ow fabulously happy, Sharon Cuneta talks candidly about the lessons she's learned in her journey through life.

Why do we love Sharon so much? It is certainly not just because of those movies where she grew up in front of our eyes. And definitely, it's not jus those soulful melodies that bring back haunting memories. Now, we love Ate Shawie because she's as real as it gets. In the midst of the klieg lights and the billboards, we saw her painful struggle to become her own person—strong, independent, and, dare we say it, content. Enough said. Here is Sharon Cuneta, in her own words.

Why mom and dad knows best

Even when you're 50, your mom will always be your mom. Your dad will always be your dad, right? When I think back, I just say, ‘Oh my God! This is how it feels.' Can you imagine how it was when my mommy said ‘Don't'… ganyan,' and then I got married so young, it must have killed her, but you know, you always stick with your kid and always stand by your kid no matter what. In the end, you really have no control over anything. All you can do really is pray and trust the way you raised them. Ang importante ‘wag kang magkulang sa pagpaalala. Kahit mag-away kayo basta kailangan pumasok sa utak niya.

On raising kids

In the end, all you can do is trust that this person retains something that you taught him. And you just pray, really pray. You can't be with your children 24 hours a day. You don't know what they're thingking.

So kapag ganon, sabihin mo na lang, ‘Lord, bahala ka na. ‘Di ko na alam anong gagawin ko.' ‘Yon lang. I think all parents would agree that you just want yo know your kids better. You want sana that your kids trust you enough to tell you about their fears, their real thoughts, their real ambitions. And then you're praying, of course, that they learn from your mistakes so that they don't have to go through pain. But sometimes, God will allow them to stumble so they'll learn.

On who's the real boss

I still worry a lot. I still worry a lot about the future and that's one thing. That's why my husband always has to constantly put in my head that you're not in control of anything. I say, yes, but you know, God gave us free will. When He blesses you with something, you're like a steward. It's up to you how you take care of those things.

Sabi nga ni Kiko, ‘Why keep worrying and worrying?' In the end, you'll realize that you wasted so much energy and time worrying when nothing was in your control. It's God who's always in control, not you.

On being a workaholic

There was a time when I didn't even have a day off for five years. Work was all I did, because that was my life. Everything else took a backseat. Of course, KC was the most important, but in reality, I had to make a living. I couldn't depend on anyone else.

I would have a boyfriend, but I couldn't even go out of town with my boyfriend. Masyado na kong may nililihim sa tao kasi baka may masabi yung tao, tsaka may trabaho ka. Or the family, my dad and mom would go to Hong Kong for five days and I would go for two nights, or miss it all together, kasi may trabaho ako.

When I look back, I don't know how I did this. I'd record five new numbers, three of which were medleys. So I would study how many songs every week. Pagkatapos ko ng recording by midning, make-up na kasi shoot na ako in the morning. The next day, tulog lang. Saturday yun. Pagdating ng 1:00 p.m. may shooting na ako, then Sunday night yung Sharon Cuneta Show. Monday, may shooting ulit ako. After a while, I asked for Monday s off. I don't know how I did it. My energy, I'm not aware how I got it, maybe I just love working so much.

On her drive to succeed

Looking back, it's really true parang my marriage… I just didn't want to screw up in other areas of my life. At first, it was like a diversion, a distraction. Later on, you didn't want to open that corner. Later on, it became already a need to work, work, work, work. Because, I guess, looking back, that way I wouldn't feel so much of a failure. Yeah, now that I look back, that's true.

I wanted to be successful in other areas. Otherwise, if I had some time to myself, then I'd realize that I had lost my marriage. And you know, even though you feel it's not your fault kahit na may bigger offense yung isa, may ginawa ka eh. Hindi puwedeng wala eh, ‘di ba? So even if I say I tried my best, which I believe I did, I really don't know. Siguro meron nakitang hindi maganda or whatever. Afterwards, you just want to prove yourself-I'm not losing. So naging, ano lang, sobra, sobra, sumobra.

On letting go

I thing I became so adept at dealing with stress from my work that I didn't want to have stress in my personal life. Syempre, minsan may boyfried ka, kahit magaling yun tao at mahal mo, eh may ganun talagang di mo kasundo. Finally, I just sat down and said, ‘Lord I'll just obey. Can I just wait? Kasi, when I choose, parang it's always wrong. Can you just please send someone my way?'

Sabi ko, never mind. I'll live alone na lang kaysa naman somebody's always making me cry. I'll just find happiness in my daughter. All of a sudden, I meet Kiko. Well, I didn't except it at all. You cannot really question God's methods. Unfortunately, you only see it later on—in retrospect. You don't see it while it's there.

Now, God, He has given me already a good balance-a really good life. It is the life that I prayed for. I am really grateful.

On turning 40

Someday, I hope I'd be regarded like Susan Roces, or a movie queen like Gloria Romero. I hope I would be regarded in that way because I look up to them still. They're no longer superstars like they were in the ‘50s or ‘60s, but they are, as far as I'm concerned, in a higher category that's more respectable.

You shouldn't feel bad about turning 30. I actually cried when I turned 20. I cried when I turned 30. When you're turning 40, you'll just say, ‘My God! Thirty is such a baby age.' I'm not joking. In terms of your views, and ou think kapag nag-40 ka, feeling mo ang dami mong dinaanan. Madami pero hindi pala ganun kadami. Oo, totoo, you'll think you're young. You're so young.

Ate Shawie's best advice for mommies

1. Take more vacations! Kapag nag-vacation ako, hindi nga vacation yun, tour yun. Kapag mawawala ako, before I leave, nag-a-advance ako ng tapings. Kapag uwi ko, yung absence ko ng gaanong katagal, pagbabayaran ko. It was a vicious cycle and it went on for years.

2. Open yourself up to other friendships because there might be a gem somewhere.

-