Early on, I already knew what I wanted to become when I grew up. In Grade 3, without anyone encouraging me, I signed up and joined our grade school paper called The Blue Sash, referring to the blue sash wrapped around the waist of the Blessed Lady, Our Lady of Lourdes after whom my alma mater, Lourdes College in Cagayan de Oro City, was named after. I started out as a reporter, moving up the ranks every year, until I became editor-in-chief when I was in Grade 6.
In high school, the pattern was the same. Again, I became a staffer of our school paper. When I reached third year, my English teacher and school paper adviser appointed me editor-in-chief, the first time ever, and I think the only time until today in our school, that a junior student was named to the top position of the school paper. In fourth year, I had another shot for the editorship, the first time again that a student was named editor-in-chief twice in a row. On graduation day, my most cherished award was being Columnist of the Year.
In all these ruminations, my direction and goal was definite. I wanted to become a writer and a journalist. I set my goal, and by God’s grace, I achieved it and even went beyond what I have set forth for myself.
My takeaways in my journey as I peer into the excited, enthusiastic faces of graduates today. First is the power of persistence. When I came to Dumaguete and Silliman University, I did not have any second thoughts nor self-doubt. I persisted and slowly, my dreams began to take shape. Coupled with persistence is staying power. Do not flee or abandon ship when the going gets tough.
My first few years as a media practitioner in Metro Manila where I worked for 10 years were not easy, walk-in-the-park times. They were difficult in all aspects, but I persisted and did not let go. My favorite feature writing professor in journalism school, the eminent and brilliant Prof. Jesus B. Chanco said to me one time: “Passion is what sets your writing apart. Don’t let anyone or anything dull your spark.” Prof. Chanco called me his “favorite news chick.” He was very particular about one’s staying power, not to shirk or to vanish, but to always make your presence felt. The show must go on, as they say, the mark of a dedicated and committed wordsmith, pen-pusher, light-touching keyboard fanatic.
Second, your story is yet unwritten. Or, if it has been started, it is still a work in progress. There are plot twists, turns, and surprises – pleasant and otherwise – that are yet to come. You will certainly face setbacks, rejections, or doubts, but don’t let them define you.
Third, now that you are at the threshold of your journey, remember that you have the power to write your own story. Don’t let others dictate your plot or define your characters. Be bold, take risks, and pursue your passions.
Finally, be grateful of what I’d like to call as your “small-town advantage.” Being schooled and nurtured in a small town has taught you the value of community, hard work, and resilience. These values will serve you well. Don’t underestimate the power of your roots. Wherever life brings you, look back and pay your school and your teachers, and your family a visit. They are your anchors in times of uncertainty.
With what I have immensely achieved over the years, I have persisted and stayed, and will continue to stay, by God’s amazing grace, without any fear or doubt. I have earned laurels of success, but I also experienced many failures, setbacks, and stumbling blocks along the way. But, I did not lose my enthusiasm.
A quote from the award-winning famous writer, J.K. Rowling, who is behind the highly popular series both in print and on film, Harry Potter, is worth pondering on: “Failure is a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy towards finishing the only work that mattered to me.”
We cannot have everything, of course, but we can strive to be the best of what God has gifted us with and, in return, share these generously with others. | NWI
