As a child, I understood Heaven to be where God and his saints and angels are found, up in the sky beyond the clouds, “beyond the blue yonder.” But when I rode the plane up beyond the clouds, I did not meet St. Peter or any angel up there. Where could Heaven really be? The […]
History of My Life (1990) Part 11 – Back In Bangued (1934-1935)
In order to continue my studies in H.S., I had to work and earn my money for matriculation and tuition fees. Father’s slipper making business slowed down following my mother’s death. I joined the Public Works Road Gang earning P0.45 or less than $0.25, a quarter of a dollar a day. I was the only […]
History of My Life (1990) Part 10 – Life In Bayombong, N.V.
As a third year student in the New Nueva Vizcaya Vocational H.S., with a new name and new classmates, I felt embarrassed when, during the first day roll call, I failed to respond when my new name was called until our teacher included my second name, Sibayan. I blushed as everyone turned towards me not […]
History of My Life (1990) Part 9 – After Mother’s Death
I saw how lonely father became after mother’s death but he took his loss bravely with that usual smile for anything that happens. He fell in love with a beautiful young employee of the La Flor de Pita tobacco factory of Don Juan Valera and got married. That was when I was 2nd year in […]
History of My Life (1990) Part 8 – Mother’s Death
Mother’s death when I was 14 was the most traumatic experience I had. I visited her grave almost every day after school hours because the cemetery was close to the Abra H.S. where I enrolled as 2nd year student. There I cried, I prayed, I wished… she were still alive. I learned how to sing […]
History of My Life (1990) Part 7 – Dreams Come True
Before I totally leave Bangued from the “Story of My Life”, I would like to share some personal experiences that I can’t forget. Pensionados One of them is my conversation with my brother, Elix, while walking to buy “lomo-lomo” in Pagpartian. I was about seven and he was about five years of age more or […]