Buhay Grade 6 sa Rita Lovino Elementary School

Grade 6…

Kakauwi ko lang mula sa probinsiya namin at naisip kong isulat ang huling bahagi ng elementary life ko…

Halos wala akong matandaan masyado sa Grade 6 ko, pero nang umwi ako doon kamakailan lang ay bumalik sa mga alaala ko ang mga nangyari. Nagkita kami ng bestfriend ko na sa kasalukuyan ay isa na ding guro pero sa elementarya. Iba ang pakiramdam ang naramdaman ko nang una kong itapak ang mga paa ko sa paaralan kung saan kami nagtapos. Bumalik ang mga masasaya at malulungkot na araw ng buhay ko.

Unang bumungad sa akin ang mga halamanan kung saan kami nagpapagod tuwing umaga para bunutan ito ng mga damo at didligan ng paulit-ulit na para bang lulunurin mo na ito. Madami na ding nabago sa lugar… wala na ang dating taniman ng mani na lubos naming inalagaan kasama ang EPP teacher namin. Sa kasalukuyan mayroon nang dalawang malalawak na silid-aralan na nakatirik dito. Naalala ko pa noon, masyado kaming abala sa pagtatanim at dahil lumaki ako sa bukid mas nagkaraoon ng tiwala sa akin ng EPP teacher ko sa kadahilanang mas may alam ko sa pagtatanim kumpara sa mga kaklase ko na lumaki malapit sa dagat.

Sa Grade 6, hiwalay ang babae pagdating sa araling EPP. Sila ay sama sama sa isang klasrum at nag-aaral ng Home Economics samantalang kami naman ay Practical Arts. Ni minsan hindi ako naging leaders sa mga kaklase ko, maaring dahil sa dalawang rason (1) ayaw nila ako maging leader at (2) ayaw ko maging leader sa kanila. Mas natuto ako nang maigi dahil mas magaan ang responsibilidad ng pagiging isang miyembro. Basta’t marunong ka sumunod sa gusto nilang mangyari ay walang magiging problema. Isa pa, mga malalapit na kaibigan ko namn ang mga kasama ko sa grupo.

Grade 6 ako natutong magsuot ng sapatos sa pagpasok sa eskwelan dahil ang sabi ng adviser namin noon, mas maaga dapat naming sinasanay ang sarili namin dahil sa susunod na taon ay araw araw na kaming papasok sa paaralan na naka-sapatos. Dahil sa walang required na uniform sa amin noon, basta malinis naman ay pwede na ipang-pasok sa eskwela.

Grade 6 din akong natutong maging responsable sa mga gawain ko sa bahay at eskwelahan. Maaga akong gumigising para dalhin ang alaga naming baka sa bukid para namn may makain ito. Pagkatapos noon, ay uuwi ako at maghahanda para sa eskwela babalikan ko nalang ang alaga naming baka sa tanghali para painumin at ilagay ito sa lilim. Sa hapon na ang balik ko para iuwi nman ito sa bahay para makapagpahinga. Ibig sabihin, kasa-kasama ko ang baka namin pauwi sa bahay namin pagkagaling sa eskwela. Naging gawi ko na ito hanggang sa makatuntong ako ng High School. Masarap na mahirap ang ganoong gawain sa araw-araw. Masarap dahil nakakatulong kasa bahay, mahirap kasi hindi ko na minsan makuhang makapaglaro sa hapon dahil dito.

Dahil Grade 6 ka na, mas mataas ang responsibilidad mo sa eskwela. Madalas akong mag-volunteer noon sa flag ceremony namin at sa flag retreat. Madalas mag-volunteer sa pangunguna sa pagbigkas ng Panatang Makabayan at Panunumpa sa Watawat (old version). Ang hndi ko lang nagawa ay nag mag-volunteer para manguna sa pag-eehersisyo tuwing umaga pagkatapos ng flag ceremony namin. Pagkatapos noon, ay derecho sa klasrum para sa attendance at mga aralin. Naalala ko ang adviser namin ng Grade 6, mahigpit ito pero napakabait niya. Talagang inalalayan kami para mas matuto kami sa mga aralin namin.Hindi ko na ililihim pa na ninang siya ng nanay at tatay ko sa kasal nila. Pero magkaganoon pa man, walang nagingibabaw na favoritism sa parte ko. Hehehehe. Naalala ko noong magtatapos na kami, siya ang nagsulat ng speech naming noon. Ang speech ko ay may pamagat na “To our dear friends and fellow schoolmates”. Pero ngayon halos pamagat na lang naalala ko sa speech na iyon.

