On a one cloudy day in December, I decided to go out of our house for some reason and ready my
bicycle to have some rides. I can still feel the coldness brought by the wind on that day and how it
whispers on my ears. I was wearing a jacket, put on a helmet and started to ride somewhere down the
streets. Literally it’s Christmas eve so you will see bunch of people outside their houses celebrating,
different lanterns, noises there, everywhere. As I reached the highway, I saw different events like people
dancing, singing, vendors on both sides of streets selling something delicious, something you can bring
home as chrismast gift for your loved ones. I stop for a while and observed. There were also bunch of
kids playing beside the highway, and soon see different vehicles who meets the traffic jam. Every vehicle
have little universe inside. There were a truch driver angrily waiting the traffic lights to turn green, a
nonstop beeping of buses, and the buzzes of conversation from different passengers. When the traffic
lights turns green, I thought I was in a race car because all of the vehicles begin to ride quickly as if they
will be in a hurry like an ambulance carrying a patient. After observing, I continue to ride and go back to
streets and leave the highway.
I ride and ride and ride until my bike guide me in a one dark street on our place. I slowly ride along
for I know I was on a dark street so I need to be more careful. While riding, I whistle to make myself calm
and feel the freshness of the air. As I slow down on from the steep of the street, I heard a voice beside a
street. “Barya lang po, pambili ko ng gamot”, said an old man who was sitting on a ground. I immediately
stop and gave him some of my coin on the paper cup he was holding. I decided to leave and continue to
ride but I can’t help my curiousity. I parked my bicycle and sit beside next to him. “Tatay,nasaan po ang
pamilya ninyo?”, I asked. When I started to asked that question, I saw how teary-eyed was the old man.
“Ah iyon ba Iho? Wala na eh, wala na akong pamilya”, he said. I raise one of my eyebrows as a response
of confusion for what do we mean. “Haha, Iho wala nang pamilya si tatay kasi ang asawa ko, sumama na
sa iba. May anak kami isa pero may pamilya na rin” he said. As I heard what tatay have said, I burst into
anger. Mang Ben was an OFW back then but sadly while he was on his job, his wife have an affair with
someone and what worst is all of their savings goes into nothing. I can’t also imagine how a child can
abandoned her parent and live happily on their own knowing that the one who raised her well was dying
because of sickness and no family to talk to. I spent hours talking to tatay and from there I have many
different realizations in life.
It was already 10 pm in the evening when my conversation with tatay has ended. He need to go somewhere to earn more so I also decided to ride my bicycle. Because of Mang Ben, I have realized different things. I was riding my bicycle while I was in tears. I remember how I left our house early in the afternoon just because I don’t want to see my parent. I got angry when they gave me a christmas present I didn’t like and out of my expectations. I realized how selfish and greedy I am for not being thankful to my parents. Instead of thanking them, here I am outside of our house acting like an 8-year old. I have realized that theere are many people out there who have more problems than me but still being grateful things. Mang Ben was abandoned, being cheated but remain strong and thankful to God and didn’t ask for more. I immediately go home and as I’ve reached our house, I saw my parents standing outside of our house looking worried and patiently waiting. I quickly parked my bicycle and run to hug them. I apologized for what I did and promised to be more contented for what I have. That would be the best and an inspiring Christmas Eve I ever have.
-End-
Laurentum 