Last September 18, 2015 I’ll never forget that day as I was able to have a conversation with a young buff guy in the shore. I was watching the sunrise that time and I saw this hunky man..pulling a rope from the sea and from afar.. There is a boat tied up next to it with also a person in it catching some fish.
Out of my curiosity.. I asked the guy.. “Imu lagi ginabira ng pisi sa bangka migo..” (Why are you pulling the rope of that boat young man?) he then politely answered..
“Para di malayu akong kuya.. Di man gud mi pwede duha sa bangka.. Ky malunod.. Natagam nami ky nalumos amu manghud mao pulihanay mi pag mangisda.. Unya pag nakadakop na sya ako napod didtu sa bangka sya napod diri..”
I then asked again.. “Ah ok.. Pero wala diay muy laing bangka? Maski manghiram lang gud..kesa sige ka bira ana dira kahagu bah..” he then responded..
“Okay lang man.. Naa man mi isa pa ka bangka pero ginaayos pa.. Naguba tungod sa dagkong balud..”
“Sa bato diay na nimo itali or sa kahoy? Para dili hasol?” I added..
“Kung bato man gud.. Di kasaligan ky muslayd sa balas ug mulubong niya masibug kung maigug balud labaw napod kung kahoy ky dali ra matumba.. Parehong walay control.. Mas maayu ng ako nalang.. Kontrolado pa nako ang dagan sa bangka ky gaan2x man.. Bahalag kapoy pangusgan lang para gihapon bitaw ni sa amua..”
An explanation that astonished me much from him.. “Ah mao bah.. Bitaw noh.. Tama pod ka.. Sige migo ayu ayu mu dira ug maayung buntag..” a last message and goodbye to the hunky guy.. He just smiled at me and waved.. With me waving back..
Personally, I was really touched.. He couldn’t afford to loose another sibling and so he’s doing it.. Protecting the life of his older brother at the same time.. Trying to survive life’s tests.
What really amazed me is that how he compared the strength of a tree and a stone from him as a person.
“If I use the stone.. I can’t since it slips and gets buried from the sand and it will be moved by the waves same as a tree that easily goes down.. Both doesn’t have any control so I’d rather do it since I can control where the boat goes because it’s not that heavy.. Even if it’s tiring it’s fine I’ll just have to strengthen my self.. Besides, this is still for us..”
It reminds me of our own shelter, strengths, weakness, patience, hope, determination and destiny. Where will they take us?
