Peace-talk After 8 Years

It was on the second to the last Sunday night of February this year when my father, mother, and I talked. We were in our living room and I was drinking tea and my father and mother were writing their class records. We talked because my sister, after receiving her “baon” for tomorrow, thanked only my mother. She kissed her on the cheek and and repeatedly said that she thanked her very much. My mother asked her if she would not say “thank you” to father. My sister just smiled, and reluctantly, and annoyingly, and sarcastically said, “thank you.” She (my sister) did not even looked at father or even faced his direction. After saying, she went straight upstairs. Mother, angry and dismayed, scolded us for that. Usually, in cases in which I am not directly involved, i will say that I am out of the story and therefor, if they want to scold my sister, I must not be included. But that night, it was different.

We had family quarrels before, but none of us had the chance to work things out because father might just beat us. Almost all of our family quarrels ended unsolved because of his threats of beating us. Not to have another problem unsettled, I asked if we, as family, could talk, just talk. I expected my father to get furious but miraculously, he did not.

We talked about why we (my sister and i) are not so close to our father, their expectations on me, on us, their hopes, their dreams for us, family bond, father-son bond, closeness, almost everything related to family. I already finished drinking my tea and still our talk did not end yet. There were times we had a dead air and the the only thing to hear was the sound of the television that was actually left on to create an extra noise. . We also talked about their childhood and how they were by our grandparents and then compared it to the way (my parents) raised us.

It was like an open forum. It was like a peace-talk between rebels and the government. But I am so glad that we had that talk. For the first time,my father listened to my side, and I listened to his side, too. My relationship with my father is a lot better now. I realized, no family problem cannot be solved if both parties will listen to each other's side, and settle the problem for the betterment of the parties involved. Too bad for me because it's been too long before we talked. If we talked long, long, before, our father-son bond would be much stronger by now. I also realized that if there is a problem, it must not be left unsolved. The problem must be settled as soon as possible.

Since we had that talk, whenever my father and I have conversation, I thank God for that talk. I should have done it before, but anyway, I am still so thankful that we now have a growing, father-son bond. I thank God for giving us that first open forum in nine years.