I was still at the university at that time and I knew what I wanted. I wanted to work in a mall. Why? It was an escape from the Manila heat. In the mall there is central air conditioning so one can even wear a light jacket and not perspire. It was cold so I loved it.
There were other reasons. People are happy when they are in the mall. They can see a movie then enjoy a meal afterwards in one of the numerous restaurants. They can check out goodies like ice cream and chocolates. In the family-friendly atmosphere, I liked watching happy families because it made me happy too.
I always liked going to the bookstore and the mini zoo in the mall. Well, the tiny zoo is actually the pet shop with its fish, turtles, guinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters. But I came for the dogs, to see the different breeds up close and personal. To see these at home meant taking out a thick encyclopedia from the bookshelf and looking at colored pictures of different kinds of dogs.
The pet shop’s dogs were a sight to behold. Almost all the popular breeds were represented: German Shepherd, Siberian Husky, Saint Bernard, Collie, Chow Chow, dachshund, bulldog, pug and a few others. I could not buy one though because of the limited space we had at the townhouse in suburban Quezon City.
My modest dream of working in a mall came true when I landed my first corporate job at a bank’s head office at Robinson’s Galleria at the Ortigas Center in Pasig City. An I.D. gave me access to the mall even before opening hours. It didn’t seem like a job when I reported for duty every working day. At lunch break, I would try a different restaurant each day at a time. After the meal I would go to the bookstore and then see my honorary pets at the mini zoo. Somehow the stress dissipated every time. I was a happy yuppie.
When I was young, my mother said that being alive, even just breathing itself, is such a great blessing. With such simplicity, expectations and dreams can be exceeded almost consistently and surprisingly. My treasured dreams almost always came true. Starting with small and just a few dreams, by the time I matured I ran out of dreams. My wise older brother told me then to wish for new dreams.
I am thus baffled when I talk to people and ask them about their dreams in life and they look far out into the horizon, give a heavy sigh and exclaim, “Ah, dreams...” This puzzled me exhaustively because quite a number of people would say it like it is impossible for dreams to come true.
Starting small, one can move on to something bigger and better. Allow me to share some points so that your own dreams may have a better chance of coming true. The first is a good work ethic. At school it was a breeze to earn extra points for having perfect attendance and never coming late even for one class. This trait served me well when I joined the workforce. For each corporate interview I was always 15 minutes early, knowing this is actually a crucial part of the interview assessment. It is even more professional when punctuality extends to actual daily work.
Perseverance is another quality worth having. Do not give up too easily. ‘A good commander knows when the battle is lost’ – words of my father. But I added that, even if battles are lost, the war may be won still.
Now this is a reality of life. When you wish to become a company executive officer of a multinational corporation you have to start somewhere and you should be ready to start at the entry level. Don’t look for an elevator to success; you have to climb the stairs, or the corporate ladder so to speak.
My writing started in the education phase: getting good grades in English, then becoming a certified master by Brainbench.com, a U.S. skills certification website. Testing myself further, I tried submitting articles at U.S. based Ezinearticles.com and became an Expert Author. I then applied at Bicol Mail, was taken as contributor then staff writer. This took more than two years.
As you can see there are baby steps to take before making a big step and eventually making a giant leap. There are no short cuts. There was an old show back in the 1980’s that encouraged people that they could be the start of something big. One just had to persevere and have faith.
To someone who asked what my dream is now, it was a pleasure to say I am actually living a special dream as of the moment – writing for Bicol Mail.
An integral and essential dynamic force behind fulfillment in writing is, of course, you, the reader. And having said that, my personal dreams expand into dreams for a better Naga City, a better Bicolandia, a better Philippines, and a better world.
There is an inspirational and spiritual song that I listen to whenever I am in meditation and introspection. The song is “Will of the Wind” by Jim Photoglo. It is ultimately God’s will that one has to follow then accordingly things will not go awry and one can never go astray. Allow me to quote a short stanza to illustrate the enlightenment, “The will of the wind, you feel it and then; It will pass you blowing steady. It comes and it goes, and God only knows; You must keep your sails on ready. So when it begins, get all that you can; You must befriend the will of the wind.”
In the final analysis, the pen is said to be mightier than the sword. I can address my concern of helping in my own unique way to achieve these bigger dreams. I wish we can dream together and help make those dreams come true, each of us equipped with individual gifts. It is not going to be an easy ride, more like a roller coaster with its ups and downs, but it will be worth it in the end.
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