HIGH EXPECTATIONS

Emong and his wife Irma believes their older children will help them support their younger siblings after they finish their schooling. Emong is the barangay(village) chairman of their village. He oversees the government programs in the community and the peace and order implemented by the barangay tanod.(village guards). Outside of his duty as the barangay chairman, his foremost priority is raising his family. He owns several acres of agricultural land planted with rice and vegetables, an orchard planted with fruit bearing trees, citrus fruits, coconut and mangoes. His produce is his primary source of income to support his children's education. His wife Emma helps him adding to their income tending their grocery store. His eldest son Eustaquio chose to continue his studies in the university taking a medical course. His educational expenses is covered by his scholarship grants. His parents are expecting he would help them support his younger brother and sisters to finish their studies. their second child Menchie is taking an accountancy course under a scholarship program. Until then , both of them were able to finish their courses, practiced their professions not in their locality but in the bustling urban city. Emong and Irma were not present at their graduation, preferred to be absent at these important milestones of their children. Another reason, is not being familiar about the city life while the rural life is a slow pace way of life How will they act with professionals like their children? They waited if they would come home for a visit expecting them to find out how they are surviving in the province. Nancy attending college at a nearby provincial capital city didn't go to the highly urbanized city her siblings attended. She is satisfied to go home weekly to help at her mother's grocery store. The older siblings didn't offer any help although they are fully employed. Irma is the host of a yearly Holy Mass at Easter. celebrating Easter Sunday. In preparation for the occasion she marks one of her backyard pigs to be butchered ,to be serve to the priest entourage officiating the Holy Mass. The highlight of the day is Jesus Christ Resurrection meeting her mother Mary, being risen from the dead. After the festive celebration parishioners go to the community center to continue the celebration a meal is served by volunteers This is included in the yearly expenses as a community event. Emong is there with his village guards. to address the people about the current and new programs that would benefit them. The merry making extends until the evening. There is a free dance competition , a chance for the ladies and gentlemen to meet each other, couples to dance together wearing their best attire. Irma hired a butcher and at the same time the chef who knows what is to be served in his menu. Emong suggested to roast a pig, might suffice cooking for the group of the parish priest. The butcher said there are more recipes to savor different food taste and flavors.following his menu. The whole community appreciate what Emong and Irma are doing since he won the last election being his second term as the head of their Barangay Sampaguita, derived from the flowering shrub bearing white fragrant flowers at this time of the year during Easter. The flowers can be stringed into a necklace sold by vendors at the entrance of the chapel, worn by ladies during their dance night. Nancy has grown into a beautiful young lady who is not as sociable like his older siblings. Being sickly when she was young , his father Emong took care of her like a little duckling. Feeding her, looking after her when she was confined at the small clinic. She fully recovered of her illness. What is left in her memory is the special care his father devoted on her knowing her illness was considered incurable in those days. prayers to God can do miracles of healing. As a gratitude to God they began to host the Easter Sunday Mass., not opening their store on Sundays. a symbol of piety to God. Graduating from college ,Nancy has been immediately assigned to her own village. making herself to the top of passing the teacher's entrance provincial examination for elementary grades teachers. The first teacher professional in their village who attended their own grade school. Villagers are rejoicing. Their neighbors who are all farmers were inspired raising hopes their children can follow. Nancy promised to herself to help his little brother Flory improve his skills in farming helping their father in increasing their agricultural products. They can help farmers in their community to increase their production. Flory became the town agriculturist , distributing free vegetable seeds to communities in their hometown. To change the traditional way of farming , he introduced mechanized farming at their own rice fields. People are still needed in planting rice. Tilling soil in wider areas when mechanized covers more lands and increase food production. Renting out his farm machine to the other farmers in their community is a great help. Soon becoming a supplier of rice and vegetables to the capital city and neighboring towns , their large scale farming of vegetables, eggplant, bell pepper, string beans, black eyed susan beans gathered when they are young or matured pods are dried to get the lentils flooded the markets. The brother and sister duo worked together to help Emong and Irma. This is the fulfilled dream of the couple to raise a family. Raising a family is considered a holy sacrifice, a command from God. Once a man and a woman gets marry they are no longer two but one, leave their parents ,live together throughout their lives. Blessings from God are showered to them and through prayers God will answer and provide their needs. Providing daily needs for the family being considered more blessings showered to the family when they help others. Emong and Irma were recognized to be outstanding parents and model citizens from the town and provincial committees on recognition and awards. During these ceremonies Eustaquio who is a surgeon in the country's capital city at Quezon City Memorial Hospital, Philippines came home to witness these ceremonies to honor his parents. A time to introduce his wife and two young children. A new family to raise on their own. The same thing Emong and Irma did. There is no reminder or asking for help from his son, He has forgotten that expectation. Nancy and Flory helped them voluntarily. Eustaquio didn't offer anything at all. Menchie witnessed the honor her parents received She expressed her admiration about their recognition as outstanding parents and their community service as well. Menchie has her own family. She has not mentioned to her parents if she has plans to help them. Although she works in a big accounting firm her huge personal expenses to handle like paying mortgage to her spacious house . her financial status is really tight. While Nancy and Flory lives with their parents they don't have the responsibility to maintain their household expenses. Maybe all their earnings go to their personal savings. Emong and Irma didn't ask anything from her. hearing about her financial woes. Both Eustaquio and Menchie have large financial responsibilities, a life in an urban city is different from rural life. All these recognitions granted to the family are from God. Emong and Irma continue their reverence and piety to God praying and asking his guidance and protection to their family. Emong is serving his last term as the barangay chairman of the barangay council. In his farewell speech he promised publicly to continue serving the people he loved to served. He knows God has helped and guided him to do all this work for His glory. Years has passed, Emong has to distribute his property among his children. All of them have finished their careers. His gratitude is address to God. His high expectations were met in his whole life with Irma his partner, the love of his life. This is what they have decided about the division of their properties. All their properties will be equally divided between Nancy and Flory who didn't leave them but help them. His will states the two older children has no inheritance.GP