Experience is the best teacher as they would say. Sometimes unexpected encounters will show you a path you never thought you would take. I never imagined I would find the meaning of my life in an event that I first thought was meaningless.
When I was a freshman in Ateneo de Davao University, I felt the rush of vigor and competition. I will be the best Electronics and Communication Engineering Student in my class. I had classmates that came from Ateneo High School. Some people look up to them like how people look up to UP Students. "I will show you what is the real meaning of excellence,"I would silently say to myself whenever I see them. Individual competition can really be felt and very evident. "What's your score on our quiz?,"some classmates would ask.
My impression when I first saw my college bestfriend was the guy didn't have guts and he may not be that witty. Maybe he could use some of my help. He was wearing a faded shirt and denims. His shoes was a bit tored down chuck taylor. He seats at the corner with his high-school friend and very silent. I was beside a girl and we were a company-not a couple. She's my elementary, high-school and yes, became one of my college classmates. I remember she's my crush when I was in Grade 1 and she kissed me when we were 4th year high school in our Christmas party when she gave her gift to me. It sometimes dawned to both of us if we were meant to be. But we also thought that we see each other too much already so we have to look for other buddies. She found two girlfriends to be with at lunch, and me with my soon-to-be bestriend and his buddy.
"Who do you think is the most intelligent in our class?"I asked my bestfriend. I thought it would be best to be friends with intelligent people. He pointed to an Ateneo high-school graduate. It turned out the guy he was referring was our neighbor back when I was just a little kid. They moved to another place so I never saw the guy when I was a kid and I just knew that we were ex-neighbors when my mom told me. I'm not comfortable approaching him. I'm stuck with the not so witty guys.
To my suprise, my bestfriend who is one of the not so witty guys became the top of our class. We became a great team. He influenced me to be the best. "You don't know that?"he asks me that question a million times. He asks that question when I ask him something I don't know and if I get a wrong answer in a problem. His high expectations sometimes offends me. We were also exclusive cheatmates - we only share answers with each other. We don't give answers to parasites. We trust each others' opinion and analysis only. We know that both of us can only get the right answers in a very difficult exam our best professors can create.
My future career was important to me. And I can see a bright future ahead of me back then. This was the meaning of my life. A life of being a successful engineer. But things changed when we have to go to a community of fisherfolks. Something started to creep into me when we did that when I was a freshman.
I don't remember how they define that minor subject. It was something like First Year Values Education. It's similar to Good Moral and Right Conduct something or Homeroom. And don't complain if I won't research for it since I know that the readers of this article are smart enough to understand. So let's just call it FYVE(First Year Values Education).
We were required to get a community profile of fisherfolks in the locality. I arrived at school early in the morning and I was really sleepy. It was 7:30 am. It was on a weekday. This minor assignment really got in my nerves. How would this help me in my career? I would prefer to be at home preparing for major subject quizes and requirements. Maybe this school just love to put a lot of minor subjects we don't need to increase our tuition. Thinking that we have to be there and live with the folks for a day from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm was excruciating. I was already thinking of the hassles at lunch.
Black sand and you can see the sea from the horizon behind the little houses of the community. Their little boats can also be seen banked from afar before the seashore. Three students will be assigned in each house to immerse with the community for 7 long hours. Their houses are made of plywood, bamboos and rusty iron ceilings. Me and two classmates were assigned to a family composed of a 40 something fat mother, 10 year old gay and two below the age of 7 children. We were introduced, got the community profile and 20 minutes later the mother left for work. So we became baby-sitters.
"7 hours is not that long. I will survive this day," I said to myself. Then I noticed one of my classmates started to talk with the children. Great! He can baby sit them and I don't have to do anything. I remember we also have to interview the children of their background. So I decided to ask some questions to the eldest which happens to be gay. "You're supposed to be in school. You're in the 4th grade, right?" He replied,"No, I'm still in grade 1. I have to take care of my siblings so I have to stop. When they start school, I will be studying again." "Where's your father?" I asked. "He left us." He continued,"That's why I want to go back to school so I can help my mom."
A typical conversation and a lot of similar sad stories but it started to get into me. Seeing them having fun playing despite their situation was like watching a tv soap. Why am I here? Would I trade this experience and do the assignments of my major subjects instead? No. I can do something for this children. Lunch finally came.
"Do you have a can-openner?"I asked the eldest gay. "We have a knife over there." I have to admit. I'm not good at openning cans using a knife. I tried but it was really embarrasing I can't even drive a whole. My classmate who first mingled with the children tried. He openned the can 3 inches. The 10 year old gay laughed a bit and offered to continue to open the can. He's the best in can-openning! We had a great lunch and conversations and around 3:00 pm we have to go. I thought we still have an hour.
"I want to go back here. I want to visit them again sometime soon," I told my FYVE instructor. "There will be more outreach programs before you graduate and in your Theology subjects," she replied. That was the first and the last that I saw the fishfolk family again.
I realized there is more to life than major subjects and assignments. I'm thankful my Alma Mater gave us a lot of minor subjects. I would say I got their message that we become man for others. Aside from learning how to open a can with a knife, to which I'm still not an expert, the meaning of my life began to show. I will become a great example of success and provide education to out-of-school children. I will also raise my children become great leaders of our country.
I'm glad I'm now a businessman. I can do more being an entrepreneur than just being an employee. My education made me a professional. The experiences that showed me the meaning of my life and created a passionate heart inside made me commit to be more and give more. It showed me to become a big businessman who can contribute more than just an employee who can barely provide for himself.
They say life is empty. It's up to you how you create something out of it. Listen to your heart and let it show you the meaning of you life. What does it tell you?
No comments:
Post a Comment