August 26, 2010

Writer's Workshop: Your Childhood Neighborhood


I grew up from a small Barrio where people from one corner to the end knew each other well. When people hear your surname they could easily narrate the history of your family. In that small Barrio, I could say that I grew up from one of the nicest neighborhood in the whole wide world. Folks around doesn’t regards you as a stranger but more as a family. We share our foods with each other, show a sweet smile in the morning and whenever you get the chance to pass by each other no matter how many times it is. There’s no lonely times cause you’ll find nice friends whom you can play with every weekend when the sun shine till sunset, dipping ourselves in the crystal clear river, hop around and climb trees and play hide and seek when it’s dark and the old folks are outside having some chit chat.


But there is one reason why I love this childhood neighborhood of mine. I owe my life to them and their concern for me and for the rest was tested by an unwanted nature’s wrath.

June 1991, I was secret years old (too young then, believe me) Mt Pinatubo erupted, sharing its wrath from a long time of quietness (you can read the whole story here). It was at that time that I came to know that a certain volcano exist. 12 noon when the sun was supposed to be in its highest peak of light, was hidden causing darkness on our place and the neighboring towns and provinces. The angry volcano poured out hot lava which flowed down to our rivers devastated our farmlands and killed all the animals it could reach, it even took away some people’s lives burying them in sand and ashes. It happened so quick that it caught us by surprise. Our place which was once like a tropical rainforest became a desert. Running for the safety of our God given lives, we beat the darkness, tried our best to run even when our feet were sometimes stuck on a knee high sand. Every houses built were ruined and when the roofs can’t support the heavy sand, it’s time for us to run again. Too young then, I couldn’t run for the safety of myself cause my little feet can’t do it while it’s raining sand and stone. One of our neighbors carried me on his back under his rain coat and lead the way for my parents to a safer place, “the church” while his brother carried my niece, which my father couldn’t afford to do at that time because he is having knee problems. That time when my siblings are away to seek greener pastures, we only had our neighbors to support us. With God’s love, we all survive the tragedy and now the neighbor who carried me on his back is my sister’s husband and they have 5 children.


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9 comments:

  1. OMG! Sey i never could have thought you had a history like this... it must have been so so hard back then.. in those times... but i think that was such an important event... for it made you realise so many beautiful things and share them with us so we can learn as well.... because where else do you find such people... they are either in stories or in someone's life... just like you... but no matter wat... it helps me believe that it is people like these... who keep the earth going and making it rain... :-)

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  2. that is well said Ratz. Now I really believe to what people say that when you look back to hard situations like that, you'll just laugh at them. It really made me feel blessed right now. Thanks!

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  3. It sounds as if your hometown was a perfect place to grow up as far as the people were concerned. The eruption of the volcano must have been terrifying.

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  4. George That is definitely a good place to live in and we find it hard to part with each other when the volcano erupted.

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  5. Aw. I remember that Pinatubo eruption. It was my first time to experience an earth quake. I didn't even know what it was. I thought I was just dizzy.

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  6. That must have been unbelievably scary!

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  7. Gnetch OMG those earth quake were really nerve racking.

    Livy yes, really scary.

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  8. What a story! That is special to have had such a close community. I am not sure there is a lot of that in the world today and it makes me sad. You have seen some hard times, and with them you saw love and compassion. Thank you for your support at Mama's Little Chick! Have a great night!

    Mama Hen

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  9. thanks Mama Hen. I am not sure as well if that kind of neighborhood still exist today. I will continue supporting you and Little Chick

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