Behind our Choices

It was a respite to be away from the news programs for a while with the unsettled political race still pervading the air. We took a brief wind to the quaint homey places in Negros Occidental.

Silay City, with its streets of ancestral homes manifested a traditional opulence that was the life of the hacienderos in the area. 

Walking on polished slabs of yakal and narra in the Gaston, Hofilena, and Lacson residences treated us to simple life of the aristocrats of their time. I say simple because in every structure, the portraits of family mementos, functional furniture and antique glassware showed the basic relationships that were formed albeit feudal and discriminating. Family was family even though there was an evident hierarchy in some of the homes, and the obvious gender divide.

In front of the old pianos, one could picture the young ladies playing either with shy demure or proud dexterity as they entertained the guests from the alta de sociedad in the time when sugar barons ruled the world.

In Talisay , a leisurely breakfast was prepared for us in the residence of Kapitana Dikang. A renown barangay leader of the Spanish era who was said to be entrepreneurial as well as strategic. In her home, we saw the display of revered family photographs that outlined matriarchal dedication and influence.

The long bay windows opened to simple lush gardens abloom with Philippine flowers like sampaguita and gumamela that accented the breakfast table with cozy ease. The ambiance was reminiscent of a period of unhurried pace and lingering siestas.

There are many of these historic homes in various parts of Negros island which have recently been open to the public for viewing, for a bit of a nostalgic tour. Each home had a history of its own, with lessons on how decisions change one’s fortune in life. The different stories that were shared with us as we walked through the homes, gave us a glimpse into how important choices are and how necessary it is to pick the right option, to see how life was then and how things have changed now, and how we can take part in making life better for our future through good judgment and how we get what we deserve when we choose what we choose. There are always reasons behind our choices really—like the elections.