"Dune of Sand" , a way of leaving?

It was rainy days then when a cousin of mine send me an sms message that they wanted to come to Manila to look for a job. She said it was hard for them to look for a way of leaving because it's already rainy season. I wondered because what I know was even in the rainy days, people on our province used to look for an earning easily.

I remember when we used to enjoy picking up branches of trees falls every after storm. We collect those and after drying, we bundled and sell it. This is one way of earning on that place.

"What happen?" I asked. She said "wala nang kita sa buhangin" (means there's no more income from the SAND) HAH?

For the past few years, the source of income of everyone in that small town was, hauling sand, taken from the "dune of sand", where we usually held our summer outings and get together. They haul and sell it to the Gravel & Sand store because income from that was a little bit higher than catching and selling fish, than planting & harvest rice and in any other sources. I was shock because I didn't know! What a dismay, this has been happening for few years already.

A visit to my mother's hometown, where the "dune of sand" is

It was a year ago when I made my last visit on my mother's hometown, the place where we can find dune of sand is.

After 18 hours of travel, together withe Mama and my brother, we were able to see the town where we grew up and spend my chilhhod.

We get off in front of a small airport, wherein there's only 2 flights a week. And it was totally different when I step out of the bus where we boarded. I saw a hospital fronting the airport already wherein I can say, at last, people in this small town will have an easy access and chance to take care of themselves and a chance to be healthy.

When we rode a tricycle, we passed a store of Gravel & Sand where I can say, WOW!! It means, this town was on their way for development.

We went their to have my mother's house blessing and have to stay for only three (3) days because we need to go back to work. Since it was me who was assigned to coordinate the said occassion, my cousins, other relatives & friends were waiting for us not only to greet but also to get instructions on what do they have to do. My first day was alloted for preparation; look for a chaffing dish rental, tables & chairs, give instruction what to be cooked, have the guys by drinks, look for a balloons and may more.

The following day was the time of ordering, buying stuff & groceries needed for the occasion. We started preparing the foods. Kids helped me to do the bouquet of flowers and in the evening, we set up the place with tables and chairs.

The next morning comes the Blessing day. White and sky blue balloons was all over the place, bouquet of flowers were hanging around the fence. And here comes my friend, who is a priest, who would do the rite of house blessing. Get together follows, wherein I was able to saw my high school friends and classmates. But weren't able to chat so much because we have to leave. We have to go back to work on the following day. Pity on me, I can not visit the "dune of the sand" where we usually go whenever we visit my mother's hometown.