Life as I Live it

By Claudette I. Galacgac

The author finished her Bachelor of Arts in English, major in Language at the University of South Eastern Philippines in Davao City. Claudette has been involved in campus journalism since high school. Here, she shared how reading an article in Misyon has touched her and has made her look back her experiences too.

Upon reading the article Dealing Positively with Life Despite Uncertainties (Misyon, September-October 2012), I could say that I have wasted my time grieving over silly and petty matters. Unlike the author, I don’t have a disability affecting any aspect of my life, only financial instability. Ric is a polio victim but he has managed to keep a positive outlook on life which has led him to where he is now. The story of his life somehow changed my perspective.

I wasn’t the optimistic type; I was more of a pessimist. Nevertheless, I was able to learn and to try harder to believe in myself that I can always do something better in any situation. But it’s not easy at first. You have to undergo a battle within yourself whether to move forward or to give up. My relationship with God taught me to keep going and to never give up a battle without fighting.

I come from a broken family. My parents went their separate ways when I was still ten years old. Being the eldest, my family had high expectations of me. At a young age I became mature, always having in mind that I should help my mother. I learned to do my best, especially in my studies, as this would lead me to a better future.

I have encountered different trials on my journey. Some were very difficult and almost made me give up. One example was the uncertainty of finishing college because money was so scarce. When you feel the world weighing upon you and a solution to your difficulties hard to find, there is usually a temptation to give up. But I didn’t. My mother has been my inspiration to keep going. I always hold her in high regard since she managed to raise the three of us without my father. She has been my strength to carry on, for without her my life would be meaningless.

But life does not look back; we have to keep going and that’s what I did. I continued my studies with some help from my relatives. I had a hard time trying to budget a small amount of money with so many requirements for graduation. As I look back, I can’t imagine how I survived. But I did. In fact, I unexpectedly graduated with flying colors.
Despite the trials I’ve encountered along the way, God has blessed me enough in this lifetime and I am really thankful to Him. My relationship with Him started when I was three years old, when I couldn’t yet understand the meaning of what I was praying. My aunt taught me to pray the rosary. Praying it became a routine as did going to church regularly. It was only when I reached high school that I understood everything. What started as a routine later became my life. My life is centered on God.

Even in darkest times, I seek comfort in Him. It may not be very obvious to others, but deep inside me I know I have a special bond with Him. He has never left my side. I am not perfect, I make mistakes but He never fails me.

Aside from changing my perspective in life upon reading the article, I was also inspired to pursue my dream. Call it coincidence but, like Ric, I also want to be a lawyer. It is what I’ve always wanted but I cannot yet pursue that dream. My sisters are still studying and it would be selfish on my part to proceed to law school while they need my financial support. Maybe someday, in God’s perfect time, I can go to law school.

Life is a temporary assignment. We don’t have to be too attached to it. What matters in the end is how we live our life in accordance with God’s will. Furthermore, having a positive outlook in life will help you attract positive things to happen eventually. Think positive, believe, have faith and everything will go well as God has planned. It is then fair to say that if life is a game, we should know how to play it; only that there are rules to follow. We have to abide with it and make sure to keep in mind that God is the ‘game master’, not us.

‘Do your best and God will do the rest’ might be a cliché for some but it is only with God that everything is possible.