A man for others

"Filipinos for other Filipinos" – how beautiful that would be for our tottering economy and our struggling nation if we – especially our national leaders of all political stripes – learned to imbibe this in our hearts.Unfortunately, what now prevails is the principle of "Each man for himself," and it is this sense of selfishness that is preventing our country from moving forward.

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Solidarity and unity.Where have these values gone?I have been asking this question over and over again, and no answer comes from those who are in the corridors of political power. Apparently, there is no interest at all in finding an answer to this question.Which explains why our country continues to go down, down, down in almost all levels of society and in all facets of human activity.

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The Ateneo de Manila may have lost the UAAP championship trophy to its well-known foe of old, De La Salle, but the Ateneans’ propensity to whoop it up, to revel and celebrate inspite of defeat is legendary. Look at what Ateneo alumni did after Ateneo’s devastating defeat to La Salle. Instead of celebrating their traditional annual alumni homecoming in just one or two days, as what was usually done in the past, the Ateneans decided to go on a one-and-a-half month long celebration that kicked off with a Halloween Party on October 31.

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And look at the activities that they have lined up, in addition to the more formal rituals that marked alumni homecoming gatherings in days of yore. A Christmas Praise concert with the Bukas Palad at the Meralco Theater on November 30. A Family Day at the Ateneo Loyola campus on December 2. A Parol Lighting Ceremony at the Bellarmine Field. A Parade and Review for all jubilarians, with brass bands and balloons and everything colorful.And of course, a grand social party, probably with ballroom dancing, after the alumni rites on December 8. With revelry such as this, who would ever think that Ateneo lost to La Salle in the UAAP championship match?

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Let me underscore, though, the central theme of this year’s Ateneo de Manila Alumni Homecoming: "MEN AND WOMEN FOR OTHERS, RESPONDING TO THE CALL OF LOVE AND TO SERVE IN THE WORLD TODAY." According to Fr. Carmelo A. Caluag II, S.J., Ateneo’s vice president for planning and development, the theme was chosen in line with the needs of our country and our global community.

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I remember when I was enrolling at the Ateneo for first year high school. I was given a four-page brochure where the words, "MEN FOR OTHERS," were printed in bold. "The Ateneo produces men for others," the sentence read.

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Throughout my life after graduation from the Ateneo de Manila, I never forgot those lines and that sentence. Unwittingly, these were implanted in my mind and in my heart. If there is thus a Good Samaritan Foundation, an Operations Christmas Joy, and the spirit of sharing with those who have less or so little in life, it is due to my upbringing at the Ateneo where the Jesuits, especially those Jesuit priests and scholastics from Ireland and America, taught me the real meaning of the words, "A MAN FOR OTHERS."

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On December 7 to 9, the onset of the Christmas season, you will see many PWDs – the acronym stands for People with Disabilities – at the SM Megamall. No, they will not be there to window-shop, or to dine in the countless fast food outlets at the megamall, or enjoy the airconditioning at the cinema houses. The PWDs will be there, at the SMegamall Megatrade Hall, to show off and sell the items that they themselves have produced.And on top of it all, they will be there to prove to the entire world that PWDs can be self-reliant.

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The "Christmas Rush 2001" is a major project of the Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, one of the most successful non-government organizations involved in the rehabilitation and self-help projects for PWDs. If you do not know it, the TWH produces the high-quality wheelchairs that young PWDs use as they move around in malls, public places, grocery stores and other places where many other people converge.

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I am glad that Trade and Industry Secretary Mar Roxas has agreed to be the guest of honor at the opening rituals of "Christmas Rush 2001." His presence there at the SM Megatrade Hall will certainly inspire the disabled sector to work harder for productivity and its own self-reliance. The opening rites begin at 10 a.m., with the sale of beautiful items following immediately thereafter.

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Here is a moving story that is being passed around through the Internet.I hope you will not shed a tear or two after you read this story:

The story goes that some time ago a man punished his 5-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of expensive gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became even more upset when the child pasted the gold paper so as to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her father the next morning and said, "This is for you, Daddy." The father was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found the box was empty. He spoke to her in a harsh manner, "Don’t you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there’s supposed to be something inside the package?"

The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty. I blew kisses into it until it was full." The father was crushed. He fell on his knees and put his arms around his little girl, and he begged her to forgive him for his unnecessary anger.

An unfortunate accident took the life of the child only a short time later and it is told that the father kept that gold box by his bed for all the years of his life. And whenever he was discouraged or faced difficult problems, he would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there.

In a very real sense, each of us as human beings has been given a golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends and God.

There is no more precious possession anyone could hold.

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Thoughts For Today:

Life is a challenge – dare it.
Life is a game – play it.
Life is faith – believe it.
Life is wisdom – utilize it.
Life is God’s gift – be grateful for it.

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As we live each day,
may we do our part to make one difference,
to touch one heart, and through each day,
may it be our goal to encourage one mind,
and inspire one soul.

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My e-mail addresses: [email protected] and [email protected]