Damulag!

Today is the 10th anniversary of my father’s death. It has been a long time still I do miss him. I was not really my papa's favorite (he would say we all were his favorite) but he entrusted the family to me even though I was not the eldest.

Among all my family members, I am the only one who has not left home at anytime in my life except for trips and vacations. The first time I went on a vacation on my own was in our province when I was in my first year college. I can still remember how my father and youngest sister greeted me upon my return. I haven’t fully settled when my father called me and my youngest sister who was around 5 years old then. He asked her “Jenny, ano ang tawag mo sa pagkain ng kalabaw” (Jenny what do you call the carabao’s food?) and she answered “Damo!” (Grass!). He added “Ano ang tawag mo sa pagkain ng kabayo?” (What do you call the horse’s food?) again she answered “Damo!” (Grass!) He continued “Eh ang pagkain ng kambing?” (What about the goat’s food?) still she answered “Damo!” (Grass!) and his final question was “Eh ano ang tawag mo kay Manang Beth mo?” (and what do you call your older sister Beth) and she shouted “Damulag!” (A funny term for a “big person”) and we all laughed! Of course they rehearsed it earlier and they were actually making things light, I knew they missed me and I missed them too. It felt good to be back with my family! Hmmm...maybe that's why I'm still home??? hehehe...