Growing up in Dalugama
Growing up in Dalugama
Growing up in Dalugama was like living in a dream world where my imagination could run wild, and there was never a dull moment. As the eldest of my siblings, I felt a special sense of duty to care for my younger brother and sister, but it never felt like a burden. It was a privilege to watch them grow and learn alongside me.
Our neighbourhood was like a small kingdom, with about ten families living in our gravel street. The houses had large blocks and fences that nobody paid much attention to, and there were plenty of kids my age, a bit older and a bit younger. We were like a big family, with everyone as a brother or a sister. Our parents trusted us to roam free, and we took full advantage of that, exploring the vast land with its multitude of coconut and banana trees.
In our games, we were anything and everything we wanted to be. We played cops and robbers, shopkeepers, cowboys and Indians, priests, dads, mums – you name it, we did it. The houses next door were open to us, and we’d create our own little worlds within them.
As the sun began to set, our mothers would call out to us, their voices ringing through the neighbourhood. Each mother had her own unique tone and rhythm, but they all meant the same thing – it was time to come home, wash up, and get ready for dinner. My mother never had to call me twice. I always returned home on time because I knew the importance of being disciplined, something my mother instilled in me from a young age.
I may have been an annoying big brother to my sister and brother. But in my defence, I was just doing what all older siblings do – being a protector and a tormentor in equal measure. I’d pull pranks and shout their names before my mother could figure out that I was the one at fault, fully expecting the blame to fall on one of them. I was a typical brother, but I loved them more than anything in the world.
Leaving for the Christian brothers' formative school was a bitter-sweet moment. On the one hand, I was excited to experience new things, but on the other hand, I was leaving behind the world I knew and loved. Every time I returned for school holidays, I’d find my sister and brother had grown so much. It was like time was racing against us, and I couldn’t keep up. But despite the distance and the years that passed, the memories of my childhood in Dalugama remain etched in my heart forever.
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