The story of Rebekah M. Alawi's "The Road to Aras-Asan" is a mother's journey in
meeting the family of her future daughter-in-law. The entire story is about her experiences
during her trip to "pamamanhikan" and on the wedding day. Emphasized in the story is the
conflict between the two families. This incidence is prevalent before a wedding happens due to
family disagreements and different biases. The author's son and his bride's story are a usual
occurrence due to cultural and religious differences and typically happens in this country—
cultural differences and religion influence someone's decision before entering a marriage.
Culture can be defined as a set of shared values that allow several people to function
together (Henry & Schott, 1999). Cultural values influence an individuals' belief system and,
consequently, how individuals view the world, interact with those around them, and live their
lives. Cultural values establish a disposition to act in a certain way (Frey, 1994), which could
ultimately affect how individuals feel and respond to those feelings. On the other hand, religious
beliefs have been found to bring attention to the marriage involving the two families (Chiriboga,
2014). In some ways, this becomes a dilemma arises between two parties.
The mother was able to endure because there were people who showed their support as
they journeyed to the wedding. At the end of the story, the mother appreciated her journey by
taking a look back of what they have been through and seeing how happy her son was during
the wedding.
The story depicts that we cannot choose where life would place us. It is full of turns and
wanders. The people who we are with will give us hope that will make us feel at ease. Life
always put us in an unfavorable situation that makes us swear or curse but we always choose to
continue because it is not always about you. We endure it because of love.
