About five years ago, we left our hometown in San Miguel, Tarlac City, to live in Sta. Rosa in Nueva Ecija.
My fondest memories of childhood will always be in San Miguel in that small compound where I grew up with my uncles and aunts, and cousins.
But I slowly learned to love Sta. Rosa with its wide rice fields, open roads, and rural beauty. I consider myself lucky because the modest lot my parents were able to buy is literally standing in the middle of rice paddies with a backdrop of mountains and hills.
The house my parents now live in is still a work in progress, but visiting Sta. Rosa will always be like getting a breath of fresh air for someone like me who works in Manila.
In my parents’ small lawn are a few mango trees, some guava trees, and a rather colorful fruiting macopa tree, among others. My mother has a small area for her gumamela, euphorbia, and orchids, all flowering at the same time. My parents also have a few chickens and ducks, all with chicks and ducklings.
A small pond with tilapia and the uninvited mudfish and catfish welcomes the few neighbors that often come to chat. My mother would often invite them for breakfast or coffee as the early morning sun begins to shine.
My father loves to trim the grass along the small lawn so that his grandkids can run around and play, while Blacky, our dog, ever loyal to his masters, stands guard.
The rice fields are a sight to behold, at least for me. I often stay under the shade of a mango tree, stretched upon a hammock just enjoying the calm, soothing breeze, as I watch the chickens and ducks run around searching for food.
In the afternoon, nothing beats having coffee and some light snacks with my old folks as the sun begins to set.
It said that happiness and contentment are always subjective. I could not agree more.
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