About My Family
Being the youngest in the family of 4 children, I grew up to be constantly treated as the bunso, who always simply listened and obeyed my parents, my Tatay (Dad) and Nanay (Mom), and my siblings, Kuya (1st born), Diko (2nd) & Ate (3rd).
My Tatay was a barber and my Nanay was a dressmaker. Both of them worked from home every day in their entire life together as husband and wife. They had their own respective barbershop and small dress shop right on the ground floor of our simple abode in Malabon. The 2nd floor, then, served to be our dwelling and lodging place where we lived in a happy and close-knit, typical Filipino family.
Our family life was simple and everything in our home was quite ordinary. However, there were a couple of wonderful memories and traits that I will never forget about my Tatay. Those memories have left a huge impact in my life, especially now that I am a father of two daughters: One is 22-years old (currently studying in one of the universities in Singapore) and the other one is 5 (currently in Singapore Kindergarten school).
About Tatay Celing
One of the reasons why I greatly admired my Tatay is that in spite of his modest job as a barber (though he owned his own barbershop), he managed his financial obligations together with Nanay very well. I remember that there was a period in our life when all of us were in college/university in the same year and not one among us stopped going to school. None of us, I could say, experienced any desperate financial insufficiency during that time. Their hard work helped us all successfully complete our university degrees. My Kuya obtained his double degree and is now a Licensed Civil Engineer and Environmental & Sanitary Engineer (5th place in Board Exam), my Diko became a Certified Public Accountant and my Ate graduated “Cum Laude” with her degree in Education.
The question I have now is, “How did Tatay practically do that”?
Tatay’s “can do attitude”
By the grace of God, Tatay (although he was not yet a believer at that time) did not give up and really did his best to pursue his visions for all of us to be professionals someday. He started up a sari-sari (sundry) store right where the small dress shop of my Nanay was located. He raised chickens at the back of our house, then raised pigs, rabbits, and ducks… Where? Right at the two sides of our house. Yes! And I forgot to mention, the total lot area was only around 100 square meters. He also started a bicycle rental business where all of his bikes for rent were placed in front of our house. Not forgetting the pool table he set up… Where? Also in front of the house, just beside the bikes, which was also meant for public rental where customers were mostly our neighbors. Through all his efforts, I can say that I unconsciously learned from him the value of “can do attitude” that he exhibited in fulfilling his dreams for his children.
Tatay’s Relationship With Nanay
Furthermore, another inspirational experience I had with my Tatay was during my whole life that I lived with them, I have never seen Tatay and Nanay fighting with each other or having any heated argument even once, literally! Considering that they were both home-based, I couldn’t imagine the tendency of having conflicts in that situation. With each other’s constant presence, I find it really amazing as I’m sure that they had disagreements but they both managed to keep it within themselves and handled them very well. I believe they have done their best for the sake of us – their children.
I have never seen Tatay and Nanay fighting with each other or having any heated argument even once, literally! Considering that they were both home-based, I couldn’t imagine the tendency of having conflicts in that situation.
I also remember a memorable moment when both of them were already in their 80’s and all of us have our own families. During that time, Nanay was bedridden at home and Tatay was also fragile due to his age. Tatay was in and out of the hospital.