In the book Victory Over Japan by Ellen Gilchrist, there was a character named Nora Jane who thought that 'we are all patches of light and darkness... that cast shadows.'
Hmm... patches of light and darkness. I found myself trying to draw a parallel with what I witnessed yesterday.
After a tiring stroll at the Gateway in Cubao, we had merienda in the afternoon at home. I wanted to treat the kids to a pizza house but they told me they wanted to go home. During supper Papsie requested Daryl to wash the dishes because it was his turn supposed to be to wash the dishes after lunch. Seeing all the plates and glasses, Daryl's face went glum. I read the meaning behind that and the pout - "I am going to wash ALL the dishes!? So many!" Then he stood up, cleaned the table and went to the sink, murmuring. I asked him if the reason why he is sad is because there are plenty of dishes to wash. He shook his head silently. Nanay heard what I said and put in her good words, "You know, we are lucky because we have many dishes to wash and that means we have lots of food to eat. If the dishes to wash are not many, that means we don't have lots of food to eat." We laughed. Daryl smiled, a patch of light from Nanay.
Nanay's way to show her love is different from that of Diko *****, a relative. Diko ***** loved his grand son so much that he is always there for him. Let's call the grandson Angel. That child would grow to be a rascal. He lies, he invents stories, and he cries out loud if they don't give in to his whims. Diko***** is always there for his beloved apo. Yesterday, Angel went home whining and told Diko ***** that a cousin hid his ball. Diko ***** went out hurriedly and looked for the poor kid. He scolded him at the top of his voice despite the poor kid's constant denial that he did it. After a while, somebody came and said that one of the kids Angel played with hid the ball. Diko***** did not even think of asking pardon for what he did to Angel's cousin leaving the parents fuming. And they saw Angel grinned, a patch of darkness from his grandfather.
Nora Jane has to say "It always seems like there's nothing underneath them. Like there's nothing there." It is like reading what the future holds for Angel. Unless Diko ***** changed the way he's bringing up Angel, he should start saving for the bail.
Hmm... patches of light and darkness. I found myself trying to draw a parallel with what I witnessed yesterday.
After a tiring stroll at the Gateway in Cubao, we had merienda in the afternoon at home. I wanted to treat the kids to a pizza house but they told me they wanted to go home. During supper Papsie requested Daryl to wash the dishes because it was his turn supposed to be to wash the dishes after lunch. Seeing all the plates and glasses, Daryl's face went glum. I read the meaning behind that and the pout - "I am going to wash ALL the dishes!? So many!" Then he stood up, cleaned the table and went to the sink, murmuring. I asked him if the reason why he is sad is because there are plenty of dishes to wash. He shook his head silently. Nanay heard what I said and put in her good words, "You know, we are lucky because we have many dishes to wash and that means we have lots of food to eat. If the dishes to wash are not many, that means we don't have lots of food to eat." We laughed. Daryl smiled, a patch of light from Nanay.
Nanay's way to show her love is different from that of Diko *****, a relative. Diko ***** loved his grand son so much that he is always there for him. Let's call the grandson Angel. That child would grow to be a rascal. He lies, he invents stories, and he cries out loud if they don't give in to his whims. Diko***** is always there for his beloved apo. Yesterday, Angel went home whining and told Diko ***** that a cousin hid his ball. Diko ***** went out hurriedly and looked for the poor kid. He scolded him at the top of his voice despite the poor kid's constant denial that he did it. After a while, somebody came and said that one of the kids Angel played with hid the ball. Diko***** did not even think of asking pardon for what he did to Angel's cousin leaving the parents fuming. And they saw Angel grinned, a patch of darkness from his grandfather.
Nora Jane has to say "It always seems like there's nothing underneath them. Like there's nothing there." It is like reading what the future holds for Angel. Unless Diko ***** changed the way he's bringing up Angel, he should start saving for the bail.
Poor Daryl - your Nanay has a good take on it, but I probably have the same face on when I see TONS of dishes in the sink. What cheers me up is the prospect of getting all those dirty things clean again - a strange kind of patch of light, I think :D
ReplyDeleteI like how you put it - patches of light and darkness. Sometimes people look at life like it's all one huge block of shadow, or one long stretch of light - but it's not really. Everybody comes in for an equal share of those patches of light and dark.
hi rei! yes, there are people who look at life like that. probably because how they were oriented or how they perceive life to be.
ReplyDeletehow are you? and the eyes?
BING, have you tried writing short stories? I can see a potential...
ReplyDeleteI feel sad for the kid. May kasabihan, you can choose your friends but not your relatives. kids learn from us adults. It's good that there's your nanay, a good role model of optimism (which is a gift living in this kind of reality). As for Diko, negativity has consumed him. The best thing to do is to avoid being like him knowing his unlikeable trait.
Everything does have a dark side and light side to it (pardon the Star Wars pun). I guess its up to us to make the most of either side.
ReplyDeleteArguably, one can also surmise that nowadays, things are no longer that dark or that light anymore, but rather infinite shades of gray. For example, not so long ago cheating on a spouse was a "no-no" to the extreme. Now, if the other spouse cheats first, or has no time for the other, a gambler, etc...you know what I mean.
I guess you're right in saying that we all don't look at life in the same way. We look at our life depending on the sum of our experiences and how we are raised. For some, life is an opportunity, while for others, its a curse.
As for Diko and Angel, hopefully, but not likely, Diko will realize that his being always there for his grandson, in the wrong way, is actually crippling Angel for his future life as an adult.
Whether right or wrong is not for me to say, but I guess there's a lesson to be learned, especially when it comes to raising our own kids.
As for the patches of light and dark, sometimes we can be either, but that doesn't mean that we can't "shine" in our own ways...
Love the post. Cheers. :-)
My eyes are back to semi-normal, thanks. No more sunglasses, whee!
ReplyDeleteI suppose they're oriented to think that way, but I like your way better ... less stressful.
hi sol,
ReplyDeletewow naman, ha... thank you. to be coming from someone like you..
i had written short stories before pa and i lost the copies. sana nalaman ko na me blogging pala in the future, naingatan sana ha ha but you know, some others could not appreciate the way i write probably becuz mas magaling or nag-gagaling-galingan he he or has a different style (ayaw ng deep o serious talk), etc.
almost everyday i see the kid and Diko, and i can't even look at him because i am so irked with his way of bringing up the kid. i hope that kid will still meet people who could influence him to learn to live as a good individual.
ron, sometimes i feel that it is hopeless for that man to change but i am still hopeful for the kid.
ReplyDeletehmmm... interesting idea... shades of gray. i could agree but not in most aspects of life..
i am grateful that you liked what i have written. shine on!
yes, rei.. less stressful.
ReplyDeletei am glad to hear about the progress of your eye... hindi na yan magtatagal, 'yaan mo.
umabot ka naman e...pls chk you email@gmail..tx
ReplyDeleteoh i can't believe what i'm seeing with my eye. Serafino Raimondo.
ReplyDelete