KUTHLEIYN WRITES

DEFACED ROOF, MY REAL HOME

November 18, 2016

The sound of the drops of water flowing from our defaced nipa roof going to a waiting pail below is always what I heard way back ten years ago when it rains, even in a litter pouring of it.

"Don't be ashamed of this house." I cannot forget this line from my grandfather which he candid while looking up on our defaced roof. It was one rainy day and we, my four siblings, were listening to his story. We were circling above his bed and the water started to flow inside our house.

A drop of tear fell from my grandfather's eye as he said a single word full of sincerity. His eyes showed a sorry that we do not even know for what. When we asked why, he just responds with a beautiful and meaningful smile. It was ironic for us especially in our young age that we saw a teary-eyed man smiling.

A long unbearable silence consumed a time before my elder sister disrupted it. She said that maybe he asked forgiveness because of our situation that time. He said that he cannot give my father and us, his grandchildren, a decent house that others have. He said that they, my grandfather and great grandparents found it really hard to rise after typhoon Ruping destructed almost all of their properties.

My father probed on our conversation and he said that we do not need a mansion for us to have a happy life. He also added that a complete family is enough. He does not need house. All he wants is a home.

Tears fell from my eyes as I saw it clearly that tears were also falling from my father's eyes before he left the bedroom. That time, I remembered that my father is longing for his mother's presence and he has no siblings to play and bond with before. I also remember the stories of father's childhood when he was confused where to live, either with his father or mother. There are also times that he chose to live with the close relatives to avoid choosing between his parents.

One thing that marked not only my brain but also my heart is what my grandfather said almost at the end of our conversation. "Make this house into a home," he uttered. He said that the house where we live today was once full of laughter but went away when my grandparents decided to take different ways, which the story behind we barely know.

"Take care of your father and mother," he also added. He wants us to put back the happiness in every corner of our house. He said that no matter what the form of our house, it does not measure the love and happiness that we can give to everyone.

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Hola! I suddenly bumped with my portfolio last 2016 and saw this. I don't even remember why I wrote this and its connection to our English subject.

I just wanna share this story. I hope you learned something! And yes, this is a real life story, the thing that gives me reason to share this to you. Hihi.

So yeah, ang kikay ng pagkagawa nito. I even laughed at the way how I constructed this. But, I put it here as it is. I just edited some ungrammatical parts pero baka may mga ungrammatical pa nga, eh. Hahahahaha!

Love,
Kath.