Table Topics a weekly journal of Toastmasters International Philippines my champion

Cebu South Toastmasters Club

CEBU, Philippines - When I was asked what my greatest achievement is, I had to pause for a while as so many things flashed in my mind. And then it occurred to me, my greatest achievement has to be my son.

I am a single dad, and a proud one. I have braved the winds and conquered the storm because of my son. He has been my source of hope and inspiration, my reason for being. He is my constant reminder that even with trials and pains, I am truly blessed. He is not just my greatest achievement, but also my most beautiful blessing.

Thirty-five years ago, a child named Iven was born to Boy and Tessie Yap. Iven is the eldest of two sons. They were an average income family – Boy was a businessman running a bakery and Tessie was a school teacher. Iven grew up helping out in the family’s business. He helped mostly in delivering the bread to smaller stores nearby and collecting the sales. He would also help in tending the bakery, taking orders and serving the customers. The business was doing well. However, 13 years later, his parents decided to leave for the United States and decided to close the business.

Iven learned a lot from that business. He did not just grow up as an industrious boy, but also as a fine young man who had a keen interest for cars. This made him decide to take up an automotive course in a state college. After one year, he shifted to computer engineering, with the influence of his father. On his senior year in college he got married and was blessed with a son. Iven had to find a part time job to help support his new family.  He was practically juggling between his studies and work. That year, he took all of his remaining subjects – full load units, in order to finish school. Iven have to endure sleepless nights to meet project deadlines and rushed between school and work schedules. With his hard work and determination, he succeeded and graduated college. He then decided to work full time in his part time job.

Three years after graduation, his wife left for the Netherlands for greener pasture. After two years, she moved to the United States as a nurse. The plan was for them to migrate to the United States, but this did not materialize. This was the beginning of yet another struggle for Iven – this time, to keep the marriage intact. As they say, it takes a man and a woman to tango. Efforts weren’t enough to save the marriage, however, so Iven shifted his focus to his work and his son, Troy.

I was struggling emotionally during the healing process but Troy was able to compensate my pain with his many achievements. He was, at that time, a member of the Cebu swimming team, which allowed him to visit other places for tournaments. At the age of nine, he won gold in every tournament he joined in Taekwondo. At 11, he joined the basketball varsity team and won championships. On top of these, Troy was a consistent honor student. Every time he went to the podium to receive his award, he would point at me and raise his medal. Downstage, he would approach me, hand me his medal and say, “This is for you Papa” with a big, tight hug.

When Troy was 12 and had become responsible enough to prioritize studies and interests, I decided to take my career a notch higher. I worked in Manila at first and, a year later, was promoted and assigned to Singapore as an IT consultant. Despite the distance, Troy and I would communicate constantly. He would visit me during his school holidays. The situation seemed to work, but I realized eventually that it was not an ideal arrangement to be away from my son for a long time. Seeing the need to be with him and with stress building up too fast at work, I decided to return home.

Now, after almost three years, I’m back in Cebu and back with my son. It is such a delight seeing him grow to be a really wonderful person – respectful, humble, and kind. They say, Troy is very much like me. I can say yes, but I also have to say he a much better version of me.

The life I’ve lived may not have turned out the way that I planned it, but God has had His ways of showing me how beautiful and meaningful it can still be. I am grateful, in every way, for the strength and guidance He has provided me during those hard times and I have embraced all the lessons those times have taught me. I learned that we can achieve so many things in our lives, big and small, but what matters most, at the end of the day, is the joy those achievements bring.

I know I will achieve more things with Troy and I can only look forward to enjoying every step of the journey with him. However, even with the dreams we are bound to reach together, my son will always be my own greatest achievement.

www.facebook.com/groups/divisionC.district75

[email protected]