I am Balong
“So now that your namesake has just gone home, should we call you now with your name?” My older brother in the community asked me while we were having our lunch at the refectory just this afternoon. “No, it is still Vince, that’s the name I adapted and been using that name since then,” I replied. “Balong…” he said. I stopped eating and again told him, “No, only my father and mother are authorized to use that name for me.”
The word came from the local dialect of my mother; Ilocano; which literally means, “first son” or simply “my son.” Though my father speaks different dialect, he used that with power and love to me. I have always an attentive ear to listen to that word which became my name for them. The word always give me a sense of greatness since it also connotes responsibility to our family, to my younger sibling and shares in making decision for my family’s welfare. That word gave me a sense of sonship and authority, and even fear and respect to them. In the contrary, that same word gives a wonderful feeling of being the first son, beloved and heir. There are privileges that cannot just be given to any sibling, one of those is being the first born. Due respect from my younger sibling is given and is being usually consulted. Only my parents call me with “Balong.” Now that my father is gone, my mother calls me with kindness with the name, “Balong.”
The name I am using this time is not my complete name but I am comfortable using it even with my official papers. I asked myself with,”What’s in a name?” but
My name makes me unique. I might share the same name with others, but never the same set of moments and circumstances that have made me who I am — I who go by this name.
My name sounds differently, coming from the lips of the different people who call me at different moments of time. But only those who love me say my name with all the hopes I am called to, with all the fullness I am invited to, with the sound of who I am really meant to be. Only those who love me speak my name within that dream.What does it really mean to be called by name? What does it truly mean when I hear my name being spoken by God…by those who love me…by those who don’t love me…by those who know me… by those who don’t really know me? Let me ponder the mystery of hearing my name being spoken.
*Called By Name, an adapted excerpt.
*Tnx to Narna for the child’s image, thats not me.
franco said:
alam ko ang pakiramdam kasi ang tawag sa akin ng mga mama at papa ko kasama na ang aking mga lolo’t lola ay tanggol… hehe yan nga pala ang name ng una kong blog na binura ko na (kablogstugan ni tanggol)… haha… wag mo ng tanungin kung bakit… hehe
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CeEjAy said:
kuya balong! hehe..
kaya pala may balong kaming kapit bahay! hehe.. ayun pala ibig sabihin nun.. hehe.. medyo busy lang po kasi ako kaya di masyadong nakapagonline at nakabisita.. hehe..
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nona said:
kuya…balong…kuya vince…ah, basta tawgon ta ka ya “toto” hehehe…nami man?
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