When we were still on all fours, the basics for survival were already imprinted in our instincts. Instinctively, we would thirst for food (our mother's milk would keep us nourished), then creep to the nearest side of the crib, clutch our hands to its frame, try to stand up, knees shaking, falter many a time, but, at last, a lucky strike would come, reduced to on all twos (if there's such an idiom) -- an early memory of a want for knowledge.
The simple life in rural Philippines had me preoccupied with games I was so absorbed with (warp me back to the time before computers and PSP took over). I was always out on the streets playing all sorts of traditional Filipino games and often got some nice scoldings for staying out past 6 PM or after lunch -- on weekends, we had to take a siesta for us to grow (I'd grown accustomed to this reason) but headstrong as we were managed to escape out to elsewhere. Sure I had done lots of running around all my childhood and even had spiders in a matchbox or two groomed for fighting. But this doesn't mean I didn't have time to study. Well, I did -- for the morning homeworks, that is.
Then came the city life, an absolute contrast of the life I left behind. Smart kids would really be smart, they often get ahead, and high school would never be so elementary anymore, very different, a challenging one. When I told you I only studied because of some homework hanging, I shifted gears just to speed up, to catch up. I was up all night for a hard nut to crack in major subjects. High school really changed my attitude towards school and this went on in college.
Dedication and hard work pay dividends. I guess my efforts paid off. Graduation day was overly sweet that I mindlessly drowned myself in total stoppage from too much thinking of academic stuff. I thought I deserved some rest, zero pressure please. I literally stopped educating myself. I just missed my spiders.
But that was short-lived. Having just gained freedom, something dawned on me. I realized people are always on the go, time doesn't stop. Working as a young professional, I knew, would be tough -- so better quit complacency. There's still much to learn, and leafing my old notes does help a lot.
I got to keep on moving. "Learn, learn, learn," were the last words I heard from our manager when I packed my bags up for good.
Image: Cebu City, Philippines
Image: Cebu City, Philippines
Time sure doesn't stop...it's so precious!...but it's always good to spare some moments to rest our mind body & soul... I need rest as well!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful new week~
yup! you are so correct! learning never stops and it must not. This is a reckoning to deal with as we grow older. The real life past our school life is tougher than we know it from the books we read and the movies we saw. Now I'm pretty sure we both appreciate the "parents", for all the hard work and how they made it look easy for us.
ReplyDeleteDedication and hard work pay dividends. I guess my efforts paid off.--->It did, you were the class valedictorian.hehe.buking! :D
ReplyDeletehey I appreciate this post.
ReplyDeleteLearning is actually a continous process :)
i like to say that when the world around us continues to revolve, who are we to stand still?
ReplyDeleteI agree with nash..learning is a continuous process. Keep on lerning ^_^
ReplyDeleteVery true, I want to be a continual student of the world. :)
ReplyDelete@LENORENEVERMORE: Everyone deserves some rest at some point in our lives. It only gets scary when we have too much of it. Enjoy your transient rest. :)
ReplyDelete@Sassy Scribbles: Keep learning! Kudos to our parents! They've undeniably always tried to forge a road less complicated for us to traverse. I appreciate your comment! :)
ReplyDelete@Carmelle: Oops! Off topic. Wahaha! You owe me one! :)
ReplyDelete@Nash: It is bro. Keep moving forward! Thanks! :)
ReplyDelete@Sasha: I love what you said. Profound! Thanks! :)
ReplyDelete@Meryl (proud pinay): Thanks! Everyone is on common ground! :)
ReplyDelete@Miss Angie: Learning has two faces: one, is you as the student and two, is you as the teacher. We supposedly learn not for our own consumption but for others. Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm digging your blog. Wonderfully written.
ReplyDeleteI see that you live in the Phillipines and I just want to say that our prayers (across Canada) are going out to all of you there that are affected by the typhoon.
Renee xoxo
@Renee: Thank you for your prayers. It means a lot. God bless. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you from a personal experience..my whole life was revolving around studying..I should finish my readings,be on top of class,do homeworks, use time,satisfy family's expectations..it was endless pressure..once I got into college the pressure increased,I had to take 1 year off or I'll explode..but guess what it didn't help! after that year I felt like something were stolen from me..yes it's time.time is priceless you never know till you lose it,I tried to accomplish something in that year,so I started reading books & learning new language just to convince myself I didn't lose anything..I had a new view of life,that's this whole education process is not forcible but it's the other way around,I love learning! I find my pleasure in it (sounds sarcastic but very true),so when I returned to college I finally felt home..whenever I'm not in the mood sure I can change to anything or do my hobbies just to avoid stress,but in the end I go back to learning cos that's my life..so I took that as a principle & Educate For Life..
