Family’s Shared Responsibility

I get all sorts of reaction whenever people learn that I am the youngest in our family.

“I bet Ana that you being the “bunso” in the family allows you to get whatever you want!”

Okay, there may be some nuggets of truth into that! As the youngest in a brood of eight, I do get to enjoy some perks from time to time.

During my younger years, I would often receive a bagful of goodies from my older siblings whenever they would come home from school. I can also remember how my sisters' suitors would shower me with gifts or how my brothers' past girlfriends would dote on me like I was the prettiest eight-year-old kid in town--even if I obviously was not. Haha!

Sure, being the baby in the family has its own pluses. But this I can tell you. It's not all bed of roses for us who belong to the bottom of the family hierarchy.

Picture this. We lived in a two-storey house in Mindanao. My sister who is ten years older than I am would ask me to go upstairs to get her bag. As I reached the top of the stairs, I would encounter my eldest brother who then would ask  me to get him a glass of water. As I reached the bottom of the stairs, another sister would send me to do another errand for her in their room. Just imagine how many times I would have to navigate the stairs in a day if I have four other siblings just waiting to blurt out their whims? Whew!

But then again, if you ask me if I ever regretted being the bunso in the family? My answer is certainly a resounding NO.

I know that even if I was bombarded with requests from my older siblings, I am  well aware that my older siblings  have  responsibilities too which were far more difficult than mine.

On my eldest brother's shoulder was the burden that if my father goes away, he has to take the role as the scion of the family. My older sisters need to take care of the younger ones, like making sure that me and my youngest brod would wash our hands before eating. Good grief! I must have been a pain in the ass when I made them run after me around the house whenever I refused to take a bath.

Kung mahirap maging youngest, mahirap din maging eldest child!

What is important is that each member understands that he has a role to play and that every role must be performed well.

After all, the success of the family is but a shared responsibility.

If one refuses to do his role, the family will never reach its goals, its dreams. Everything will be lost.

Truthfully, I really didn’t mind if I had to climb the stairs repeatedly in a day while accomplishing my tasks at home. I guess, if one loves his family, you don’t create parameters. Actions are done spontaneously and willingly.

That is, if one really loves his family.

No wonder we hear of siblings who are currently immersed in debates because nobody wants to heed. Everyone wants to lead. Too bad there are people who refuse to acknowledge birthrights.

As a show of defiance, there are those who are willing to trade honor by blatantly neglecting duties in the guise of protecting their younger siblings.

I say, whether we are the first child, the middle child or the youngest child, we must embrace and put to good use whatever position in the family or even to a larger extent, our roles in the society which God has entrusted on us.

Our position is a gift and a privilege actually. We must use it wisely because it is the epitome of how much we can love.                                                                                  

Happy Love month!