which day. (Rustan's sells these.) I am not proud of it, but it is what it is -- I hardly remember the mysteries, or what for which day. This type of rosary helps.
I am not quite clear about the rules of "engagement" here, I don't wanna land on the Watched List -- but of course these rosaries are meant to be gifts, free. Ok, there, I suppose any interested person would know what to do.
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