Looking back to the year that
was, I could not help but wonder what’s with me that convinced God to give me
all the blessings that I often think I do not deserve. I am in awe to see how a
simple person like me, was given the opportunity to travel to Japan and Korea
without spending a single peso, to receive my first ever medal in college as a
Magis Exemplar Awardee, to stay at the Senate Building as a youth legislator,
and to serve with the highest position in campus politics. Yet although these
achievements made me feel good in so many ways, it is not by these which
defined 2013 as a memorable year for me. It is the growth that formed me within
that matters most.
I used to count the days that
passed as countless opportunities to prove my worth in this world. But as time
moved on, I realized that worth is not equal to position, power, or esteem. Worth
is simply unleashing what is inside of me that speaks so much of my God-given
intrinsic nature. Being a person, more than being fundamentally human, is
already being worthy. In 2013, this is how I measured my worth in this world –
by totally accepting the fact that I am just human like everybody else. Little
did I know that this ordinary truth will be set all the difference.
I often talk about the “great”
things that made 2013 the best year in my life, but for now, I will cite my
pains and hardships that equally made 2013 worthwhile. 2013 is a year of
meeting crossroads – decisions that stretched my patience and rationality to horizons
that I never imagined of. Being a President of the Central Student Government
always placed me in crossroads, and often times I doubted where to go; but in
the end, I still chose the road less travelled. This year also was a year of
losing myself but finding life’s simple truths in the process. I could not
remember how many times I asked myself if I was still on the right track in
life, or what I will be doing in the next 5 years, or who I will become as I
explore my passion. These things confused me, but I realized that what is more
important than worrying about the future is living the present to the fullest,
and that is exactly what I learned to do. This year was a year of ardent sacrifices
- moments when I gave more than I received, loved more than I was loved, and cared
more than I was taken cared of. But then again, this is only God’s way of reminding
me that good things come to those who seek to be more like Him. Lastly, this year
was a year of endless battles, from the
moment I found out that I will be shifting to a new course up to the present
where I am already about to finish the battles in the student government before
my term ends. But the months in between were the most crucial, I should say,
and the hardest battles are those which happened inside the heart.
This year, I became more loving,
more compassionate, more humble, and more patient with almost everything. Believe
it or not, but this is the only thing that I am proud of about myself; because
the most difficult endeavors in life is not about winning competitions or getting
straight A’s. The most difficult, but often overlooked, is seeing the bigger
scheme of things amidst pain, brokenness, isolation, hopelessness, and fear. It
is ironic, in a sense, that many people would want to reach the heavens and
become totally proud of getting so far, but in my part, what I see as my
greatest achievement is being fundamentally human in everything that I do –
nothing more, nothing less.
My worth is not measured by what
is added to my name, the benefits that I enjoy, and everything else that is
happening around me. My worth is simply what is going on inside me and showing how
beautiful this world could be if only people also see what is inside of them. Less
is more. There is happiness in content. 2013, you will be remembered.
JANUARY
Ateneo National Environmental Conference at Ateneo de Manila University. Our team won 1st place in the Environmental Proposal Competition.
MARCH
Kizuna Bond Project at Tokyo and Fukushima, Japan. This was a 2-week short term exchange program in Japan
APRIL
SBM Student Council Midyear Evaluation at Camiguin
MAY
Buklod Atenista National Congress at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, Zamboanga City.
JULY
Philippine Model Congress at the Senate Building, Pasay City.
AUGUST
ASEACCU Conference at Seoul, South Korea
SEPTEMBER
Swimming with the whale sharks at Oslob, Cebu
OCTOBER
Buklod Atenista Midyear Congress at Ateneo de Naga University, Naga City
DECEMBER
Ayala Young Leaders Congress Panel Interview at Makati City