Chapter 7 - In building a tower, you must place one brick at a time.

After a seven hour road trip at the back seat of a mover's truck, we finally arrived in our father's ancestral home. And I'm quite surprised. It was way bigger than what I've expected.

It's a two-storey, old spanish style house made of bricks and hard wood. The front and backyard is spacious and full of all sorts of greenery. Our lot is so wide, an architect can add six more apartments and we'll still have enough space for a four-car garage.

For someone who have lived in an apartment since birth, the old place looks amazing.

"Dad, why didn't we live here in the first place? I mean, it's huge! And beautiful!"

My dad smiled.

"When a man marries a woman, it's okay for him to leave his parents and start his own family. It's a part of life. It's a cycle of life. But please don't forget to give us some support when we're older. You see, Teslan, a man can't depend on his parents all his life. And he can't also expect them to provide sustenance for his own family. A man must learn to stand in his own two feet and provide for his family using his own strength. After all, he's a man and it's the right thing to do. That's what happened to me and your mom. This ancestral home is the inheritance I received from my parents when they passed away a long time ago. Who knew we would return here one day? Tough luck for us. Oh well, at least it will be put into good use."

There was an awkward moment of silence.

Dad... I get it. I get the message. I'll go and find something, work hard, and earn money. I know I have to prove myself. I have no idea if I can find a wife. The odds are stacked against me. With my face and current situation right now, I don't know if I even have a chance. Is there really a girl out there in the world who would choose and love someone like me? I'm having self-confidence issues and a major inferiority complex right now. I know both you and mom want to have grandchildren but, come on, dad... We just had a 7-Hour road trip! I'm tired! I appreciate the "heart-to-heart" talk and the life lesson but you really have bad timing!

I just want to get this over with and sleep!

"Uhmm... Thanks for the words of wisdom, Dad. Ah... I'll go ahead and put these boxes inside."

"Ah, yes! That's great, Teslan! Good work!"

This... is going to be a hard adjustment...

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Two days later, when we've unboxed all our stuff, arranged the furniture, and cleaned the house, my parents started working right away. My mom started to plant vegetables and my dad brought two pairs of chickens back home and began building their coop. My parents are so practical and hardworking, it's wonderful to watch. When the vegetables starts to grow and the chickens started laying eggs and increase in number, this will all become our future food source, further reducing our daily expenses.

It's labor intensive, but hard work is truly worthy of merit.

Me? Well... I'm just staring outside the window of my second floor room, wondering what I can possibly do in this place. I've been a city boy all my life and, I'm kinda having a hard time adjusting in our new province life.

I don't know anyone and, I haven't made any friends. This place is like a ghost town. I don't see people that much. Only a passing tricycle or a produce truck every now and then.

It's almost like we're isolated or something.

Our new place is beautiful, no doubt about that. Our house is surrounded with nature and so many bamboo trees. Everything is so quiet and so peaceful. There's no traffic, or any city noises. But sometimes, one craves for malls, arcades, window shopping, and social activities.

And the only way for me to get a little bit of that is to walk for a full fifteen minutes just to get to the nearest store or neighbor.

And I have no idea how to strike an interesting conversation that will lead to a brand new friendship with somebody...

Man... I feel so alone...

And I still have no idea on how to jumpstart my career life or earn some money.

I'm broke.

I should have started saving my allowance ever since I was in high school...

Sigh... No time for regrets now.

I need to act.

I need to move.

I have to prove myself.

I need to do something...

I pressed the power button of my glass phone and started searching for jobs nearest to our new home...

Nothing.

Opportunity is in short supply these days.

What else can I do? What options do I have...?

In order to get to the most commercial part of the province, I need to wait for a bus and travel for at least two hours. But even with all that effort, I'm not sure if I can get a job there. And as much as I wanted to do that, I can't. Because whatever money I have, I already spent it all when I bought boxes to pack my stuff.

I'm really, really broke...

Man... What must I do to earn...? Even if it's just a small amount of earnings, I'll take it!

Think... Think... Think...

I looked around my room...

The gears started to turn inside my head and I remembered something from a seminar I've attended when I was college student.

"Utilize the unused resources around you...

You can never start something big in the beginning. You need to start small.

And then, that small thing will grow into something big."

I quickly unboxed all my old toys, video games, collectibles, college books, comics, novels, and all the other miscellaneous stuff I have.

I started cleaning them, took lots of pictures using my glass phone's camera and posted everything for sale on free social media platforms.

I'm back to square one:

"If you can't find what you're looking for, create it yourself."

"If you can't find a job, start a small business."

It's hard letting go of my beloved collection. But I'm not using them anymore and I have to let go all of my old stuff if I want my life to move forward.

I started selling everything.

I don't know where this will lead me. I don't know if I can ever reach my dream. But for now, I must set all my worries aside and earn some money.

It's prime time for me to start something new.