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Embarrassed
By Jun Daryl Zamora
A funny thing happened to me one afternoon in school. I was doing my usual school-garden work when my father, who is a teacher in our school, summoned me to do an errand.
While walking I was complaining. I had a headache and a cough at the time. My steps were heavy and my thoughts were as gray as the sky. But then I saw something that stirred my interest – the white-washed rocks that served as a boundary between an okra patch and the pathway. I knew it was unbecoming for a third year high school student like me to walk on them, doing his best not to lose his balance and fall, but I risked my poise in doing it anyway. At first I was really at ease. Then I stepped on an unsteady rock. It was round and it started to roll back and forth! Quickly I sought my balance, flinging my arms in the air. I knew there were people around me, and I was desperate not to fall! But…BLAG!
The fall
Luckily I stumbled on a not-so-stony path – but I fell all the same. I nervously struggled to rise, rubbing my reddening palms together. Then I realized the big embarrassment I caused myself. There were many students walking at the same distance but I was sure they saw me trip. Worse, there were two girls who certainly had the best view of my fall. I expected them to laugh or giggle. I expected everyone to laugh at the ‘clown’!
“Nauwaw ko…(I’m embarrassed…),” I foolishly told the girls in pretense jest and 100% embarrassment. I wanted to disappear! But I was there in flesh and there wasn’t anybody whom I could turn to. The world’s eyes seemed to stare at me! “God…” I mumbled under my breath, still grinning stupidly. But then I noticed something different about my surroundings. It was as if nothing happened. I saw only smiles, kind smiles. What a relief! So I continued walking, regaining my confidence with every step I took.
To learn from experience
Honestly, I couldn’t deny the fact that fate brought me to that embarrassing incident to teach me a lesson. Many times since childhood I had been amused at people who had their share of mishaps. Perhaps that’s why I expected everybody to laugh at me when I fell down. So now I have no reason anymore to laugh or even stare furtively at anybody who is in deep embarrassment. I know now how it feels to be utterly embarrassed.
My lesson
It was just a simple accident. God taught me a lesson with little pain. But certainly I will encounter more and tougher challenges in the future – even falls and embarrassment. They are the spice of life. And by then I will know just what to do. I will turn to God. “In you I take refuge, let me never be put to shame.” (Psalm 30:2)