Have you ever look back on what you went through? What you have achieved in your ___ years of existence here in this world?
Inspired by the SONA of our president…..
Here I present to you my SOLA, “State of my Life Address”
I’m Edabelle Besin Ragay, 21 years old. Ilang beses nang napalo ni Inay, ilang beses ng humalo ang luha ko sa aking uhog nung bata pa ako, gumulong-gulong dahil sa pagkalampa, imiyak, tumawa, lumuha at sumaya. Lahat ng ito, sa maniwala kayo o hindi ay naging malaking bahagi ng pagkatao ko.
ELEMENTARY
I’m just an ordinary girl, born here in Manila, went to Dumaguete and came back for good. Never akong nakatikim ng private school, hindi ko rin napagdaanan ang buhay nursery, prep o kinder man lang. Nagdarna na ako kaagad sa Grade 1, kahit di pa puwede six years old, hala sige, pinalusot na lang. (Wahaha, di nila napansin height ko!!!)
Apat na schools ang nironda ko nung elementary, nakapagsuot ng Girl Scout uniform, nakailang beses ring nakatanggap ng picture frames tuwing Christmas Party (may shampoo at toothpaste pa nga, eh!), nakailang tanggap rin ng medalya kahit papaano.
HIGHSCHOOL
Nung highschool, Miss Popularity ako. Kahit di na mag-aral papasa na sa dami ng extra curricular activities. But before the fame, of course I worked hard bago makuha yun. Dito ko nakilala ang D’FRAME-G, SR. JIMAD, CAMELVANT at RAP JAM. Ang bestfriend kong si Pas at tsaka ang mga best guy friends kong sina Jilbert at Emond. Sa pagtatapos ng pasukan, pasok pa rin sa banga ang lola nyo sa mga awards.
COLLEGE
PUP talaga ang first choice kong pasukan sa college at IE talaga ang gusto ko, yun nga lang medyo nalihis ng landas sa Accountancy. Sinasabi nila highschool life raw ang pinakamasaya, pero para sa akin, college. Here I met matured, open-minded and sincere people. Patatawanin ka pag malungkot ka, di ka iiwanan sa ere, praprangkahin ka pag sumosobra ka na. yung tipong walang plastikan. That’s what I’ve found from my two precious friends, Lala (ang Chickboy na Antukin, aka Lalaque) and Vianca (na pumayat na).
Syempre nandyan din naman sina Joseph aka GwapiToledo, “My Babzy,” Aljohn aka Alex Bandido, Merry as Sanggre, si Joyce na mahilig sa Chinovela (magpapalit na nga ‘ata ito ng nationality, eh!), si Joman “Ang Pastor ng Bayan,” si Jenilee na laging tagatawa, si Kristine, “The Crying-Laughing Girl” (na tatalo sa kasikatan ng My Sassy Girl), si Apple “Ang Institusyon,” si Julius na Mr. Diskarte, ang TM Girls, si Benedict na Pogeetah, si Nessang Juicylicious Nutricious, si Alvin na nag-over ‘d bakod na, si Fred ang “Mr. GMA” ng klase, sina Ria at Christian na “Ang tanong ng bayan, “Sila na ba?” at ang di matatawarang kasipagan ng grupong Leslie, Analyn, Kim, Jinky, Hilda at Roselyn.
Kanino ko ba kayang i-share ang mga jokes na “Are you declaring wire? O di kaya “Mag try-some kaya kayong tatlo?” eh, yung joke na dugtungan ng salita? Di ba sa kanila lang?
Oo, tsubrang hirap ng college, pero wala namang papantay sa saya. Kahit ‘di na ako popular sa buong school, mas masarap maging Boobita Rose, Artistahin o Boobzy ng klase. Ano naman ngayon kung di na ako nagpeperform sa lahat ng estudyante sa school namin? Mas masaya naman ang videokehan sa SM Centerpoint, at ang pagpeperform sa kantang Kiliti, di ba?!
Sa stage na ito naranasan kong pumasok ng walang tulog, ni lapat ng likod ko sa kama man lang, naranasan kong mag-OJT, matulog ng 5am sa kakachat at syempre ang mag-overnight sa bahay ng iba. Dito ko nalaman kung pano mangarap at makilala ng mas mabuti ang sarili ko. Dito ako naging tutor sa LNK at mas lalong naging malapit kay God at sa aking pamilya. Ditong stage na ito nalaman kong kahit papaano, nakakatouch ako ng buhay ng ibang tao. College life talaga ang the best!!!
I have received many awards, recognition and once in my life experienced fame, but apart from all of these I was not happy.
It’s because I know within me that in our lives these things don’t matter.
It doesn’t matter if I have medals and I’m popular, that doesn’t make me a greater person than those who doesn’t have.
Our family doesn’t have much but its okay, because it doesn’t make me a lesser person than those who have plenty.
I’m proud of how my parents had raised me. They have made me realized that there are much more important things than money, medals and popularity…and that is my family, my faith and doing good. Material things will fade but these things will remain forever in the hearts of the people whom you have touched their lives.
My family advised me to take care of my friends. Especially those kind of friendship that nurtures me and allows me to grow. And stay away to those who will do me no good.
My parents imparted so much values in me but the most important is having faith in God. I do belive that this helps me to be kinder to others, more appreciative of what I have and not to focus on what I can’t have. It made me accept things easily that are out of my control and gave me a sense of fulfillment in all the things I do. I feel contented and complete having God as the center of my life and from these stems my REAL HAPPINESS.
A writer named Bob Ong once said:
“Nalaman kong hindi pala exam na may passing rate ang buhay.
Hindi ito multiple choice, identification, true or false, enumeration,
o fill-in-the-blanks na sinasagutan, kundi essay na isinusulat araw-araw.
Huhusgahan ito hindi base sa kung tama o mali ang sagot, kundi base sa
kung may kabuluhan ang mga naisulat o wala. Allowed ang erasures.”
