Back to Where I Belong - My Hometown
What hometown means to me
Personally, hometown for me is known to be or is considered to be the place where I belong. It is because it is where my parents lived , our relatives lived and where I was born. It is the place where I spent my longest childhood days. It is the place where i have my first classmates, playmates and friends. My first experiences of what life is and lessons learned from it , are memories still left in my heart and mind that cannot be erased though I went to other places, met other people , find friends and acquaintances, and have lots of experiences and lessons learned in life.
First Time To Live Hometown
My first time to live my hometown was when my parents decided to reside in Caloocan City by the convincing power of one of our closed relatives who are going to reside there too. I was in Elementary then, a Grade 5 student. And from.that time on we lived as a family till I was grown up as a teen ager, young adult, and an adult.
Several Times of Leaving & Returning To My Hometown
Returning YEAR 2008
This year 2008, I happened to return to my hometown, because my older brother bought the house & lot of our parents in Caloocan City, where my very own family temporary lived, because we have not owned a house & lot. Since there was no place to go and at that time my mother and my only sisters were living in the house in our hometown , I decided to just go back in our hometown to live there. It was October 2008 , having all our stuffs with us , my mother and two sisters welcomed me and my own family. I had 3 children at that time, but I have only one with me and my husband to for the other two were left behind in Caloocan City because of their job. They just look for rented room to stay.
I took care of my old aged mother, a sickly sister and a PWD sister with the help of my husband and a bachelor son with us. I stayed in the house in our hometown until the unexpected death of my husband. My sick sister whom I have taken cared of for only 4 mos. died Feb 14, 2009.
January 2014 , to my mother died due to old age.
December 3, 2014 , my husband died due to high blood pressure.
Left Hometown 2015
Leaving my bachelor son in the house in our hometown, I and my PWD sister lived in the vacation house of my older sister in Pampanga to take care of it. My sister & brother in law supported me & my PWD sister who is with me from the time we lived there year 2015. My brother in law died October 2017 in Canada and was cremated. December 2017 my sister , her daughter and grandson went back to Philippines bringing my brother in law's ashes to bury it in the grave yard together with the deceased loved ones. My sister still stayed in the Philippines for several.months. She went home to Canada , June 2018 while me and my PWD sister still stayed. Since my older sister had already an Alchzimer disease my niece decided to let the care of the vacation house to the other relative on the side of my brother in law, who lived just near the house. It was Aug. 2018 that me and my PWD sister left Pampanga.
Returning Hometown Year 2018
Aug. 2018 , I was re united with my bachelor son. I spent Christmas and New Year with him and my PWD sister.
Jan. 2019, I attended a reunion with my elementary classmates. A classmate from the US who went home for a vacation here in the Philippines, initiated the events, so we had it.
Leaving Hometown Again Year 2019
I left again my hometown, leaving my bachelor son and my PWD sister. Good thing my sister younger than me , who is a neighbor stayed now for good in their residence because she filed an early retirement from her work. To her I entrusted our youngest PWD sister in her care.
Feb. 2019 I travelled going to Caloocan City, to my firstborn daughter's rented room. She will be giving birth to her second child by May, and at the same time they are in need of a helper in the store managed by her husband.
Since I was needed, I needed a source of income as well, I decided to go . I started working in the store the day after I arrived . When my daughter gave birth to her second child I have also need to take care of my grand daughter alternately with my son in law while both of us alternately work in the store. Besides I do the household chores of cleaning the house, and washing clothes . We don't cook our food for we bought cooked food at nearby carinderia in our place.
Come the unexpected pandemic, come the unexpected change changes in life daily activities and conditions. We go through such difficulties like most every individual faced during the pandemic, no work, no source of income, difficulties in finances occurs. My pension which I have not withdrawn for six months were withdrawn and spend during pandemic. Good thing there is such kind of ayuda that the government gives during that time.
March 2020 my daughter and his family left for Bicol. The store was closed permanently when the pandemic continuous. Since I was left alone in the house my daughter told my son to get me and lived with them. Having no choice and because of it's necessity my son took me in their rented room in Pasay.
Aug. 2020, I lived with them and celebrated my birthday there Aug. 9. They took care of me as I took care of them. I helped in household chores and in caring for the two kids. I lived with them until May 3, 2022. That is almost 1 & 9 months being with them. I had the opportunity to bond with my grandchildren for quite that long and will surely missed it.
Returning to My Hometown Year 2022
I have made plans to go home in my hometown but didn't materialize because of the pandemic situations because of health protocol restrictions. I am not vaccinated so it was impossible to travel, not unless I am vaccinated.
Now when the possibility to travel even without a vaccine was allowed I grab the opportunity to go home in my hometown. Since there was a forthcoming election I now planned to go home. My first plan was to go home April 30 . I moved it to May 4 for two reasons. My first reason was to first get my SSS pension which is due May 3. My second reason was to attend the celebration of my two grand children May 2 and May 3. So I had a long preparation. My decision worked well because there was a financial blessings that comes to my daughter in law and she shared it to me. She budgeted something for me in order for me to buy some clothing and I think even my pocket money .
May 4, 2022 at 5 am my son and I left the house going to terminal. My daughter in law and the kids were still sleeping. Though I know my daughter in law wanted to be in the terminal with the kids and the kids to see me leave, we didn't bother to wake them.up from a good sleep.
My son arrived to the terminal when the first bus bound to Cabanatuan has just left. So we waited for the second bus bound to Cabanatuan arrived. When it arrived my son have my baggages secured and I am seated before he left. The second bus still stayed in the terminal for quite long waiting still for some passengers to arrive. At that moment of waiting I was surprised to see my son was back. He was able to give me money sent by my daughter in law as my pocket money. I was then thankful. Thanked God the delay became a blessing in disguise. If I had been able to ride in the first bus I would miss at that moment the money which is badly needed for the that time.
But if in case I will miss it , I guess she will still send it to some remittance center. I know she is a generous woman and more importantly I believe God is able to work it out for me.
I had been with her for almost one year and a half and I witnessed and experienced her generosity.
Finally I am home in my hometown reunited with my son and loved ones.I thanked God He gave me a safe travel back home with some provisions I needed. I know God is gracious and loving. I know in His living care I will go through life with sure hope that He will provide everything I need, His provisions and protections daily.
I am very much happy where I am now for God brought me back to my hometown. And where ever again He will send me I'll go where He wants me to go .And whereever He leads me again I will follow. And I just hope He will bless me continually in order for me to be a blessing to others too.
#4 Article month of May 2022
Back To Where I Belong my Hometown