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| I hacked my friend's facebook page without her knowing it...ambushed:-) heheh |
This would come as a big
surprise to my friend Amphie. I never
mentioned of anything like this but through the years being my friend I have
seen her passion with life. We worked in
the same school (less than 10 years together).
She was then a simple Math teacher, skinny like me…I mean sexy with
great taste for clothes and everything about her life – choice of a man to marry,
desire to finish doctorate in education, get married, be a great wife and
mom. She got all of them.
I was not close to her at
first. She had her own circle in school.
But since she was a class moderator in the year level that I handled for counseling,
we got quite often together during meetings, retreat and recollections
with students. I dropped by her table at
the faculty room from time to time also for some small chats until it became
longer. And the good thing was I found her very sensible to talk with
…so exact opposite to the first opinions that I heard about her. She was that kind of person that you can’t
just label by merely looking at her stern facial expression (pretty face though heheh). She had (has) such a big heart.
One experience of getting down
into the most intimate knowledge of her person was when we joined that silent
retreat together for eight days. My God…
she was so brave at being alone in her room while I had paraphernalia of
Bible, crucifix, bonnet to cover my head and mind you my small container where
I would urinate (so that I did not have to march down that eerie passage towards the restroom...sooo very crazy of me ).
But I would hop in her room from time to time to talk even with the
strict command to be silent. From there
I learned that she was getting married soon (and I felt so left alone) and that she was anxious with the idea of
it. She even thought of trying religious
life (ohhh I was thinking of Benjan’s long wait and sacrifice…thank you God it
did not push through hahahhaha… obvious anxiety prior to tying the knot...right?).
Moving away for a while and a
little from that retreat encounter, I knew then
also that she was up to something
related to her career. That was …success
in her field. She really pursued her
doctorate without being distracted with any other opinions that held contrary
to where she was. I admired her for the
focus and passion she had with her craft.
She just went straight with it aside from the responsibilities she held
in school and being the eldest in the family.
She was into so many things and
I wondered that time how she was able to manage everything (including getting enough sleep haahaha). Even her wedding was set while she was in her
doctorate studies. She continued
studying while she was pregnant. This
one thing I remember she said something like this…. “I don’t want my baby to feel in my tummy that mommy stopped her career
because of me”. Wow…she just wanted to go straight ahead with her
plans regardless and despite of. With her very supportive husband, I knew then
that she would make it.
After her doctorate, I felt
saddened that she had to leave the high school for a much better offer in the
college department. I felt also that she
had to do that. Better challenges for
her given her qualifications. We rarely
met but when we had time, she would run through everything she did and the very
high motivation she had (even up to the present) to affect lives of
students. She was so open, innovative, an epitome of motivation and passion with her
field. At her young age getting that
doctorate and really using it for service sake is exemplary.
As a wife also and mother, I
knew that she made waves too. She and
her husband Benjan have two kids now and I know that they are doing well as to
affecting lives of their children. The
latest that moved my heart and really led me to write this article is the “Smile
at the Pediatrics Ward Project” that they have
had ( for the second time) at the hospital where from what I read with her posting at facebook was the
idea and initiative of their daughter that they just supported. Splendid mother, wife and …family as a whole...great model to families:-)...
And oh, I will never forget to
mention this. You see when I and my
husband was into the preparation stage of our wedding, we carefully selected
people that would join us in our intimate ceremony. And we decided to really include Amphie and
Benjan for our sponsors. Reasons are
obvious right (aside from the intention of getting Amphie as our wedding singer
este …emcee hehehe). We found them
both great models for the family that I
and my husband would like to build up.
Character is all
that is that would thrive in life. This is what I got from my friend. Amphie’s success in her field would have been
nothing without her heart that radiates its beauty and splendor with whatever
she touches and treads. I salute my
friend for that and I would say, Amphie is one of the best gifts I have
received in side of the journey ...:-)
Thank you my friend …you are
someone I look up to as I continue "knitting" my life by God’s grace and intervention... long way to go for a newbie...like me:-) Please don't be pressured (char lang...as if gaka pressure imo beauty hehe)....just continue to be my model...ohkiehhhh? heheh mwah mwah....
