An Anecdote of a Woman

A Golden Lesson from an Old Woman

Today, I learned a golden lesson from an old woman.

I am a teacher, a mother and a friend. I am a teacher by profession, I am a mother by choice and I am a friend-counselor to those who seek help. Being occupied with these tasks as teaching, mothering and counseling, I have that bad habit of starting an interesting conversation to those I come across whether by chance or by choice.

I happen to have a neighbor who is an interesting chatter. We talk about almost anything – from the rising price of commodities to spiritual matters. I happen to meet her when I go to her small “Carenderia” – Kainan sa Tierra Royale. While my daughter and I were enjoying the sweet cooling effects of halo-halo (which we shared together-just one order for two of us – hating kapatid) my friend, the owner of the “Carinderia” asked how I was doing, my children and their schooling. Gladly, I replied with my mouth full of “halo-halo” that everything’s okay, that my eldest daughter had just graduated eight days ago and that I still have to struggle some more for the schooling of my four younger children – three are in college and one is still in high school. I admitted too that there are difficult times we have to pass through. She smiled and said, “Yes, it is not always time of plenty, just look at a vessel or a container, sometimes it has to be empty or lacking or scarce so that it can be filled up. When the container is always full, there is no need to fill it up. It does not make a change. It will remain stagnant.” “Yes, Nanay Mildred,” I replied, “Trials, too make us strong, humble and dependent on God. When we are in want, we simply can rely in God, right?”

With the food I ordered for lunch, and the refreshing taste of “halo-halo”, my daughter and I walked the streets of Tierra Grande with head up high. Today I learned a golden lesson from an old woman.