The More, The Merrier!

        With the Holiday Season starting, one very Filipino characteristic stands out in mind: the importance Filipinos place on families and extended families. Filipinos are a clannish lot. We have a penchant for adopting relatives however distantly related. This is especially true in our unique position as Filipino Americans. Chances are there will be someone you know who will endeavor to try their luck here in the US and knows no one but you in town. There is an obligation to open our doors to that individual. Most of us who remember the hardships we went through when we were first starting out will take them in willingly, only too happy to help.

         The Filipino family value is one trait I am very proud of in our culture. I came from a very dynamic immigrant family. By this I mean there is a constant migration process going on in my aunt’s three-bedroom, one-level (albeit with basement) house on California Avenue in Chicago. Fortunately, one handy uncle fixed the basement and added three more bedrooms. At one point, there were 13 people living in that house, this excluding the visitors that my aunt would house when they were in town (which could be as many as 5 at one time). The phrase “the more, the merrier,” had never been more true. The time when we had the most number of people was actually the happiest memory I have of my growing up years in America.

       

        To be realistic, we did not always get along. There is no family that exist that always got along. If any family claims such perfection, they actually have a big problem. Healthy family relationship does not translate to a well-ironed one. As Filipino families go, there is plenty of room for conflict. My aunt was strict and conservative, and we, young people, well, ….we were young, willful and, imbibing American values. And just like any other families, we had our share of intrigue, competition and other soap-operatic episodes. Fortunately, the Filipino tie that binds is as strong as hemp in strength. We may not always like each other, but we just have to face the fact: we are family and nothing can change that.

      

         At present, the many brothers, sisters, nieces, nephew, cousin, and friends that once shared the same roof now have their own homes and lead their own lives with their own families. Some are living out of state. Some are even out of the country. The house on California Avenue still continues to warm and comfort individuals trying to make a new beginning in the US of A. Perhaps, it is one reason why my aunt is reluctant to put it up for sale. It contains so many memories. The Holiday Season provides an important opportunity for everyone to touch base with each other. We gather and celebrate, particularly on Christmas Eve. Now, if we can only decide whose house it is going to be held at.