The Long Walk Home

I remember as a child walking through the countryside, People were so polite to greet each other – how are you? With simple lifestyle in an agricultural ambience, Theirs is my goal, my future longing to welcome. While I’d always prefer to walk - rain or shine, I couldn’t help but see first my friend close by; my hero who saved me while getting drowned the time of our town fiesta of Our Lady of Peñafrancia. Old folks who used to hang out and visit us, because of my grandma who’d say ‘come’, some of them would really come and say: ‘we’re here to join you for a nice meal.’ On big celebrations like Christmas and town fiesta, family relations would come in droves to see us; their children would come along to ask something, especially gifts and some money for this event. For a child like these things serve as imprints, a treasure trove of memories I still cherish; a connecting link to my past with sentiments indeed, it’s a heartland of true importance. Described as a centerpiece of family interaction, our home was like a rendezvous of some people, whose attachments to our features of being hospitable, welcome them to enjoy our kindness and compassion. Though, to some of them our place was quite a distance, but it didn’t matter to walk on foot, to come to our home; It’s because they saw and felt truly a welcoming culture from each member that fashioned to say no problem at all. The long walk home may set the tone of exhaustion, But this reminds me of a pilgrim like in the bible; The Holy Family who, in their flight to reach their destination, Finds a place where they can be safe and call it a home.