Mga Munting Aral

Laboy akong bata noon. Di pa kasi uso ang mga PSP, wii at kung anu-anong gadget na kinalolokohan ng mga bata ngayon. Lagi kang bonding with nature kapag naglalaro sa labas, at ngayon ko lang naunawaan na ang dami ko palang munting aral na natutunan sa aking pakikipaglaro sa kalikasan.

Aratilis

Namimitas kaming magkakalaro ng aratilis sa bakuran ng aming kapitbahay. Usapan naming mga paslit ay ipunin muna ang mga ito sa plastic bago pagsaluhan. Masarap sipsipin ang matamis na katas ng mga maliliit at mapupulang perlas na ito.

Mga munting aral:
1. Kapag may nakitang maliit na mamula-mula, sipsipin mo.
2. Masaya pag pinagsaluhan ito. Pasipsip mo ang mga aratilis mo. Sipsipin mo rin ang sa kaniya.
3. Pag mas marami kayong gagawin, gumamit ng plastic bag.

Santan

Di na kailangang mangapitbahay dahil nagkalat ito sa labas ng aming bakuran. Kailangang maging matiyaga at isa-isang pitasin ang mga bulaklak, hilahin ang mala-karayom na tangkay sa gitna nito at doon sasama ang matamis nitong nektar.

Mga munting aral:
1. Kapag dinutdot mo ang bulaklak, may nektar.
2. Wag maging gahaman. Isa-isa lang ang pagpitas ng bulaklak.
3. Wag mangapitbahay para sa bulaklak. Baka ka mapatay ng may-ari.
4. Ang matiyaga, may nadudutdot.

Dati, nagagamit ko pa ang mga natutunan kong ito. Ngayon hindi na. Allergic na ako sa bulaklak.

Gumamela

Binabayo namin noon ang ilang pirasong dahon at bulaklak nito at sinasamahan ng kaunting Tide hanggang sa lumabas ang habol naming katas na malapot. Pagkatapos ay maghahanap ng mga pirasong tingting o tangkay ng papaya para sa panghipan. Ganun kadali  at pwede na kaming mag-blowing bubbles ng walang sawa.

Mga munting aral:
1. Kapag nagbayo ka, may lalabas na katas na malapot.
2. Masaya kung tulung-tulong sa pagbabayo.
3. Tingting man o tangkay ang hipan, pare-pareho lang yan.
4. Wag maramot. Mas masaya kung ipapahipan mo rin ang iyong tangkay.
5. Masarap makipag-blowing. Di ka magsasawa.

Bayabas

Gumagawa ang kapitbahay namin ng mga trumpo mula sa puso ng kahoy nito. Lahat ng mga bata ay mahilig magpaikot at pagsabungin ang mga ito. Pwedeng mabiyak ang iyong trumpo kapag tinamaan ng iba. Pwede ka ring masugatan sa matalim na pako nito kaya't kailangang mag-ingat. Sa larong ito, matira ang matibay.

Mga munting aral:
1. Mag-ingat sa pakikipaglaro. Maaring ika-biyak ng iyong puso o ng sa iba.
2. Kapag may pinaikot ka, maaring ikaw rin ang masugatan.
3. Kapag natumba ka, ok lang yan. Laro ka lang ulit.
4. Basta matibay ka, may matitira ka rin.

photo credit : flickr.com (amadika, dejuice, mysoulinsurance2004, rx1031, vivianne del prado)
    

Princess Boy (Ang Kabaliktaran ng Tomboy)

I will be looking for a copy of "My Princess Boy" this weekend. The book is about a 4-year old boy who likes sparkly dresses (and other things that are traditionally for girls) and his family's support for his behavior notwithstanding the criticism from the people around them. The book has sparked a debate between those that support acceptance and unconditional love vs. those that maintain that parents need to steer a child along the norms of society.

As a child, I didn't feel I was different, until I was told to change. My father told me to behave more manly. My grandmother also said that I should practice speaking with a voice that's an octave lower. Sadly, these sparked feelings of confusion and paranoia. I gradually saw more clearly how my father loved me less, as my mom and aunts tried to cover for the shortfall.

That said, my dad was a responsible father. He tried his best, given that he was an orphan who did not have the benefit of experiencing a loving family. His main goal was for each one of us to have a good future. And maybe that was in his mind when he told me to change.

I tried to conform to the norms of society, and it did make my teen and college years easier. I gained a wider set of friends and became more popular. But I never felt that any of these brought me closer to my father. Maybe because I was still the most effeminate of us siblings, the only one who couldn't say no to my parents.

