Memorable Things

Random images are appearing in my head of memories and things from my growing up years, and I feel like noting them down here so I can go over them later. 

From Childhood: 

1. My father coming home after one week of being away. He used to stay in Grace Park for work. He only went home every Saturday afternoon. I used to wait for him in our backyard. Back then, we could still see the road from there, and I could recognize my father even from afar with his characteristic walk. The moment I saw him, I would call my sister and we would rush to meet him. 

2. Playing in the field behind our house games like habulan, football, siyato, etc. The field was there till I was ten, when more people arrived and houses began to sprout up instead of palays. 

3. The artesian wells where we fetched water. There were two of them, one behind our house and another about twenty meters away. The bar was heavy, but it's a pleasure seeing the water gush out. The part I hated was carrying the containers. 

4. The ratiles trees we ( my sister usually more than I) used to climb. This we did to pick the fruits. Though not exactly my favorite, I enjoyed filling my pockets with them. 

5. The hand bars we climbed and played on in school. At first, I was afraid of them. I didn't want to fall of course and break my bones. But the moment I learned how to hoist myself up, it was where I'd stay during P.E. 

6. The long walk to GVA. To console myself, I relished the creek we cross, the fields along the way and the uphill climbs. Anyway, I was always either with papa or mama. 

7. The absence of electricity at home. Out of principle, mama would not have illegal connection so that meant kerosene lamp at night and no TV. It also meant more time for reading books, doing homeworks and forming shadows against the wall. I liked these activities, but I'd rather we'd had light. 

8. The few TV shows I could watch as a girl. And I loved them. They were animated series based on classic children's novels. Those in my generation would perhaps remember them: 'Cedie', 'Sarah: ang Munting Prinsesa', Dog of Flanders, 'Remi', 'Peter Pan' and Little Women 2. I would watch them in our friendly neighbor's house when there's no class. Those series fueled my love for literature, but I was not able to read the actual books until college. 

9. Church Music. Maybe it's because that was the type of music I could often hear. 'Pintong Mahiwaga' was one that quite really struck me as a child. 

High School Years: 

1. Fr. Ramon. I learned much from him. His lively homilies, his friendly manner and his dedication to his vocation were really inspiring. 

2. Teaching. I first experienced handling younger children when I volunteered in May Flower Catecheses in 1995. In school, however, I also had such exposure. Every December, we had the opportunity to become student- teachers for one week. Even so, I did not dream of becoming a teacher. It was really challenging for me. I had little patience, being quite temperamental. But I liked sharing knowledge and explaining things, and it's a consolation when my fellow students understood my explanations. I didn't know I'd take it up as a profession. 

2. Journalism. I did not exactly love writing, but whenever I got the inspiration I would pen my thoughts. I tried in for the school paper just for the sake of having an extra-curricular activity. Little did I know when I started that it would open many doors for various experiences. 

4. Ballroom Dancing in 2nd year. Dancing was and still is not my forte. However, our P.E. teacher was so enthusiastic we could not help but try. I think I learned a few basic steps, but I forgot them over the years. (Sigh) 

5. Sweet Tales of St. Tail. It was a Japanese animated series about a modern-day Robin Hood, a girl who steals for a special cause. I know it's not popular because it was shown in RPN, but I really loved it. I also liked other animes back then such as 'The Musketeers', 'Thunder Jet', 'BTX', 'Zenki' and 'Samurai X'. I was not really into the action scenes and sometimes I hated the violence, but I appreciated the different culture, the development of the events as well as the theme. 

6. St. Therese of Lisieux. I was introduced to her in a catechetical ministry gathering at Claret School. She was not the first saint I read about. Back in elementary, I read about St. Teresa of Avila, St. Francis of Assisi and St. Thomas Aquinas. Their lives moved me. However, she made the greatest impression perhaps because of her youth. Until about age 15, I dreamed to become like her (enter the convent at a young age, that is). Then, I thought it was impossible, and I became too distracted with other things. 

7. Titanic. I was in 2nd year when it was shown. I was not able to watch the movie back then, but I saw the trailer, read the history and watched the documentary of its making. Though tragic, I liked it. I also liked its theme song. That made me realized that tragedies had more attraction to me than melodramas. (I wonder if that has changed.) 

College Years: 

1. The trees in the campus. I felt fortunate to be studying in a school where there were lots of trees. It's a comfort to walk in their shade as we moved from one building to another in between classes. 

2. The UP Myth. Part of freshmen orientation was a discussion of myths about UP students and graduates. Even with knowledge of the fact that we really are not a cut above the rest, I could feel the pressure of having to prove myself. It's overwhelming for me because of my introvert nature and so many other insecurities. I told myself that I would do not as what I thought others expected me to but what would suit me. 

3. The Library. My resting place in between classes. I did some catching up on lessons I missed in high school and hunting of literature books I had always thought of reading, but sometimes I'd just sit there or doze my free time off. How I loved to sleep! 

4. Ghost Fighter. This gained popularity in my first year. My all-time favorite anime, I watched the series four times. I remembered hurrying home just to watch it the first time it was aired on GMA. Because of this, I tried to learn Japanese (only tried but I didn't learn.) 

5. Philo 1. It was the only Philo subject I had and our instructor was absent most of the time to boot, yet it was the subject that turned my world upside down. It taught me to doubt, to question my beliefs. This, and then reading about different schools of thoughts and certain disappointments about the Church made me want to distance myself from Catholicism and even from God. I guess what kept me in the Church then were my parents. 

6. Jesuit Music. I came to love it when I worked part-time in the RGS Provincialate. The reception desk was next to the Vocation Directress office, and Sr. Gina whenever she's working would play her CDs. She often played 'Hesus ng Aking Buhay,' and every time I'd hear it I felt like I was the forgiven prodigal child. 

7. The old piano. I had always wanted to learn to play a musical instrument. I could not do well with the guitar, but I thought the keyboard would be easier. Thankfully, the sisters allowed me to practice on the piano in the provincialate. I learned the basics of reading notes in elementary and high school so all I needed was apply them. The first song I practiced on was the 'Theme from the Ice Castles,' but I could no longer play it without copy. It's not that I have become good at it. I still really need formal instruction. 

8. Harry and Morrie. They were my two most favorite literary characters. I was introduced to HP in 3rd year and Tuesdays with Morrie in 4th year. The first I started on out of curiosity and the latter as a course requirement in Developmental Psychology. The outcome, I got hooked to HP and TWM became an inspiration for me, being a teacher like Morrie. They left lessons I don't wish to forget.