While having lunch, a colleague suddenly threw a question:
Ano ung pagkain nyo nung time na mahirap kayo?
What do you eat during the lowest (poorest) time of your life? (tama ba?)
At that moment, natigilan ako... napaisip and somehow yes, nagbalik ala ala yung darkest, saddest times of my family.
One answered: mantika at asin sa kanin... (cooking oil and salt mixed in rice)
While another one is asin... (salt)
I wasn't able to respond. I just answered them with a smile as I remember what it was...
One commented: Mayaman kasi to kaya wala siyang ganyang experience...
I reacted and said of course not... we were also poor and went through down moments.
However, I don't have memories of not having food at the table despite all the hardships that our family went through.
I remember seeing my mother mixing sugar on rice; maybe those were the times when we do not have enough; however she carried the burden alone and never allowed us to suffer. Her lame excuse was that she doesn't want the food...
