HIVE HORIZONS 05: When We Were Young

If by any chance you’d ask if this write-up is about a special love just like the emotions you feel while listening to Adele’s Song (2016), well honestly, IT IS – but the kind of love that describes a special memory of fun and company: memories of my childhood that I share with my family and friends, which I always long to reminisce during those times I direly need a break from my busy adult self. It was just like a movie, or a song, but certainly, it reminds us of when we were young. If only cameras would be running around with us: taking photographs of our childhood, I bet it would.

I’d like to believe that one the best times that I had in life, were spent with childhood, with friends or siblings: at home, in the nursery, or at our neighbor’s backyard. Going back to the years when TIME was almost FREE and UNLIMITED (of course, not until I hear my name being called out furiously by my mother), were the days that almost felt like an era of my innocent self; thinking that the fun every sunset, the laughs under the shade, the wounds & scars on my knees, and the scratches all around my arms, were all life can offer. But it wasn’t - that is for sure. Despite the physical pain that I have endured in my younger years, I have always felt comfortable remembering everything that happened.

Here are a few of the things I recollected.

Before the idea of formal education in school was registered to my conscious self, my morning breakfast would never be complete without having to watch in a small chair, in front of the television, my favorite daytime shows. Nickelodeon's Blue's Clues is definitely on my everyday watchlist. I just could not get enough from the blue puppy, Blue! I sometimes believe that I understand the meaning behind every barking, which Steve and Joe understood. And certainly won’t forget how good an artist Joe and Steve were; sketching anything in the ‘handy dandy notebook’.

Well, who does not watch Sineskwela, MathTinik, and Epol Apple? Only the best television series for an avid fan of anything nerdy at least. The array of basic knowledge I learned about Science and Mathematics is probably the reason why my fascination with learning never keeps ending. I don’t need to mention my favorite characters from those shows, and how very simple they make a child like me understand complicated concepts of the human body and arithmetic techniques. These were the times I had my first aha! and wow! Just by hearing the Sineskwela opening song, it couldn't get any more nostalgic.

Apart from those educational shows, there also goes Hiraya Manawari, Bayani, and Pamana which are most of the time available for watching in the Knowledge Channel of the ABS-CBN Network. They revolve mostly on culture, history, and more importantly, good moral values. The true-to-life stories were my absolute favorite. There are a lot more that I can mention, honestly. That is why, I am very thankful that although watching these shows was not forced to me, my parents have been a constant support system in allowing me to mind-wander and explore my interests as young as four.

If there is something that I am not abundant as a child, it would be material possessions or at least toys. Two reasons why I don’t have much fun with toys are because most of the time, what we had are toys for my all-girl siblings, OR if blessed with one toy airplane or train, I always end up damaging the electronics thus, nothing fun in the end.

More than that, memorable playtime memories that I had were not really spent inside the house. Outside, where children of my age also play, is the frequent place I enjoy my afternoon. You should not even assume I go home clean and not sweating after being called-out loudly, “Franciissssss!!!!! 😤” by no less than my mother: the commander.

The blood coming out my knees after running around, playing hide-and-seek, 'luksong baka', or 'patintero', is definitely a good excuse for me to say that my friends did it when all those times I was the ‘hagu’ (in Bisaya) or ‘taya’ (in Tagalog) 🤕. I honestly don’t know what its English translation though hehe, but I was the person who has to catch everyone else like the “it” in every game. Besides, flying the kite is undeniably my go-to activity when I feel lazy on a lousy afternoon; I just have to toss it from a distance, then once up in the air, all I have to do is to tie it on the nearest branch and lie down. 😎

In all these “allowed” outdoor games, a ‘YES’ from my mother means I get permission to play outside. In cases when my mother’s mood is nowhere to be found, and I only find myself stuck while my friends teasingly call-out my name by the window is indeed a very bad day for me. However, the countless times that this situation has happened had me devise wise diplomacies which I found to be an effective remedy to deserve that nod from my mother. Crying on the floor is not really my way though, but what I do is to be very helpful on the chores. Complying to whatever task like sweeping or even personal favors that involve massaging or picking white hair is tested effective. Believe me, those work for me (though not really all the time 😌).

On the other face of outdoor-playing are strictly prohibited games according to the rules of my parents. I do agree on the reason as an adult, but as a kiddo, I am free as a bird when it comes to making myself involved in this kind of “amusement”, as I call them 😂.

The first is with fire. In most afternoon errands I handle a flame from matchsticks or used candles, I use it to cook inedible stuff through tin cans. I was like a potion master during those younger days when I and my friends have to hide behind the house to push through our culinary ambitions. Luckily, I don’t remember tasting what we cook from those cans, or if I ever did, I hope it did not extend its health consequences until now 🤒.

