Bilao at asin

Not all parents are as creative as mine when it comes to disciplining children but everyone knows what"Bilao at asin" means.  When we're kids, papa taught us lessons through bilao and asin.  He'd take out the bilao, pour rock salt on it and...oh you know the drill. Paluluhurin ka sa asin to teach you a lesson.

After we all turned 18, our toes have barely scratched adulthood yet we're already experiencing the glory of being adults. It was the moment when that bilao thing started to sound ridiculous to use for disciplining us.

Today at 3-ish in the morning I had a crazy imagination.

I am suddenly that willful little 'J' who did what she wanted when she wanted. That little J who snuck out of the forced afternoon nap, who stole her lolo's Hershey's, who spat out veggies when no one's looking and basically that little J who did anything that can drive all the adults in her life nuts. They were just silly pranks. Nothing so serious that can merit the bilao and asin. 

Until one boring afternoon. 

Everybody else was catching up on some mexican teleserye upstairs. I was so bored that I hopped on lolo's stationary bike.  The kids were not allowed to use it after it was moved to that one place in the house where all the electrical wirings were located.   I hopped on it anyway. I pedaled so fast, intensely watching the ergometer that I didn't notice a wire got tangled in one of the pedals. I don't understand the physics of it but I remember hearing a faint sound of an explosion followed by a power outage in our house first, then the house next to us. 

I wasn't hurt but the entire compound was in panic. I quickly ran and mingled with the kids outside confident that no one would know it's me and that papa will never find out when he arrives home from work.  But, bummer, papa finds out everything.  

So there go the bilao and asin, prepared for the trembling little Je-ann.  You see, papa is bent on punishing disobedience. No ten thousand baby-voice sorries can save you from the bilao and asin.  You gotta go through it so you remember the pain and wouldn't dare to disobey again.

I found myself shaking my head this morning as I recall that bilao confrontation. 

Anyhoo, the crazy imagination begins right here.

I imagine my ate rushing home from Dubai and tells papa that she was the one who played with the forbidden bike. Then she takes my place on the shining bilao already waiting in the corner of our house.  After a long, excruciating moment, she flies back to Dubai.

My first reaction would be, "Yun lang pinunta mo dito??"

I imagine the next reaction would be, "Why? Why do it for me?"

And probably the third is that I'm changed forever.  The image of my sister suffering on the bilao that was intended for me would be forever eteched in my heart. And I would adore and love her more than before. 

But hey my ate would never do that. In fact, no one is able to do it for me, ever. Me, who's selfish and bratty and hides wicked motives in my heart? Hell, no! No one would think I'm worth it.

Except for this Someone I know. My eyes start to brim with tears even as I write this part. 

I snapped back to present and smiled.  Crazy imagination.  

It's a beautiful Sunday morning. I couldn't wait to worship my God and Savior after thinking so much of what He has done on the cross for me.

"Came to earth to take my place...on the cross...on the cross..."

I used to see the cross as a religious artifact which my titas and lolas treat with so much sacredness.  But now I know that it's much more than that.  So much more that it makes my heart bow down to worship.

In fact, the story of the Cross has become my lovelife.

And yours, too, if you believe everything that God wrote about Himself on that great book we call the "Bible".

:)

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

- 2 Corinthians 5:21