A Letter from an Ate

To my favourite sister and my favourite brother,

I’m sorry. 

Never did I want to argue with you. I don’t want us to have disagreements, misunderstandings, or fights. Little quarrels are healthy but I just don’t like the thought that having small clashes might lead to not minding each other even for just an hour or a day. I just can’t take that. 

You may hear scolding words from me and sometimes see me hot-tempered but it’s only because I am an Ate. Without our parents with us, I keep in mind that taking care of you and guiding you, in place of them, is my responsibility. It’ll be more burden if I fail. 

I know there are still many things that I should learn and it’s not enough for me to make sermons with you. But please be understanding. It’s not right to just let you do things that I know will not be good for your sake. I want you to learn how to be responsible and disciplined just like how I learned them. 

Sometimes I feel that it’s my fault when you’re being lazy and idle. I should be setting a good example for you to follow. I remember when our mother would usually tell me that I am the Ate and that you, my little siblings, would look up to me. There are things that I do and say, that you will imitate so I should be extra careful. I just cannot accept this before. But as time passes by, I realize that this is really a fact because even my little acts of disobedience, you copy. So I am sorry. And please if you notice and understand that what I do is not good already, please don’t imitate. 

We're usually crazy.

Being an Ate is really not easy. It may seem that I’m defending myself here, but no. I’m just stating reality and any elder sister or elder brother may agree. That as the oldest, we should be mature enough, be understanding as we can, be obedient and be disciplined as early as a young age so we can gain our parents’ trust and we can be a good model for our siblings to follow. 

How I learned to do and finish tasks independently, I also want you learn. You need to do things at home without being asked of. We’re not rich so don’t act like one. Not all your life you will live with an Ate, a Mother or a Grandmother at your side. I am proud that you know basic chores at home. But don’t let yourself hear loud commands first before actually doing them. Obey promptly, it saves life. 

I am writing this because I know you know that I’m not good with spoken words. If I speak to you of this, it will probably end with a debate with Aeron and with Eydi as neutral. So it’s really better written. But please consider this special. This from the bottom of my heart, and is just a little part in my life’s book. Be ready for more letters to come. 

Your Loving Ate, 

Hebrews 12:11: "It is never fun to be corrected. In fact, at the time it is always painful. But if we learn to obey by being corrected, we will do right and live at peace." ~

Ecclesiastes 12:1: "Keep your Creator in mind while you are young! In years to come, you will be burdened down with troubles and say, “I don’t enjoy life anymore.”~