Life’s Lessons

Here’s a list of my experiences/events in my life as far as I can remember. I will update this in the coming days…..I cannot recall all of it in just one sitting.

1) I was wearing polka dots A-line dress when my younger sister Carol was born when I was more than 2 years old.
2) I started going to a Day Care center when I was three.
3) The first poem Mamang (Ilocano word for Mother) taught me was “Ang Nanay Kong Iniibig” (My Beloved Mother) and we recite it before going to bed.
4) I went to school by myself when my mother had a miscarriage when I was five.
6) At 6, I was not accepted as a 1st grader because I cannot reach my left ear by my right hand over the head.
7) I was not vaccinated (I don’t know what vaccine is it) when I was 7 because I’m afraid of the needle.
Daddy taught us to dance cha-cha by outlining the steps to the floor.
9) I had my first horseback riding experience with my Uncle during our vacation in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur (my father’s hometown)….going down the hill and crossing the river.
10) My first bath in a river was also in Pagadian City.
11) I first saw colorful, beautiful sea creatures in Dao-Dao beach in Pagadian City.
12) My first ride in a ferris wheel was with my Mother (pregnant to our youngest that time), sister Carol, and with our puppy, Ron-Ron.
13) Me and my cousins enjoyed playing and bathing in the water pump at our grandparent’s place.
14) We also tried swimming in our canal when it rains so hard (hehehe….)
15) Everytime Mamang buys things for me and Carol, the designs are the same. It only varies in color.
16) I love Sundays a lot because Mamang buys us our favorite food for our merienda (for the Sunday school).
17) I did not allow my sister to open her red umbrella while we are walking home from school because I believe lightning will strike it. Hence, she was drenched in rain.
18) I never experience going to school (during my elementary years) wearing slippers or sandals.
19) Mother taught me how to cook one summer.
20) Daddy taught us (w/ my sister) to butcher a chicken (or duck). We are obervers at first and then hands-on the next session. We are so nervous because we should memorize the proper way and order of cutting each part…it’s passed or failed!
21) At 7, I was taught by my mother the proper way of washing dishes.
22) My first laundry session was when I was 9. Mother taught me how to wash, what part of the dress should I focus more, and how to hang it in the clothesline….must be in ascending or descending order according to the clothes’ sizes.
23) I had my ironing lesson when I was in grade 5.
24) I learned to use typewriter with the help of Daddy. But I can’t do it his way because he’s expert in using it.
25) I have tried riding in a Carabao’s back with my cousins.
26) I and my cousins enjoyed going to the rice field during harvest time….to earn money…hehehe.
27) I washed diapers when our youngest was born (diapers are not disposable that time).
28) I am afraid of the needle. Thus, it took almost an hour before the nurse was able to do skin test on me.
29) My first travel without my parents was when I was in grade 5.
30) Daddy taught us the song Philippine Geography by Yoyoy Villame.
31) Mamang taught me how to cook spaghetti and macaroni when I was in high school.
32) I also had sewing lesson with Mamang….only simple stitches. Sad to say, I never learned how to sew using a sewing machine.
33) I experienced taking a bath in an irrigation canal to accomplish a team’s task in Girl Scouting.

34) My first ride in an elevator was so scary….we went 7 levels down the ground in the Agus 4 hydro electric plant in Lanao.

35) The very first waterfalls that I saw is the famous Maria Christina falls in Iligan City.

36) I used to sell candies, roasted peanuts, polvoron, etc. in school when I was a grader. That’s how early I learned entrepreneurship.

On my way home from the office this noon, I saw a man pushing his cart full of used bottles, newspapers, plastic containers and steel. This is what he makes for a living, roaming around the villages everyday to buy those things and sell it to the junk shop. The sad thing is, what he will earn from the cart full of used items may not be enough for his family. Everytime I see people like this, I always utter to myself, “if only I can help to make life easy for him and his family”. The least that I can do is to say a little prayer for them that may God will take care of them, provide for their needs, and give them the strength to go on with life despite of their situation. I see it more helpful than giving them a penny. Even before, I usually tell my boyfriend (now my hubby) that times when I saw people roaming around asking for penny or something, I am in pain, literally chest pain. I feel like my heart contracted. What can I do to help them? My resources are not enough and a penny may not make a great difference in their life. I remember one day my hubby said, “I pray that God will bless me financially so that many will be happy” because we will be able to help our relatives who needs help and others out there who needs assistance.

With my experience early this afternoon, I am inspired to share one of the most inspiring experiences that I had. Many years back, my 4-year old youngest sister saw a man pass by our house pushing his wooden cart half-full of used bottles. My sister called my mother to ask for money. Thinking that she will buy food from the store nearby, mother gave her enough to buy a pack of bread and some candies. After given the money, my sister rushed outside the house and called the man who is now resting under the shade of a coconut tree. She led the man to the store in the neighborhood, bought bread and gave it to the man. Maybe she’s thinking that the bread is not enough, she went back home and get her share of boiled banana for our merienda, and a glass of water. Seeing that act of kindness from a child is one of the greatest lesson I learned in life. Surely, mother is so happy to see that her little child went out of her way to help. J