Looking back behind, I can still see the face of my closest friend how happy and excited he was but a little bit hesitate in saying really? you will treat me in the Jollibee?
I was then in a third year high school, when God showed me His mercy and love in due time, the deepest confusion, inferiorities and hardships of my life.
I’m an ambitious young man and I have a lot of great dreams for my future. But how could it be? It’s the same questioned that always lingering in my mind. I’m the product of a broken home family, grew up in the street, and stayed with different and even with the cruel person in this world! It’s good that was finished! The bitter memory of my childhood! And now, I’m renting in this lonely old small room house with my own at least but working on a construction with P120.00 pesos salary per day paying for house rent, foods, and my studies. With this kind of situation, I felt as if I’m still trapped in misery and strife but living with great hope and determination to reach out even just a single of my dream, to finish my studies as a capital to have a brighter future because I believe in sayings that goes like this, “Do your best and God will do the rest”.
One day, one of my closest friend approached me and said…friend, are you still working? Yes! I said…why? He answered …we have quiz today; please attend the class because if you will missed it then you know absolutely what happened, right? Remember your dreams that you told me! Was the warned word of my friend while leaving. Thanks so much friend, I will! I assured back to him. So I hurried up to finish my work, loading the truck with some cements and gravels. When I finished, I hurriedly headed toward my lonely home to make some quick preparations of my school things that I needed because the class will start at 1:30 p.m. and it was then 12:30 so at least I have one hour to prepare myself. While doing so, this closest friend of mine knocks on my door, so we went to school together.
It was not yet time for the class to start, so we decided to pass by in the library. By there, my adviser saw and called me! Mr. Reconalla, can you go in my office? I have an urgent matter to discuss with you! I paused for a while to think and guess what were going to discuss and oh! What came in my mind just make me feel nervous and makes me a little bit sick! Because I was thinking that most of the cases like mine that the adviser talk privately with his/her students was when you’re a delinquent kind of students on academic, behavior or in any kind of poor performances and despite of that I felt very weak to think a positive one since I didn’t eat and rest well yet before I went here in school. Of course I don’t have any choice, with a heavy feet and heart, I followed and entered into my advisers’ office and there she was waiting patiently. I could hardly wait what she will going to tell me because before she opened her mouth to start, I could not almost hold the different emotions and feelings to the things she going to tell me. I can hear the tremendous pounding of my heartbeat. And at last! She started to talk. I understand what you feel right now my dear! She said, as she was reading the expression in my face and as she was looking straight in the window of my soul….Oh! Thanks I said for minimizing and giving a little relief.
You know, I have a better plan for you! I was aware of the situation you have through your friend and I observing you for so long in your class performance and I salute you! It’s really hard for you to finish your schooling in high school with such kind of situation for it’s only few opportunities here to help you to support your needs than to college, so I encourage you to take a Philippine Examination Placement Test by next week. I have confident with you that you can do it! She said, unaware of my informal education background. I did not passed through a step-by-step grade level from elementary and some of my cards were just faked by merciful teachers to let me jumped to a higher grade and now here in high school with this third year level. And here I am, I could hardly believe, my teacher wants me to jump again to college and she has confident on me!” Confident”, a word that I needed most to hear on that time for inferiorities succumbed me most of the time in my life! Just prepare this so and so…. And I will help you to register when you have all the things that I said you would needed.
Some other things she was talking about were not clear anymore because of my excitement and happiness in replacement of my feelings I felt before I entered in the office. I thank God and my adviser for such good opportunity for me! I really thanked God with great relief and with a deep sighed for providing an instrument so that step by step I can fulfill my dreams. After our class, I shared it with my closest friend and he too was so very happy and excited with me because I told him that I’m going to treat him in Jollibee if I am able to pass this exam, so I let him pray for me. Of course my dear friend! He assured me! So we separated from each other with happiness and excited in our hearts. Night came and I was visited with various emotions in my heart and thought in mind that I could hardly sleep. What if I failed, what if I did not finish my studies… and so many, many what ifs’ questioned that entered in my mind again. Oh! My life maybe has really no direction and worthless after if I failed this good chance for me. So I bowed down and prayed hard to give me wisdom and strength to face another challenge of everyday life that would come especially the coming test that I am going to take! After that, I slept peacefully with a lighter load of burden and cares of uncertainties of life!
A days before examination, I went to my sisters’ house to lent money that I would needed, and when I arrived there she was so happy that I was able to visit her but when I told the real reason why visited her she was a little bit disappointed but grant my request and gave me her last money in her pocket. She said luck for me and I immediately headed to my advisers house because she promised that she’s the one who will go to register me. So we went to the registration office and lo and behold! It was only one blank registration form left for me as if it was really waiting for me because if we were late a little bit or just a second then it might get by others and I need to wait another year or perhaps some other year again. My kind teacher and I were so very thankful to God with that miracle event I could say!
Examination day came. Nervousness haunted me once again for I’m thinking that maybe I’m the oldest guy taking an exam there and can’t imagine I’m surrounded by young persons staring at me to let me feel embarrass and uncomfortable. So again, I prayed fervently to God that just do His Will for me and let me overcome the feelings I had. When I entered and seat in my designated place, I tried to look around if I was right in my imagination and see! There’s a lot, lot older persons than myself, than I was thinking before. The exams were so hard for me and I can’t remember any that I was able to studied and learned from the classroom, why? Because despite of my informal education background, if I’m not late then I was absent then. So I just relied on the Will and Wisdom from above and with some information’s I learned from my personal readings of books which I borrowed for sometimes in some of my good friends.
One month had passed; I could hardly wait for the result of my exams. My closest friend and adviser were also waited for me. Also, sometimes I could hardly sleep to think about it, so I decided to go on the office of the examination center and asked for a result. Surely, I was not disappointed, they gave it to me! When I got to know the result, I want to shout…… shout for joy! Because I made it! But instead I looked up my head up to heaven and ascended my thanks giving prayer! I went to my adviser and thanked her and she said that I am free now to enroll in college. Oh! What a blessing for me! But of course before my story end, for sure we have a little celebration in Jollibee with my closest friend.
How happy I was during those times but for sure I will much, much happy when I had received my diploma! As a bachelor holder in History and Minor in Political Science and passed the Philippine National Teachers Board Exam, the fulfilled dream of my life! Now, I am upgrading my Master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling and the same time worked as a School Guidance Counselor, College Instructor, and Working Students Supervisor.
To you, my readers, I firmly encouraged you, Do your best and God will do the rest!
Always remember that The Future Belongs To Those Who Believe In The Beauty Of Their Dreams!
Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!
Moises P. Reconalla
All rights reserved Worldwide. Copyright October 2006-2007 by Moises Padin Reconalla
