ODE TO MY FAMILY

Family is like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one.

They refer to you as long playing record.
It takes two people to alternately take turn to rock you to sleep.
You're the chubby one that gives the whole roasted pig
that funny look during our family photo.

I remember your chunky face and plump physique when you were little
while playing tags with your classmates during school recess.
Wearing a blue Levis jean that keeps slipping off your waist.
You acknowledged me as I passed you by and that was all there is
that I could reminisced of your early childhood years
as if I was oblivious of your existence.
Like burned record tossed in some old archives
that have been forgotten and never get played.

We breeze through high school and college like blazing gazelle
and never look back while you lag behind during your sophomore years.
'Never quite figured how you made it. Everything seems to be but a blur
at least from my own nonchalant perspective.

I remember you're the sickly one. A frequent flyer
that often get the Penadur shot until they discover
you have a hole in your heart.
Prompting our perturbed mother to reach out into the realms of the unknown
and since that day you've earned that soft spot in her heart.

You're the most timid one. A not so pleasant moment
jarred my memory while I was sweeping with a raffia broom.
I threw a debris in disgust missing your left eye by an inch.
You stood there sobbing, not a word or scream came out of your mouth.
The scar has always been there right ?

You languished for decades wrestling with self doubt and missed opportunities,
waiting again for your ship to arrive. Now as I looked back.
I finally understood why someone was willing to give up the moon
so the earth could continue to turn.
Even I, would lend you the sun,
so a new day will dawn once again in your horizon ...

by Neil Aranda 02/01/2016

Author's Note

Reviews

[Daisie Vergara (Dhaye)]

I think "Physics" is "physique" 😃

I like this. I love tributes for the family. I love to read happy stories about family. Each member has his own characteristic and each one knows how to adjust with each other.

This makes me remember of my siblings, too. We are only three so we're so closed to each other. I and sis are like twins, while my bro, as the youngest is everyone's favorite. We love each other and we've promised to remain the same even if we have our own family.

I enjoyed reading this. Thanks for sharing.

[NeiL ArandA]

You coined the missing pieces of the puzzle or riddle Dhaye. No matter how we have become successful in life we can't live in a castle far away. Thanks

[gabrielle]

Very heart warming piece, neil. There may be sibling rivalry in teen age years, there may be teasing and insults hurlwd at each other and there may be arguments amd miscommunications over the years but the bond among brothers and sisters will always be there.

[NeiL ArandA]

I so agree Gab. That's the main theme of this piece is to rekindle those past events and childhood memories so we could find those feelings of closeness and togetherness we once felt and shared with our siblings. It seems the further we age the greater t he distance we sometimes created. Then we lose who we really are as a family. You captured the lesson that I wanted to impart to my readers. Thanks again Gab.

[A. Amos]

Great start my friend....

[NeiL ArandA]

Thanks Amos for the read. I saw a spark of inspiration to write and pen something very personal in my life.