The second and third restricted games during my childhood years were not really that dangerous. 'Dampa' or as I call it the art of moving one or more rubber bands from one point to the goal line using only two hands. Basically, your hands formed like a teepee with one thumb at the rear to trap air, and an adjustable front opening, allows the air to be compressed then pushed out in the opening as you hit the floor, thereby moving the rubber band forward. To be skillful on this game, it demands techniques using the hands and fingers; from positioning it like a turtle or an airplane to the technique called the "minus one" (subtracting one finger on your hand position), which is generally applicable when you want less air to push the rubber band for your opponent to give way for another hit – hoping that it would be a lot easier for you to move the rubber bands on your turn.

Moreover, this traditional game called 'spider fighting' is another restriction for me probably because of my parent’s fear that I will dwell so much into gambling or other forms of cruelty which may develop as I went on playing it constantly. Despite the advice, stubborn as I were in following directives, I insisted and secretly collected spiders that I found underneath the shade of an abandoned area (btw, I named them because it's cool 😅). But as time passed, my interest in the game faded because I no longer have much time to spend maintaining the spiders and hiding them from my mother’s sight more importantly. Nevertheless, the rowdiness I had shown was something I now have grown and matured about.

When it comes to engagements, I think I have always been the person who sits properly at the corner of every party 🙁; just waiting for my turn to line up or receive the packed goodies in printed plastic bags. Every time a relative or a neighbor organizes a party, whether, during birthdays, fiestas, or Christmas, I and my siblings’ attendance is always imperative. It is like an invitation that I just know before I actually get the formal one.

Also, on my birthday, my parents never fail to invite every child living within a kilometer radius from our house (just kidding, hahaha) and even the ones not familiar to me or the ones whom I don’t get along too.

So, I don’t really blame my parents if I have a lot of visitors because that only means more gifts to open 😆. I remember very well that aside from having a lot of people on attendance, the best part to enjoy was the used-to food varieties served during events at home. My mother is a great home cook, and everything she cooks is well-loved by anybody’s taste buds. The perfectly-cooked Lechon lying next to a two-layered cake with lots of frosting and icing, hotdogs on-stick with 3 pieces of marshmallows, sweet spaghetti made with lots of cheese on top, plus a gallon or a whole big bucket of chocolate ice cream: were only a fraction of the variety. Regardless of the grandiose celebrations, the most unforgettable was still the joy everybody felt singing the happy birthday song while blowing the candle, or the Christmas song while receiving hugs and seeing fireworks. It was indeed more than a delight.

If this is not the best, it would perhaps be the most remembered memory I have of my childhood. Growing up, at home or outside, my beloved siblings are the ones that keep me the brother I can be. Being the second youngest, and the only male child in the family is not easy. I have always wanted someone who I can call “Kuya/ brother” or a younger brother that I can play along with lots of toys. However, I realized that my reality is different from the ones that I hoped for. Instead, mine is something greater. I got to learn everything from the best siblings in the world. As some would say, I have a lot to learn from the world of men, but with my father who is more than enough as a company, I say, I have a lot to learn from women – and what better way to learn them than from my very own sisters ♥️.

Despite the close siblinghood we have, a lot of times when we were younger were consumed as shallow contentions and feuds. Since I am a middle child, the eldest takes the most responsibility and blame when it comes to doing things at home, but to a disadvantage, being the only boy allowed me to do all the hard stuff. I’m not complaining though because it is what it is. Beyond that, I have also perks that I exclusively enjoy. First in the list is having new and branded clothes – not the ones being passed from the older sister (hahaha) 😍. Second is having my personal separate space which I only enjoy sometimes🙃. And thirdly, the boys’ incentive that I and my father often receive, which includes having a distinct vote when it comes to material wants 😇. More than that, I am just like anybody else in the family.

I can say that our childhood fights are essential chunks of our growth. Each of us took a role at home, which until now is something that we hold. We become each other’s teachers when our parents are not with us. And I will always remember the time I learned how to read and write; not directly by the guidance of my mother or father, but with imitation with what my older sisters are doing with their pen and papers every night. I sat beside them studying, and I got to ask and learn with them as well.

Perchance, we all have childhood memories that we so much cherish in life. Photographs may not be available to make us remember all the good times, but the power of the mind transcends beyond what is captured by the camera. May it be a happy 😃 or desolate 😪 childhood memory, the essential thing is what we have become right now is shaped by the lessons that we carry along with us as we grow into mature individuals. The mistakes that brought us to grasp our after-thoughts are developed possibly from the favorite television show we watched when we were ten years old, or maybe, the talents that allowed us to be recognized by our peers now are from the skills we nurtured when we were playing in the backyard. Amazing right?

Everything is connected to where we started. And a simple rekindling and reminiscing of our child-like self is absolutely a great way to appreciate how far we have come in terms of braving simple wounds and defying odds.

I am aware that I have said many, but not enough to show you how complicated my childhood was. There are so many not on the list that I can certainly assure you a long conversation should we start talking about this personally. Though only a few would relate, I know at some point, you and I both share similar experiences about childhood.