Life is mysterious. I have a lot of questions that needs to be answered. I believed that life is unfair but if we lost our hope and give up then in the end you are the looser of the game.
When I was a child I am already aware of our status of living. I grew up in a poor and big family. I am the fourth child of the ten children of my beloved parents. We are thirteen members of the family. My parents and my Nanay (my grandfather’s sister) who adopted my mother, my six sisters and my three brothers. My father has no permanent and stable job. One day, he is a fisherman, a stone-cutter, a construction worker and any kind of hard work just to raise his family. My mother is a plain housewife who takes good care of us. It is still fresh in my mind those times that we gathered in our dining. “My son, can you please pass for a while the plate of grilled pork?” asked my father. What you can see of that scene was just like a big gathering and a family party. But if you will try to join that event of our lives you can see on the center of the table a one can of sardines or the other day a big casserole that the soap almost spills on the table, a casserole with one piece of noodle. Yes, I am a Filipino, with brown complexion. I got this complexion maybe not hereditarily. Do you want to know why? I used to be a garbage collector. Under the heat of the sun I collected useful garbage from the nearest neighborhood to be sold in the junk shop and make money out of it. I used to be a vendor also of an ice buko or ice candy. Under the heat of the sun at noon time I am at the stream to catch some fish to be sold and to eat. I am also experienced the colorful world of entertainment. The spotlight is mine in every ramp on the stage. I am not a model. I am only joined beauty pageant in the nearest barangays and towns. I am not a lady. The said pageant was Miss Gays and Show Gays. Shouting, laughing and even throwing coming from the crowd. Yes, there are times that one of the audiences stoned on us during our production number. Thanks God that in every contest I joined, I had always a major and minor awards and proud to say that I am always the best in talent. Now, don’t judge on me of who I am and what I am because I only entered that world for the reasons, to share my talents and abilities and to support my self and my family as well.
While I am struggling those hardships and challenges I did not set aside my studies. Most of us are studying at that time. There was in college, high school and in elementary. I am very proud of my brothers and sisters for their dedication to finish their studies in spite of our difficulty of living. It was a tornado of the head of my parents. They are very supportive, responsible and did their best just to stand for their obligation for us. There are times that no classes, not because there’s a holiday but running out of budget. Who has an examination on that day will be the one given the priority to go to school. We are fortunate because we came in a public schools and state colleges. I am a barangay scholar because of being a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK-Councilor) Official in our barangay. I used to walk a mile just to reach the school and saved money. In almost whole day of harnessing my brain I had five to eight pesos extra in my pocket excluding the fare to go home. Sometimes how lucky I am to have some extras from my sidelines (you already knew what it is). Until one day there was a need to contribute an amount for a group project and I did not noticed immediately that my budget for my transportation going home was not enough. I was being short twenty-five centavos. Yes, it was a small amount but I am a shy type of a person (but not of sharing and showing my talents) to borrow from my schoolmates. On that time, I witnessed and felt the presence of our loving God. In our school drainage I saw an exactly twenty-five cents stuck on the mud on the upper side part of the canal. I took the said coin with no hesitation and didn’t care what my fellow students can say if they will see me.
In spite all of those trials our eldest sister is now a public school elementary teacher, my older brother is a licensed mechanical engineer and I and my younger sister graduated a four-year course of Architectural Drafting Technology and there is a member who did not finished college because of his own principles in life and the rest is now still studying.
Now, I am still fighting my own trials and difficulties regarding family, friends, love life and in my career. But this will serves a weapon to work harder in order to achieve my goals in life and to complete the broken puzzle of my life.
Yeah right, that there are children who rebelled with their parents because of failing to give their needs and wants. They do not know that our parents are hiding their tears every time they failed to give that wealth in life. For me, I am just very thankful and lucky to have my parents as an instrument to see the real beauty of the world and to celebrate His most precious gift, our LIFE.
I did not share this story of my life in order to brag something, to laugh or to judge on me. I am just hoping that this will serve as an encouragement and inspiration to those people who encountering more sacrifices and sufferings than me.
Poverty is not a big hindrance towards our success. Be patience, work hard, believe in yourself and most of all, trust and pray to our Almighty Father because the world will might turn back on you but He will be the last person that will remain in your side forever.
As of now, I am working abroad. Sacrificing and fighting for loneliness for a good cause.^^
Thank you for dropping and God Bless us all!
Don,
Ksa