ReplyDeleteIt was a beautiful article that had a nice impact :)
@Dolcy: I was feeling extremely ecstatic reading your life in a mere comment I so appreciate. Your words, your thoughts make me appreciate life more. See I'm learning from you too. Thank you Dolcy! :)
ReplyDeleteNice stuff here Joemill.
ReplyDeleteI see how caught up we are sometimes (or most of the time) with school and how we wish time stood still for us. Or how we could still afford to run around and fight spiders (I used to do that too!) and stuff like that.
But really, like u said - time doesnt stop. We just gotta appreciate the simple pleasures amidst our busy schedules - even if it means "loving learning". Im currently in the process of writing an essay for my lit module and decided to prepare writing it by blogging about it!
But boy I CANT WAIT for school to be over! I think. Hope ure enjoying ur newfound freedom. (:
yep, everyone needs a good break and I am looking forward to it in one week time.
ReplyDeletehope you enjoy yours with fun and learning..:0
thanks for the comment and visit..
Great Post! I really enjoyed this....even though I am now in my 40s, I am still learning! :)
ReplyDeletewow and here i thought philippines was a slower pace of life :P
ReplyDeletecongrats pud bai as a finalist :)
ReplyDelete@marzuki: I see that you're from Singapore but your spider fighting is very Filipino. Ha ha! You'll soon have it bro before you know it. I appreciate your comment. :)
ReplyDelete@eden: Wow, have fun! Thanks! :)
ReplyDelete@A.Marie: Thanks! Hope I'd still be kicking by the time I reach that age. :)
ReplyDelete@floreta: And at some point it is a good thing. Thanks for the comment. :)
ReplyDelete@estan: Yeah, thanks bai! Congrats! :)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you. It is sad when we think how fast life is going by and we still have not even begun to experience any of it. We are always in school as life is a school in itself. Going down memory lane is a very good reality check that makes us aware of just how fast time is going by.
ReplyDelete@Dorothy L: Right and it is never too late to experience it to the fullest. Thank you Dorothy! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree! We shouldn't stop educating ourselves...There are lots of things to learn each day..
ReplyDelete@andy in the country: Thanks bro! How are you? It's been a long time! :)
ReplyDeletetime never ceases.
ReplyDeleteoh and thanks for reminding about my childhood too. missed the days when we would play until midnight on the streets :-)
good luck on your nomination too
Your manager was right. We just never have to stop learning.
ReplyDeletethe greatest failure is to stop learning.. it is the best teacher..
ReplyDeletehey really nice and simple post!!reminded me of my childhood also.yea learning as well as following your dreams are important in everyone's lives.yup it gets tiring but for me the sleep that you get after working full day striving hard is just pure heaven.so keep learning hehe!!keep writing such nice posts.
ReplyDelete@totomai: Yeah, that so rarely happens now! Miss that! :)
ReplyDelete@peenkfrik: Definitely! Thanks! :)
ReplyDelete@richard: The whole experience of learning is always the best. Thanks! :)
ReplyDelete@heavealie: I so miss my childhood too - of dreaming and of wanting to grow so fast! Ha ha! Thank you so much bro! I appreciate that!
ReplyDeleteplease help me do better in blogging....thanks...congrats!
ReplyDeleteThis is somehow what my blog is about -- self-education. I agree that life is about living it to that level of improving one's self. And the education doesn't have to happen in conventional formats like school or the office. The moment we open our eyes (heck, sometimes we even learn subconsciously in dreams), we start functioning.
ReplyDeleteElementary --- Class Valedictorian
ReplyDeleteHigh School --- Class Valedictorian (and with each grading, he sure is on top ) phew!
College--- Cum Laude
Well, my brother really was never that proud with his achievements, he always keep his feet on the ground. Humble. He is. That reminds me of his teachers in High-School when I have known as a "Flordelis" not because of being "Katherine" but because of my brother who is loved and praised by all his teachers. I felt intimidated or more like challenged actually, because I need to struggle and keep up with my grades so as not to be left out on the cycle of being on top, just like what bro has had. Somehow, being compared as it has been always seen as a negative connotation but it does have its advantage. U struggle for your own and you bring out the best in you. U learn to maximise the potential you have and sure be confident of the ability that u have that is unique to somebody else's. I am so proud of you bru, even prouder as what u have become but more like blessed to be your sister...Now, I'll stop this before we burst into tears...haha..;)