Hindi ko inakala na magtatapos ako na may matanggap na ribbon dahil simula noong Grade 1 ako ay wala din naman akong natanggap. Nagtapos ako na kabilang sa Top 10 ng klase. Tuwang-tuwa ako pati na din ang nanay ko. Bago ang araw ng graduation ay nagpabili ako sa tatay ko ng sapatos na nang mga panahon na iyon ay nagtatrabaho sa Maynila. Nagpatahi ng puting polo at itim na pantalon at isama mo pa ang bow tie na hindi ko alam kung bakit kailanagn pa isuot iyon.

March 20, 1995, 25^th Cosing Exercises, Rita Lovino Elementary School nagtapos akong Grade 6. Dala ang mga alaalang hindi makakalimutan at hanggang ngayo ay binabalik-balikan pa din. Isang napakasayang alaala ng buhay na hindi maipagpapalit sa kasalukuyan.

Sa pagbalik ko sa dating paaralan. Nasilayan ko muli ang nakaraan. Naroon pa din ang nmga aging guro ko. Ang teacher ko nang Grade 2 ako, naalala kong kinurot ako dahil kakulitan naming magkaklase. Ang nagging guro ko sa Filipino at HEKASI na lubos ng tiwala sa amin kaya mas madalas niya kaming iwanan sa loob ng klase. Retired na siya pero nakita ko din ang guro ko ng Grade 5 sa HEKASI na minsang tumanggi sa pag-enroll ko sa Section 2 noon at pilit na pina-eenrol ako sa Section 1. At ang adviser ko noong Grade 6 na kahit retired na din ay kilala padin ako. At lahat sila ay tinatawag ako sa pangalang REYNALDO.

Sa kasalukuyan ang iba sa amin ay mga nagsitapos na sa pag-aaral at may kanya-kanyang buhay na… isang bagay lang ang nakikita kong parehas sa aming lahat. Ang bagay na hindi pinipilit mula sa isang tao. Ang pagtanaw ng utang na loob sa paaralan at sa mga gurong naging bahagi ng buhay naming lahat. Sa ngayon karamihna sa amin ay mga guro na din. Hindi man kami doon nagtuturo sa paaralang kinalakhan naming, dala pa din naming ang natutunan naming mga mahahalagang aral ng buhay namin sa Mababang Paaralan ng Rita Lovino at ito din ang ipapamana naming sa aming mga mag-aaral

=wakas=

B.E.S.T.F.R.I.E.N.D.

While browsing the net and looking for some nice blogs to read I came across this blog about REAL FRIENDSHIP.

Here's the story...

When I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school. His name was Kyle. He looked as if he was carrying all his books.

I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must be a nerd."

I had quite a weekend planned ahead (parties and a football game with my friends) so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running towards him. They ran into him, knocking him down and causing all his books to fly out of his arms. His glasses went flying and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him. Hence, I jogged over to him and tried to help him as he crawled around looking for his glasses with a tear in his eye.

I handed him his glasses and said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives."

He looked at me and said, "Hey, thanks!"

There was a big smile on his face.

It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books and asked him where he lived. It turns out that he lived near me so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to a private school previously. That was when I realized I had never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home and I helped carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I invited him to play a little football with my friends and he agreed.

We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. He was equally popular with my friends. When Monday morning came, I saw Kyle with a huge stack of books again.

I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are really going to build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!"

He simply laughed and handed me half the books. Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke.I knew that we would always be friends and the miles separating us would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for a business degree on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was glad that it wasn't me having to get up there and do the speech. I saw Kyle on graduation day and he looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.

Boy, I was jealous sometimes.

Today is one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech.

Hence, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"

He looked at me with one of really grateful looks and smiled.

"Thanks." He said.

He cleared his throat as he started his speech.

"Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Some people thank their parents, teachers, siblings or maybe their coach. However, most people must thank their friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home when he met me. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.

"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome and popular boy told us about his weakest moment. I saw his parents looking at me and smiling with the same grateful smile. I never realize the depth of my actions until that single moment.

Never underestimate the power of your actions. With one small gesture you can change a person's life. For better or for worse.

God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way. Look for God in others.

"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."

I was so touched with the story. Hope you guys found your best friend too. They really are angels to us. For me, I have found mine... She is always there eagerly and heartily listens to whatever I say. She comforts me in times I am sad, troubled and bothered. She maybe not present physically but she was the one helped me overcome my recent heart prob. She calls me "superman" I call her "darna". Two different superheroes with the same purpose in life... to be a FRIEND to someone in NEED...

For others who don't know her yet. She is a former student, the president of my first advisory class in first year of teaching. I never thought that we'd become best of friends. Maybe because there are things common for both of us... things that make us happy, things that make us laugh, even the things that make us cry...

For months of sharing things together, it made our friendship grow stronger and better. I was very thankful I met her along the way. Her statement was: "hahaha! oo nga akalain mo yun dati teacher kita, ngayon bestfriend na tayo!"

While writing this blog I am texting her. Telling her things, giving each other advices, kalokohan, and all other things. Hopefully she won't cry when she read this.

Thanks for always being there "espren darna".