SEEKING SOCIAL EQUALITY

Will these two families find a way to be talking again? For decades the Petalvo and Prieto family closed their doors to talk to each other in any occasion , a family celebration or meeting in political events. If ever they meet avoiding each other is their norm. No one knows or who can explain why this two family are no longer communicating to one another For some reason. neighbors are silent while the feud has been going on for long. In one occasion two women ,one day, while doing their laundry at the edge of the stony river bed where they dry their laundered clothes , while waiting to dry, catched shrimps and picked freshwater clams. They sat together to rest. Then they remember to talk about their neighbors who are not talking to each other. Petra is actually a relative of the Petalvo family. The other woman Cirila is a close friend to the Prieto family. According to Petra the conflict has started a long time ago when the Petalvo family became prosperous and the Prieto family became jealous. The Petalvo family are able to multiply their assets by engaging in buying and selling , in other words, they have multiple businesses. A store, a rice mill and invested in land ownership. What the Prieto family did is to use their growing young men to court one of the young lady of the Petalvo family . It happened when the Prieto family eloped her. The Petalvo family brought it to court. The couple can't separate because the Petalvo woman wanted to stay with the Prieto man. This has happened the second time the more the gap between the two families widened like two parallel riverbanks one side is the poor Prieto and the rich side Petalvo family. The Petalvo and Prieto family history. In the old days schools are only located in a town and the surrounding villages will send their children to town, Hector Petalvo met his classmate Romeo Prieto . here. Hector Petalvo looks handsome while Romeo Prieto looks bashful and ill mannered. Hector Petalvo didn't mind Romeo Prieto . When Romeo Prieto go to the village where Hector Petalvo lives , he would asks what Hector Petalvo grows in their garden and ask live chicken to bring home. His parents allowed Romeo Prieto to get what he wants from them knowing his inappropriate behaviour, people know him in the village to have bad behaviour due to poverty. There is a tendency to compete with rich people in the wrong way. Romeo Prieto grew up like this until his maturity while Hector Petalvo family prospered building their business. The more Romeo Prieto spread his notoriety being a dropout walking to the other villages to ask anything that he wanted. Hector Petalvo graduated in high school to become a skilled trade in vocational school until he qualified as a vocational teacher in carpentry. The more the Petalvo family continue to prosper while Romeo Prieto is left far behind financially. Romeo Prieto married Perla who owned land propeerties. It seems he could equal himself with Hector Petalvo. He didn't carefully managed the property of Perla engaging in the game of cockfighting and didn't like to farm the land. They didn't know about family planning so they have eight children to raise. No one can control Romeo Prieto in his vices of gambling , cockfighting and card games. Thinking it can bring money to recover his losses instantly if he wins big in his bets. Perla can't do anything either until her children left to fend themselves not at their place but ventured their luck in the urban capital city. Romeo Prieto;s family is bound to total financial failure. Hector Petalvo married one of his colleages at the vocational chool where he taught carpentry. Edita his wife is teaching Home Economics . They have only three children whom they are able to send to school and supported them in their quest for knowledge. The eldest have gone to university to become a city engineer, building contractor. Hector Petalvo got his share from his grandparents , their ancestral home not building a new one but keeping improvements and beautifying the surroundings. The next child Prima finished her teaching career and taught at elementary school at their village. Prima is God fearing since she was a child. She goes to church regularly not counting her family to be well off keeping herself in low profile. Her plans is to enter the monastery. When she got sick and fully recovered she made a pledge to God to enter a life of chastity and celibacy. No one knows about her plan but one day his father received a letter from the convent advising her to give herself more time to decide. At school she has a colleage whom she doesn't know she is an aunt of Romeo Prieto. She doesn't also know her parents doesn't like the Prieto family. One day a young handsome guy visited their school and the aunt of Romeo Prieto introduced her nephew, Celso to Prima. Prima didn't mind at all if Celso is going to like her having decided to enter the convent to serve God. Hector Petalvo don;t like to lose her daughter not to see her anymore if she enters the convent. But his wife is totally against with Celso knowing his origin they have deep seated family conflicts. Prima will suffer from their family revenge. Celso is unemployed which made Prima's mother more angry and hated him. Overtime Celso came to visit more frequently her mother and Prima didn't know Hector Petalvo talk to Celso and later on Romeo Prieto came face to face setting the wedding date of Celso and Prima. Prima was in shock for not being consulted at all. The reception was held at the house of Romeo' Prieto's aunt. The parents of Prima didn't attend the reception. Prima cried alone on her wedding day. She has no one to tell her feelings. The wedding is official. Her wedding bond is borrowed from the church. Romeo Prieto has nothing to give to Prima knowing she has more money receiving a permanent monthly salary to support herself and Celso. Romeo Prieto felt he has won the battle of riches against poverty in his financial status to be attached to a well off family. Prima's heart is bleeding since her wedding day .She didn't like the family of Celso learning they are only after her permanent financial status like the time when Prima brought her baby to their house Perla said to Prima, "We don't mind Celso anymore, he is already married." Prima almost shed tears of what she heard. Her mother is also showing indifference and aloofness to take care of her baby boy but his father is very much willing to babysit him. Celso felt the indifference of his mother in law and decided to leave and find work in the big City of Pasig, Metro Manila, Philippines. He was able to transfer Prima to teach in the city. He got a job to support Prima and their two children. When Celso passed his board examination as a nurse and worked at the hospital the family of Romeo Prieto began to approach them, Prima knows in her heart their ulterior motive to ask money from Celso who has secured a permanent job. At first they have a very good relationship even changed her religion for the sake of Celso. Celso can't refuse his family understanding their situation until he changed how he is treating Prima. Prima didn't follow what Celso is doing Seemingly he has forgotten Prima's submissive character to him. Both have changed to have an effect to them later on. Prima took her stand to look after her children feeling they are only her family. Celso became a people pleaser to drink with friends frequently after work even with people in their church. Prima firmly stood to her principles. She kept her own savings if she is capable. What Celso is giving her she has to make it enough. This is the result of unplanned marriage. the lack of communication of her family the the family of Celso. Both families no longer talk again. Celso and Prima find themselves in a crossfire of the Petalvo and Prieto family. It is now very clear to them that their family conflict is really deep rooted for the only reason of being rich or poor. Celso found a way not to be involved too much on the glitter of gold and the temporary pleasures of earthly wealth switching to a different way of worship. To worship only one God. A God who created the whole universe where man is living on. The wonders of creation made Celso different from others. His new chosen way of worship didn't sit well in both Petalvo and Prieto. clan. Prima took this chance to take a deeper look on how to worship God. The God of Love. Love surpasses all to the highest position on Earth , in the circle of kings and their palaces , love prevails. What kind of love will lovers has to choose? If it is an earthly love this will not lasts. Prima set aside what maybe the cause of Petalvo and Prieto grudges to each other, if competition in all fronts prestige and riches . God doesn"t focus on these fronts but his commandments and his righteousness has to be followed. Even though Celso tried his best to follow the church with his friends, his own family to give them whatever they need in the end his generosity to them failed . When his health failed working hard to please friends and relatives. To Prima with her strong Faith setting aside the false fulfillment of sacrifice. The quest to be equal with others can be found in the love of God and to live God's way. The Petalvo family may have been able to answer what the Prieto family is seeking for by accepting be one of them in the familyGP.