A Defining Moment in the Eyes of a Child
By: Leader Maye A. Gutierrez 3.5
Every night when I tuck my 4 kids to bed, they always want me to tell them stories about my childhood. There were times that I run out of stories to tell and I end up telling this memoir over and over again. It can be true. Memories of our childhood can stay forever in our minds…
Kids, Let me start my story when I was in grade 2. I had a classmate named Christine who everybody admired. It was my first time to hear of such a beautiful name. She was brilliant and had strikingly rosy-white skin (even long before glutathione was introduced). She was fluent in English (when English was completely unheard of in my home except with the occasional "What is your name?") and most of all, she was the President of our class—our "Chosen Leader."
At a tender age of 8, I already knew that I was her exact opposite. Even we shared the same school bus, we never talked. I guess it was because she wasn't even aware of my existence. In the mornings when we alighted from our school bus, my classmates were there, fighting on who would help Christine carry her bag. And so, there goes Christine walking regally in front, with her "entourage" following and I, behind all of them with hands full of books and dragging a heavy school bag. Yes, Christine was like a movie star and everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of her…
One day, she was absent from school….and many more days followed. I learned that she had severe asthma or "hika." Since her mommy feared that she might lose grip of the gold medal award because of her absences, she looked for a classmate who could help with her missed lessons. And guess who she approached? Yes. "ME." ME? ME! Not for anything else but it was merely because I was the only one who knew where she lived. We were bus mates, remember?
And so, every single day, our school bus dropped me off to their home for my free tutorial services in exchange of spaghetti for merienda and a free tricycle ride back home. I usually came home tired and sleepy but nevertheless, happy.
When Christine returned to school, we instantly became best friends. Whenever there were meetings with the Class Officers, I accompanied her. Whenever there were school activities, I volunteered. I became pro-active and my teachers noticed. My grades zoomed up because I became confident that I, too, was intelligent. After all, I used to tutor our Gold Medalist and who can beat that? Eventually, I became an honor student. I gained friends because they discovered that I have a good heart and can be relied on to help when somebody is in need. The girl who used to be unnoticed has come out of her shell. In short, I became as famous and as accomplished as Christine, my Idol, the Class President, the Gold Medalist, the "Star."
So what's the morale of the story? , my children asked me. "Plenty", I say. First of all, no matter how old or young you are, you have the capacity to inspire Greatness in people.
Secondly, it is perfectly all right to admire others and to compare yourself to them for as long as it won't turn into envy in your heart. Instead, let this serve as a motivation for you to dream higher and do greater.
Third, good deeds will always be rewarded. Maybe, not by the people who you did it for but by others who ultimately saw how pure your heart is. Rewards come in different forms. It can be in the form of a toy, new friendship, award, promotion or even money. But don't expect anything in return. The Universe always rewards good deeds with Happiness.
Fourth, if somebody asks for your help, be willing to offer it. No matter how big or small the favor is, it can make a huge difference in somebody else's life.
Fifth, your "worth' is not based on what you think in comparison to others. You are defined by how you think, on what you say, on the good vibes that you send to others and most importantly, on the goodness that you do. Therefore, AIM that your "worth" be as expensive based on these 4.
Sixth, always be grateful to God for all your blessings. There are so many things to be thankful for and most of them are intangible. Remember, the best things in life are free.
Seventh, don't despair when things don't go as you want them to be. There are more precious stones that can be discovered in rough roads.
Insights:
I have so many defining moments in my life and all of them have transformed me to becoming a better person. But why did I choose to submit my childhood story among all the others? I could have chosen the defining moments in my career path, married life, spiritual ups and downs, financial situations, emotional escapades, etc. But why this story of me when I was 8 years old? It is because as a mother, I want to share to my children my childhood and the lessons that I learned along the way, in a manner that they can understand and fully grasp. As their Leader, it is important that I make sure that they know what path to take to lead them to greater heights…..
Leader Maye A. Gutierrez
No comments:
Post a Comment