AUGUST 28, 2016 PAPA - HIS LIFE AS I SAW IT

I had awaken as the dream almost realistically told me he was bidding goodbye. In the silhouette of darkness, like a flash the image was gone.
I sat up and turned my face to where he slipped away. I was happy that at last he was free without the debilities that disfigured him with mumbled speech. I waved my hand to signal  godspeed journey. I suppose mama is eagerly waiting  him as well as his parents and close acquantances - to welcome him to their realm.

In my child’s eye, i saw him as a strong father who didnt hesitate to wield a strong hand to bring his kids to the path that he wished them to follow. I could understand him as he is a product of his generation. His orientation is likewise shaped by the generation before him and what his father probably instilled in him. He was a workaholic, and treated each day like it were the same. The seven days of the week were Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, & Monday. How he took the energies to stay out working, i never knew. All i knew was that he had a lot of mouths to stuff food in. And those food does not grow by themselves. He probably knew that the needs of his family were growing - food, shelter, clothing, education, etc. In my young mind i could already see him as responsible and determined to give his family a better future than he had.

I remember him saying, “I want you all to study hard and get a degree. I dont want you to be farmers like me”. This sermon i heard over and over almost all weekends as we work in the field. I was in highschool that time and we would hurry home to give him some helping hand planting abaca, coconuts, rubber, and fruit trees.In my junior and senior years however, he mellowed on me and allowed me to stay on weekend in the next town where we were going to school. I could sense that he wanted me to top the class and finished highschool at the helm.I made him proud pinning those numerous medals on my shirt came graduation. He listened intently as i delivered my valedictory address.