What To Do...

5/21/06

My Dearest Princess CC,

I’m so glad PLDT finally figured out that you needed internet access to complete your studies and fixed the lines! I wonder how long they took to understand that.

Anyway, it was wonderful to see you live and in color on the cam. What a delightful beauty you are…

I hope things are going well for you, that your studies are completed easily that life in general is treating you well. I know that you work so hard right now at achieving all you can be.

You remind me of the story of Tandang Sora, the Filipina heroine, honored from the time of the revolution back in the 1800’s. The similarity is from her rising up from a simple background becoming famous through-out the land. When she realized she could be of service to others—soldiers, freedom fighters—she simply went to work. She may have been shy or quiet but, when her time came, she rose up and did what needed to be done.

In much the same way, you come from a simple background, are shy and quiet (ok, shy most of the time (lol)), yet understand how it is to work quietly in the service of others. You are studying accounting for a variety of reasons I’m sure, but in the end, it will be to serve others with the value of your education and skills. The rewards from that service we both know will be considerable: There will be money, of course, relaxation time, a nice home, a car--as a result of your studies and hard work. I admire you for fixing your eyes on the goal of becoming an accountant and never wavering. That takes a dedication and a commitment that few people have and I salute you for having them.

Which brings me to suggest something for your consideration: It’s always “okay” to look for ways to make your journey easier, even faster. There is a saying that goes, “If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got.” What that means, in your case, is that going to school and relying only on Mom for school financial support means that both you and she (indeed, the whole family) will have this burden for the next two years. With that financial burden comes a mental one, as well. All of you are thinking about where the tuition will come from next month or next semester. Even now, you all are thinking about who—you or AA—will get to continue on in education. Or, you have to struggle with what kind of job you will have to take in order to help pay for school and other expenses. All that thinking about finances can wear a person down, I can tell you…

But, Dearest Princess CC, there may be an easier way to get through all this. At first glance this idea may seem a tremendous burden for a shy--(Shy? Who says you’re shy? Lol!)--woman like you or that it would divert you from your goal of becoming an accountant. You’ve been working hard in the same way for some time yet, maybe there is something you can do that may well be a good thing in terms of making things easier for you, Mom and AA.

If there was a way that you thought would assure you an easier path, ease the financial burden on the family and provide you with an opportunity for a secure future, would you consider it? I thought so…

Here it is: Accept the McDonald’s invitation and complete the application. Win their contest. Go on to Miss Ozamiz and win that.

I’m sure you can see that all it takes to go through this process of being honored by the community and ultimately rewarded (scholarships for school, future job offers) by that same community is one thing: Overcome your shyness. This is strictly your personal decision; only you can make it and live with it.

Along with this decision to go forward come more responsibilities and more decisions... But one thing is clear: The sooner you complete the application, the sooner the rewards will come, the sooner the financial concerns will ease. Ask yourself, “If I don’t take advantage of this opportunity, what will happen?” I can answer that for you: More of the same life you have right now. Then ask yourself: “What happens if I do?” You may win and reap the promised rewards. You may not win. You didn’t win the last pageant and yet you did, in a way. You attracted the attention of a lot of people. You’ve been approached by companies who want you to be a part of them. They see you as an asset; as a way of making them looking good and smart because you look good and you are smart.

In the end, only you can make this happen. We are all in support of you, no matter what you decide. We all love you without reservations, whatever you decide. Keep this in mind: You have an opportunity to be like Tandang Sora of Ozamiz City, rising from humble beginnings to be of service to others in ways you may not have thought of.

If you give it a try, you may be surprised at what will happen…

My love to you, Dearest CC…