My father had always been a bigger than life character for me. He was a strong man, responsible, a loving father, very protective of his family. He was also an adventurer, and would fearlessly pack up his family and business to God knows where for better opportunities.
I was a very young child when he thought that there was too much competition in Manila for his business, so he took us to Mindanao, to a tiny city in Lanao del Norte. Business will be good there, he said. And the wide spaces, fresh air and the slower pace of life will be good for his 5 children.
I was born in a city where all you can see are concrete roads and concrete buildings. We lived in an apartment above my father’s shop, and every morning, I will be hanging around there to watch people hurrying to their jobs. We lived in the business district, and the pavement in front of our shop was never empty of people, except at around 12:00 midnight when all business establishments have closed down for the night. I have gotten used to the noise of traffic and people coming and going, and became really people-oriented that I was never backward in welcoming my father’s clients to the shop.
Soon we left for Mindanao, which Papa and his buddies called the land of plenty. Being uprooted from my natural habitat (the concrete jungle), elicited a mixture of emotions, but the predominant one was a feeling of excitement, a sense of adventure. We landed in Mindanao, in a city next to our original destination, because the plane was diverted there because of some problems that I didn’t understand then. :) When we finally landed, my eyes almost popped out of their sockets. We were on a rented car and I can see mountains, and trees, and all kinds of greeneries along the roadside. The airport was located in an elevated stretch of land just outside the city, and the driver was driving slowly down the winding road so that we can see the sights. It was the first time I ever saw a coconut tree, and I was amazed at how tall they were. Everything was so green and I have never seen the sky so bright and blue.
What boggled my young mind the most was my first sight of the sea. We were half-way to the next city when on the next turn, the vista of a sparkling blue sea met my stunned eyes. Papa smiled in understanding and asked the driver to stop so that we children could stretch out our legs and have our first experience of the sea. We ran down to the beach to the sound of my mother’s admonitions to go slow and watch out for the sharp rocks.
If I close my eyes now, I can still picture in my mind that wonderful day. It was late afternoon. The sea was so blue, the sun was shining brightly and as rays of light shone on the surface of the water, the reflection looked like little, twinkling, rainbow-colored stars. The breeze was blowing gently and the water looked calm. I dreamily walked along the beach, my tiny feet sinking luxuriously into the warm, wet sand. Papa urged me to wade into the water, but I hesitated because this was a new element I wasn’t familiar with. The biggest body of water I have ever seen was a swimming pool. Papa patiently pointed out that nothing bad would happen because he was there to look out for me.
Gingerly, I tested the water with one foot.
“There, that wasn’t so bad, hmm?” Papa asked.
Encouraged, I waded knee-deep into the water and savored the feel of the gentle waves swishing around my legs. I laughed with sheer joy and Papa laughed back at me.
“Will I meet the Little Mermaid here?” I queried.
“I don’t think so, little one, but what I know for sure is that you will meet new friends, experience new things and have the adventure of your life. Is that good?” Papa replied.
I nodded and smiled. Soon Papa told us to go back to the car so that we can be on our way. It was getting late and we were still a few hours away from our new home. I looked back as we were leaving. I can see the gentle waves breaking into foam on the beach, and I imagined myself in another city with my new friends, with colorful pails and shovels, playing on the sand as the sun shines benevolently overhead while the sea serenely waits for me to make a closer acquaintance. Yes, the sea is going to be a lifelong friend. I nodded in satisfaction. Papa was right. This is my new world and I was on my way to the greatest adventure of a lifetime.
