Helping the Poor

hen I was in college, I never really have given much thought on how I would run my life after, on what kind of profession would I be pursuing, but time does fly fast, and here I am now blogging about an article I thought of years ago but was hesitant to write due to my state of mind back then.  Currently, I'm working as a freelance graphic artist and I never thought it to be this so much fun! Everyday is almost a new day for me, learning everything I can with every time I spend infront of my computer.  I earned money reasonably, made impressions, etched signatures, travelled distances, etc.  But that's just a means to an end, there's more to my life than just sitting here, earning money, and being happy and making others happy.

Just a few months ago, I thought seriously on my own life and my future and thought even wider after that and realized a few hurting realities in this world, including this humble land I am in, the Philippines.  As you might have already known, the Philippines is one of the smallest countries, categorized being a 3rd world country due to irrational reasons that up to now hasn't baffled me but instead enraged my inner conscience.  Being such, I was so lucky to have experienced both the glories of life and the mind-sickening taste of life's downsides.  By glorious I mean living a prosperous life, having all those expensive toys, gadgets, etc.  That was primarily due to my dad being one of the most influential people in our place back then.  We've had so many cars, bodyguards, money, and the like.  I used to go to school with bodyguards with me because my dad feared those concerned enemies of his might kidnap me or something like that.  We went playing outside with bodyguards as well.  So probably now, you get the picture. But living that kind of life is a real pain in the ass, you can't move a finger without being watched by somebody.  You can't even eat a right meal with your parents, since they're always out on a business.  It feels good to have experienced those things in life, but that's when I learned at an early age that money isn't everything, that it can't actually buy you happiness because if it did, I wouldn't have been that lonely back then.  I wouldn't have been the bastard and bully kid I have been.

But everything that goes up will eventually come down, as in my case.  A couple of years after that, I was a teenager then, there I experienced one of the most horrifying and saddening truths of life.  The cars we used to have were gone, that includes the money we had back then.  I went to school not with bodyguards, but an undersized leather shoe which looked like it would be torn anytime then, a stitched bag, a couple of used pencils, shirts, pants, etc.  In short, we were so poor sometimes we don't have something to eat. Our room has had crawling cockroaches everywhere, rats running around, you name it.  And coming from a rich background, that would have been so hurtful for me to appreciate, but I didn't hold a grudge against that time of my life, instead I felt contented that I was still alive and breathing and thought to myself that there are even worse cases out there that I have to see and was lucky enough I hadn't been in their own shoes.  I used to cry for that kind of mishap we had been into.  So much that my classmates used to have the newer toys and school supplies while I've had the toys you'd get free from buying a one peso snack and having school supplies that have been given by other neighbors.  But the most important thing that we have back then was the family bond we had that was so firm and happy, despite the bitterness life has given upon us.

But as time went by, we used to learn from our own mistakes and here we are now, living an average and happy life, away from richness or poverty.  And those kinds of experiences has lead me into the right man I am now, contented and very happy.  Reminiscing those moments brings back the laughter and sadness in me. 

Through the travels I've been through, I've seen people experience an even worse state of living than the way we used to.  That brought a longing feeling deep inside me.  That's why whenever I can, I used to give the unfortunate kids on the streets some money they could buy food with and felt a gratifying happiness deep within me.  After years of thought, I finally decided, once I stabilize myself well enough, the poor would be one of the first few people I'd be helping, I know it sounds very ambitious but I'll try and I will.

There's nothing much more satisfying than making other people happy.  From this time on, I'll start running the course of life, not a race, but a journey.  A journey to helping the people who deserves to be helped.

Wish me luck on this journey.  ^_^