seeing the light...the first sudden gasp of air came out through your lungs. the pat on your back must be that hard. your purple colored body covered with white cheesy coat is now turning rosy pink. the blood is now trying to color you. life is here. your new life. before, you were just a parasite in your mother's womb being feed by the bridge of rope made of flesh. it must have been so nourishing that finally you were formed as a person of the world ready to take on and climb the ladder of life. you will try to reach those upper steps one by one. you will try with all your strength and with all your might.
the years moved on. the silver spoon is not around. instead, it is a man made coconut shell as your plate and it is with your hands that you feed yourself. all vegetarian meal with occasional meat twice a month maybe if you're lucky. your stomach must be rejoicing at that point. a fiesta sort of even only it is just a foot of a hock mixed with cabbage, you are in heaven. you very well understood that you were poor. you knew. you walk for half an hour to get to your school. the bus, Pantranco, will meet you at the end of the road. everyone does it. so it seems like it is the norm.
with a gas lamp you did your homework the best you can, every night without fail. it must be the urge to scale that ladder of life then or the competition for you won. you've succeeded. you are the best of the bunch. that made you forget the struggle that you have in your life. so what's next? you look at the picture of our mother of perpetual help which was cut off from a calendar. your mother had put it there on your right side above which is the first thing you saw every morning. you wonder why it is there. at some point your young eyes were glued to that holy picture of a mother holding her son, Jesus. why is it there. watching over you, you thought.
you have an aunt named Maria who cooks for a very wealthy family in manila. they have everything. blonde, Spanish and English speaking, a mansion, very, very filthy rich. it was a feast every time you go and visit her in the city. you were served with food that came from nowhere in your life. now your young mind is getting its life lessons. you are different, you were born poor, now it is really true. the virgin Mary look alike lady noticed you and inquired. your schooling, your grades and she came out with a brilliant idea. she had loads of money, too much that it is just a pinch for her sending you to school, nursing, her own choice for when asked you told her you'd like to be a teacher. but she said they don't make money so her choice prevailed. why go against the person willing to spend money for your education in a big renowned catholic university, the best, with that big garden or grassy space in front. the haves or the rich send their children there. you were blessed. working for her and going to school at the same time, it was a struggle but you made it, after 5 years, a BSN degree. Wow! who could have thought that fate would be so kind to you :) you are very, very grateful, thankful and you would never ever forget that forever in your life. that shaped the who you are today. with God's love, He sent the light on your path and you can only hope and pray and beg really for it to continue for the rest of your life...thank you for your beautiful art dear artist :)
