Early Childhood

Aurora's childhood was filled with happy memories. She was surrounded by caring relatives and household helps. Her maternal grandmother, Eusebia whom she fondly calls Bai Biao was always at her beck and call. Her aunt, Felicidad Bernas, was around together with other household helps who do the daily chores. Her mother, a public health nurse was busy doing what she was expected to do - provide health care to mothers and children, prevent disease through immunization against smallpox, provide prenatal, natal, and postnatal care. Her father, a retired Justice of the Peace, was often busy often seen talking with people who have legal problems. Looking back, Aurora's home was a social service center where the poor go for help for their legal, health, and social problems.
Aurora's father usually spend his mornings preparing feeds for his swines by slicing banana trunks with a sharp bolo. One morning Aurora was summoned by her father to "please bring me the bolo that is hanging on the wall". Aurora got the safe end of the bolo and handed the sharp end of the bolo to her father. that elicited a long lecture on "consideration of others". He said, "never hand the sharp end of a bolo to the other person. He might get hurt." Young as I was I innocently said, then I may be the one who will get hurt? He said, "it is better for you to get hurt than for the other person to get hurt. The welfare of others is more important than your own." I could not understand.But surely the lesson stuck.