Studying for free and receiving a monthly allowance to finance my school projects were just few of the privileges I received in my 3 years and 8 months of stay in Ozanam Study Grant Program (OSGP) of Adamson University. The basic requirement is hardwork and the basic tool is patience. Determination is not enough without hardwork but hardwork will not work without patience. Twenty-five to thirty hours a week of duty was really a burden for a chemical engineering student who has no one to depend on but himself. Staying thirteen hours in school five days a week, fours hours of sleep, a busy curricular and non-curricular activity filled-Saturday and a Sunday-long manual and energy-demanding laundry were really strength-diminishing making one thin man vulnerable to physical infirmities, emotional infuriation and mental perplexities. But I tried to overcome these ordeals and pursued my race against hardships ‘cause I know that opportunities come only once and if I missed, it would take a decade-long for the other to cross my path and worst is, there is no assurance that there is another one coming.
Yes, I am one of the lucky chosen grantees and I thank God I was. I was able to send myself to school without demanding any cent from my parents, without forcing my father indirectly to fish in dreadfully dangerous, turbulent seas and without asking my mother to scrounge from our neighbours and far relatives an amount enough to pay my tuition fees on due dates. I am thankful that I did not let my siblings suffer by missing a meal just to have an allowance for my own. I am thankful that I did not oppress their right to study on time, not let them wait ‘till I’m done with mine and earn enough to finance theirs. I am thankful that they did not sacrifice their short and rarely experienced comfort for my own comfort. I thank God that the grant gave me such opportunity, worthy for me to sacrifice. It is a valuable treasure I should not lose, a remarkable memory I should not forget, and a precious memoir I should not abandon.
We cannot deny the fact that we live in the world wherein there are no fair chances and no equal opportunities. The downtrodden receives less and the disadvantaged lives insufficiently and being one of them, I am suffering the consequences of being poor. Our voices are negated and our cries are deserted but I never complain. I was a son of a Fisherman, eldest of eight and carry a responsibility that supposed to be of my parents’, a responsibility I was not compelled to. It is my prerogative that conscience wise I should not escape and customarily speaking I should not defy. I am Filipino and my family is my treasure-that is what I am enlightened to. Even though we are less valued, we continue to exist, above all aches, above all sufferings. We are born in scarcity; we should not die in the same way.
Now that I am to face the real challenge-the real life, I am using this very moment for me to gratify OSGP for leading my way forward. I am about to start my journey in a much competent environment to work, in a place wherein there are much complicated options to choose and there are much tough decisions to make. And since I survived the first (my college), I should not fail to overcome the forthcoming. It is a promise I should keep to the grant that never left me in times of despair.
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2 comments:
This is a heart warming essay. I was shattered into bits of pieces upon reading this article. You're blessed with a talent that you can use to uplift your life with. So soar high to greater heights and dimensions, I know God will guide you through..
hey sir Ian, we haven't had a chance to formally talk or to be acquainted but through you write-up, I'm sure you a great kid to your parents and a good example not only to your siblings but to all students out there!!!You have a long journey to go kid!!!! aja!!!jaiho!!!nice write up!!!
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