I wish to tell you the story of a young man whom you have never heard, whose name was not written on the scroll of fame, but of one who was lucky enough to be saved from death several times.
He was born on July 20 in 1988, where the weather was angry the entire week. He was not born in the hospital as expected but instead in their house. He grew up of honest parents, that modesty, humility, patience, and veracity he learned from them.
When he was still a baby, he nearly died out of suffocation. His aunt left him covered by the pillow but luckily his mother had the chance to check on him. He was so reddish and gasping for his breath after having been freed from the pillow. It was not only the incident he almost died but the start of his luck.
When he was a year old, his testis became very large like a tomato but his luck went on again. His mother brought him to a doctor for check up. On the day of his operation, his great grandfather died and the family attention was focused on the wake. Few weeks later, miraculously his testis went back to normal size without undergoing any treatment. It was like his great grandfather died in exchange for his well-being. We may call it an equivalent exchange, a life for a life.
When he was growing older, he thought everything was perfect but something changed it all. It all started when his grandfather, who was very close to him, died. On the first night of the wake, a revelation was made. It came out that his father had another family. His father met the woman in Dagupan City and bore him a child. At the start, it was hard for him to accept what had happened to them as it happened so fast, like a split second. After that, he never had the chance to see his father again, even just to hear him say “Happy Birthday or Merry Christmas.” He only wanted to see his father, after all he was considered as the favourite child between his sister and him.
Years had passed but still he has not heard anything from his father. He told himself that it was time to move on and accept the fact that he cannot change anymore what had happened.
Another incident happened to him during the birthday of his mother. It was night when they were in the swimming pool. He did not yet know how to swim back then so he was just holding the corners of the pool. Suddenly when he was in the deepest corner, his mother passed by and he waved his hand at her. He forgot that he was holding the bars. No one noticed him until one of their companions passing by saw that a child was drowning and he was immediately pulled out of the pool and helped him vomit the water that he had swallowed. It was another incident that could have taken his life but God is so good that He did not permit it to happen.
He entered the Mary Help of Christians Minor Seminary during his high school years. There, he had warm friends with many brilliant young men with whom he remained on terms of close intimacy, some of whom he treated as his own brothers. He did not know why he entered the seminary. All along, his mother was asking him to try the seminary but no one could convince him then until one day, he suddenly smiled and told his mom, he would try it.
His stay in the seminary filled up the things that he was missing in his life. He had lots of brothers who helped him to move on. Sometimes, there is still that loneliness, thinking and wishing his father will visit him someday.
On the completion of his high school year, he received an award that was unexpected. The crowd, as well as his classmates and his own family, thought it was for their other classmate but when the emcee announced his name, he doubted if he heard correctly his name. All his classmates made noise like animals on the loose. He received the spiritual award, a major award given to the seminarian who excelled in his spirituality and expected to be a priest someday. It was his most glorious day in his stay in the seminary. From then, he thought that life is not that bad at all. There are also times to celebrate.
Bryan Jeric V. de Leon is now a second year college seminarian studying in the Mary Help of Christians College Seminary with the thought that God has greater plans for him.
As a young child, he experienced a sad childhood. But, he is not at all discouraged because in between his trials are moments of triumphs like saving his life three times.
This young man realizes that sufferings are important to savour successes in life. He understands now that trials make him stronger to face life’s greater challenges.
He knows that God is good. He knows that there are mysteries in life beyond human comprehension but we just have to let God lead the way.
No comments:
Post a Comment