Growing up I remember that taking photos has always been a big part of my Family. My parents have a good collection of photo albums of us siblings growing up. My father took most photos and He would always ask us to pose for a picture during Family trips. I don’t think about it too much but later I realized that it was from him that I got my love for photography.
I met Kuya Eddie and his family sometime in 2011 during one of my photo walks. They were living together with a few other families near a creek bordering the subdivision where I reside. They were almost a community but sadly, they don’t own the land. Despite that, they were a happy bunch. I got to hang out with them for a time and I saw how they work, play, and spend time with each other. Instantly I remembered the countless photos my father took of us that I enjoy looking at and reminiscing ’till this day. So I asked Kuya Eddie if I could take their photos so I can gift it to them. It was such a beautiful day but unfortunately, we would meet again under a very different circumstance.
I was pretty young when Ondoy hit us in 2009 but I remembered it vividly and the hassle it brought on all of us. I still consider our family lucky because we didn’t feel the full devastation of the typhoon as much as others did. The most damage came in low-lying areas near rivers and creeks. So when a strong Typhoon hit Manila again a few months after meeting Kuya Eddie. I can’t help but wonder how their situation was. And so I went.
It’s strange how something “good” can all of a sudden be taken away from us. And if you are one of the many who’s just trying to make the best of everything you have, that something could mean your entirety.
That is why a simple gift of good memories, for me, is very important. Because in good and especially in tough times, those memories can get you through a lot. I won’t pretend I knew how things felt for Kuya Eddie and his family during those times but I am glad that at some point in time, I was able to see and capture them and brought smiles to their faces even for a short period of time.
I never saw them again, nor the others in their community after the typhoon. But hopefully, they still have the photos to cherish wherever they are today.
King 