Big Brother Of The Family

February 5th, 2008 · No Comments

Sometimes, it is hard to become the eldest brother of the family. Culturally it is widely accepted that the big brother or big sister picks up the parent-like responsibilities in the family. In the previous months, I was able to experience them in action. It has been nine months since I graduated from my tertiary school and since I had my first official “graduate job.” I’m very glad though because in that short span of time, I’ve strode very far (compared to most of my college friends) – however, the responsibilities surged in parallel also.

Ever since I started earning, I became very fond of making the shopping list and doing the shopping of groceries and goods for the family in the mall – one of the things I’ve really missed in my childhood. In my teenage years, my family didn’t really do much shopping (except my mother – but not “shopping much”), because of the financial slump that hit our family caused by many factors. Every pay day when I go to Davao, I make it sure to buy canned goods (like tunas, corned beef, hygiene things, etc).

Last month, I bought one sack of rice (when I sensed that my father didn’t have the money to buy). Good thing that I had cash on hand that day. My mother also borrowed a good amount to support our family’s daily expenses. I have two brothers who go to school every day and one of them commutes with a bus to his college more than 20 kilometers away from home.

For myself, I was able to buy a folder bed few months ago – putting my sleep-in-the-floor experience to an end at age 20. It was not classy, but a good one otherwise (but it’s badly damaged now – lol). I was also able to buy a stand fan as well. For ages, we’ve suffered from warm and very humid evenings and days in our living room. At least now, it feels cooler and it is better.

I realized that I’m in the real world now, not anymore in the four corners of the classroom discussing mostly theories. There are responsibilities and decisions I have to take and make in my own many ways, especially for me as the eldest and I am becoming like the “bread and butter” these years. I have no regrets of being one and I accept it with open arms, I just hope I will find happiness on the way.

Hard work pays off, right? I hope it does.

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