SEPTEMBER 10 marked the end of the Ramadan of our Islam friends. The Abdullah family invited me to be with them. They had a little feast similar to our Christian sharing.
I was able to have a longer chat with the ladies there and it opened my eyes to how fortunate Filipinas are despite our different religious affiliations, status in life and educational attainment. We always have choices here – to be just an ordinary woman or a well-loved lady that we can be.
Definitely, I mean the ladies which cannot include all women. How are they differentiated?
Women are those in the female gender. They are free to be without much thought of culture and ethics nor refinement and respect.
Ladies, on the other hand, are those who possess refined manners, show a cultured behavior, and a considerable compassion to their kind as they deal with others in the different strata of society.
Above all, they know what they want and what they can do to effect better change. They have in mind to serve their people as they have great faith in the Almighty.
Above all, they know what they want and what they can do to effect better change. They have in mind to serve their people as they have great faith in the Almighty.
These definitions bring to my mind two young ladies who may not be so popular like the teen idols on TV, yet there are noteworthy things I saw in them.
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Our first young lady is petite and charming Joanne Matutino Agregado from Brgy. Dangula-an, Anilao, Iloilo.
Recently, she’s with the winning choir of the Nursing Department of the Central Philippines University. Well, coming out to be the best singing choir needs team players. These are people who have the determination to be on top. They are never afraid to face obstacles because they are willing to work hard together for their goal. We are referring to the rigid rehearsals even after the tiresome hours in class and the possibility of braving the rains after the late evening practice.
For Joanne, it seems like the world is a playground. She views life as an adventure whereby you have to keep moving as you stand by your choices. An adventurer at heart! Imagine little Joanne moving about the National Boy/Girl Scouts’ Encampment. She was only in Grade II then.
“That early,” she says, “I lost some personal things there that the experience taught me to take care of items that are important. I have learned to be careful with my things that may be needed in the future.”
She’s not easily irritated by jokes and circumstances, I observed. Being a positive thinker makes her on top of the trying situations; her good sense of humor makes her cool under fire. How does she enjoy schooling?
“In school, there will always be better students than I can be and also less gifted ones than I am. I have realized that awards and positions are not given to you unless you prove to others that you are worthy of having it. We simply have to strive and do the best we can to achieve our dreams.” Well said.
Call it adaptability but this young lady is out to enjoy her teenage life. She stresses that any teenager is free to have fun; however, they have to remember their responsibilities to their family, the community, and their own selves. Besides, she believes that there is Someone up there who sees everything done here below.
Presently, Joanne is a freshman in the College of Nursing. She still has to prove herself in the course but she looks forward to that day when she becomes a registered nurse. Ten years from now, she imagines sharing her expertise in the field with those in need of skillful caring.
Where, Joanne?
Where, Joanne?
“Anywhere where a nurse is needed to give expert care,” she quipped. Hahaha!
By the way, she is the youngest among the children of Engineer Jose Agregado and wife, Neonita. The others are Jerson (now a registered nurse), Janette (she just graduated and is still preparing for the nursing board), and Jefferson who’s now in his junior year in the College of Nursing too.
Asked about youth leadership, she replied, “It’s being aware of the needs and finding solutions to it or proposing an alternative to bring about a change for the better.”
She invites all her contemporaries, especially in Anilao, to cooperate with each other in the promotion of sports events.
Why so? Sports, according to her, is the best venue whereby the in-school and the out-of-school youth can merge and develop friendship in a concerted effort that will make sportsmanship, leadership, and teamwork the focal point while building an improved community.
TRIVIA knows a potential leader if it sees one. I asked her what youth problem she will address first if she is given a chance to be the representative of the youth in her locality. “The biggest problem of society in general is drug addiction. On a positive note, we can deal with it by introducing interesting projects and programs plus giving several workshops to tap their capabilities and enhance their talents. I would opt for giving them the activities that will focus their attention towards the rediscovering of their lost selves. Enhancing activities may challenge them to be responsible and productive youth members of the community.” Wow! Truly, this lady in a 4’9”frame has bright ideas inside her head.
See what I mean? I hope she will also be interested with becoming a youth leader in her locality. You still have a long way to go, girl. Good luck …the ailing world is at your feet.
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Nur Suhailah Abdullah is a nine-year-old girl who’s so much a lady in the making. She’s a Grade IV pupil of the Great International School and in the top echelon of her class.
A girl who’s so observant as Nur will always be filled with questions; she tends to be inquisitive about many things around her. So, what does she want to be when she grows up? Without batting an eyelash she’d answer, “Inshaallah, I want to be a nurse.”
Ask her why and she’d answer, “I want to help lessen the suffering of the sick children and heal them with my touch.” These are touching statements from a young girl who’s having a good life and is loved by many.
You’ll see that Nur is just like anyone in the campus who loves playing hide and seek. She goes biking around with her brothers, Bon-bon, and AJ but she confesses that she enjoys it much if she is pillow fighting with her brothers.
Nur loves Math because, she says, “there’s always only one answer to the problem without so many explanations.” She’s peeved with Science and Social Studies because of, according to her, “Words… words… and more words.” Hahaha! Moreover, she loves her school and she likes the teachers because they’re just as caring as real mothers.
She’s a girl of a few words with an infectious laughter, but you’ll be impressed by her English vocabulary. In fact, learning Arabic and French is interesting for her, too, because of the challenge. She has gone to other places here and abroad but Nur wishes to stay and serve the Philippines in the future.
“Nowhere can you find loving folks more than ours,” she whispered with a sweet smile. Dream on, child. May you find beauty and joy all along.
Ladies may be popular or not but they’re existing out there. In any age, they exude greatness… they are a delight to be with, a treasure to find because they have a heart that feels, the courage to propose change to redeem a social condition, and the humor that can turn an otherwise dull situation into a rich experience.