My dad passed away around this time of the year. Just before he died, he told me that he was very grateful that I was their son. That among his children, I was the most selfless and the only one who was fearless in demonstrating my love for him and my mom. And that he loved me. It might have taken my dad a lifetime, but it was then that I finally felt I was my father's princess.


photo credit: maximooliveros.tripod.com

Ang Pagsikat Ng Mga Tala

Maingat kong itinali ang maninipis na mga patpat ng kawayan upang maiayos ang mga ito sa naaayong hugis. "Pwede mo nang lagyan niyan," turo ko kay Nene. Kumurot ng kapirasong pandikit ang bata at hinaplos ang kahabaan ng mga tadyang na kawayan.

"O Lito at Carlo, kayo naman," baling ko sa dalawa pang bata nang matapos si Nene. Marahan nilang inilapat ang mga makukulay na pira-pirasong cellophane gamit ang mga nanginginig na kamay. "Huwag kayong nerbiyosin. Makikita niyo mamaya, magiging maganda ito," konsuwelo ko sa kanila. 

"Kuya Sean, bakit lukot po yung cellophane? May mali po yata kaming ginawa," malungkot na tanong nina Lito at Carlo. Kumuha ako ng mamasa-masang basahan at marahang hinaplos ang mga gusot na cellophane. "Gawin niyo ito, pero dapat maingat kayo," paliwanag ko sa kanila. Matapos ang ilang minuto, natuyo ang cellophane at napangiti ang dalawa, sabay sigaw ng, "Ay nabanat! Yehey!"   

"Ting at Weng, tapos na ba kayo?" baling ko sa dalawa pang bata. "Opo Kuya," sagot nila sabay wagayway sa dalawang makukulay na buntot na ginawa nila gamit ang papel de hapon. "Itali niyo na dito sa ibaba. Yan ang bakas na iniiwan ng tala sa paglalakbay nito," paliwanag ko sa kanila. Matapos maitali ang mga ito, tulong-tulong naming isinabit ang nakumpletong parol, iniingatang di mabutas ng bumbilyang nakapaloob dito ang nakabalot na cellophane. 

Responsibilidad nating hubugin ang ating mga kabataan at bigkisin ang mga halagahang magsisilbing patnubay sa kanilang buhay. Magsilbi tayong gabay sa kanilang paglikom ng mga pira-pirasong karanasan at paghahanda sa mararanasang mga gusot at pagtutuwid ng mga ito. Imulat natin ang kanilang mga mata  sa kagandahan ng buhay at nang sila'y makapag-iwan ng makukulay na bakas sa kanilang paglalakbay.

Isinaksak ko ang plug ng koryente at nagliwanag ang samut-saring kulay ng parol. Namangha ang mga batang nakatingala sa malaking tala, sabay palakpak at sigaw ng, "Ang ganda Kuya!!!" Ako rin ay marahang pumalakpak habang nakatingin hindi sa parol kundi sa aking mga munting tala.

photo credit: care2.com

Blast From The Past

I was tidying up my ipod playlists when I came upon a set of 80s and 90s songs. I played a couple of upbeat tunes as I begrudgingly started cleaning my bathroom. Each verse triggered random memories of my grade school years, and I caught the beginnings of a smile in my reflection as my chest warmed.

Life was much simpler then. Friendships were forged over things like tex, jolens, gumamela bubbles, and bazooka joe comic strips. Neighbors played tumbang preso, patintero and piko on the streets at night. (Isama na rin natin ang jackstone at chinese garter para sa mga maagang namulat.) And there was no trace of malice when we showed our "birds" to each other especially during circumcision season. What can be more innocent than calling wannabe cocks "birds"?

A few more songs into the playlist re-awakened the familiar angst I felt during my teen years. Friendships became more of relationships involving deeper consciousness and stronger attachments. I went to an all-boys school and inexperience had me confuse friendship and sex with love (to be honest, I'm still confused haha). Yes, this was the period of sexual awakenings. We would brag about our heterosexual exploits with each other, explore beerhouses and massage parlors in Quezon Avenue together, while secretly wondering when you will have the chance to jack off again with the more adventurous lot.

Then the senti songs started playing, and a feeling of panic swept over me.  I don't know how to describe it but I get the same feeling when I get into an elevator and it stops midway between floors. These songs take me back to the years of my first relationships. Extremely wonderful memories which are still difficult to reminisce as I would still physically feel the pain of these losses in my chest and abdomen. I could not breathe, so I left the cramped bathroom while struggling with my ipod controls to dispel the pain.

I am in a loving relationship, and I could not be happier. But there are still times when I feel I am stuck midway, with fears from past hurts limiting my future happiness. Club music finally started playing from the small speakers, and I moved wildly with the rhythm to shed the lingering depression. I gradually felt better, hopeful that the time will come when I can listen and smile through my 80/90s playlist.

photo credit: toteroclan.unlimitboard.com, reverseshot.com