A leader, a hero, and a Filipino: Rizal, who has influenced me

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The following post, are words from my reflection paper that I have made for my Rizal subject. I find the article so beautiful and pure, that I decided to post it in this blog. I also posted this in tribute for the Rizal Day, which is fast approaching on December 30th. Enjoy!

A leader, a hero, and a Filipino: Rizal, who has influenced me

In this life, there are moments where we ponder into the horizon. Thinking of a life, which we view as acceptable for our own. To live a life, that is understood as "a life worth living." In these instances, a life of a leader, is displayed with trials, hardships, and successes. Their lives aren't that of people who lives their life to the fullest. They are people, who use their very existence for the service of others. They are the guiding light, that people look up to. They help us go through with our lives and make it easier for us. They give us the direction, in a turbulent life, when the tough gets tougher, and when hope is seemingly deprived of us. These are leaders, people who sacrifices themselves, to continuously help others, in achieving a common goal.

The leader that I admire the most, is our national hero, Dr. José Rizal. Born Dr. José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda, is a martyr of the Philippine Revolution. He was the founder of the civic organization "La liga Filipina", which inspired the revolution of the katipunan, including heroes, Andres Bonifacio and Emilio Aguinaldo. He may not be a warrior in the times of Spanish colonization, but he showed his love for our country, in a non violent approach. He protested against the Spanish crown, in the pursuit of equality and peace. He inspired the people, to live up to themselves, and give them a sense of self-respect, thus, giving them hope for a brighter future. These attributes, are enough for me, to rate him as a leader, and more importantly a hero.

Dr. José Rizal's remarkable characteristics or intelligences, amazes me, and inspires me to follow his footsteps, in helping him attain his dream, even in this century. Like Rizal, I wish to be an inspiration to others, in helping people, realize their dreams, by continuously making people believe in themselves. Rizal is very admirable with his linguistic skills, this also inspired me, to work more on my speech, writing, foreign language speaking, and translating. Rizal is a well-known phycist, and following his path, he has also played an important role in my life, in choosing the medical profession. Rizal, to me, is a person that I think, is worth emulating, for he has found it's way not only into the hearts of all Filipino's, but especially to the entire world.

His insights of life, has influenced me greatly, in terms of how I view life. He is a person with tremendous dedication to his work. He is a treasure of the Philippine islands, and most of his works are revered until this very age. He is a clear representation of a true Filipino. Similar to our day and age, like Rizal, most Filipino's have bloodlines of foreign heritage. Dr. José Rizal, is a true representation, of not only a leader, but a hero. I am proud to have Dr. José Rizal, as a part of our great Philippine Heroes. As a person, Jose Rizal, will remain as an example, of what a Filipino is all about, and that is, being optimistic, hospitable, proud, and most importantly, God-fearing.

Trivia: Rizal day is marked on the 30th of December, in tribute to the great Filipino hero. Rizal Day and my birth date are both coinciding on the same date.

Picture: A painting of the great Filipino hero, Dr. José Rizal.

Hatred is not for Champs

In instances that I could never imagine myself to be at, I have finally found myself in a situation, that I can say, that I am at my lowest point. This lowest point isn't anything about failing, depression, inactivity, or anything like such. The lowest point that I have experienced now, for me, is when I experience hatred. An intense feeling that eats you up, makes you frustrated, and is stored inside of you like some energy that needs to be released. I constantly find myself on random aggression, as I think of thoughts that are bothering me. I find myself getting up and doing some shadow boxing, hitting the bed, and shouting at the top of my lungs, which is all the effect of the anger that I am feeling as of this moment. At the end of the day, I find myself being miserable, making sleeping a challenge, as I have found it difficult to put my mind at rest, with an anger in my mind and heart. Oh what a feeling it would be, when I unleash this on the person I hated. I feel like I would keep loading up punches, until there is no hatred left inside of me. I feel like a volcano, bursting in flames, and I wanted every flame that I have, to devour the person that I hate. I know that I should be in control of myself and my emotions. I know I am a fighter, and that a fight anytime of the day will be welcomed, but using this advantage against a non-fighter would be shameful to my part. God didn't entrusted me with the gift of power, to wreck havoc, but he gave it to me for a purpose, and I believe that purpose is for me to be a champion, and inspire the world. The events that triggered this emotion, hasn't left my mind and it keeps growing inside of my heart. Although, I will try to relax myself for the moment, but I will never forget the events that took place, and when the time comes, I will definitely need to confront him, to finish the issue and my misery. Nothing is more dangerous than a person who is at his limits. A true champion knows how to control his emotions when he is tested, that way he becomes more focused as his opponent becomes more frustrated. I want to learn every part of this experience, as God should have wanted me to grow from this. It is all a learning process, on the ever difficult and winding roads of becoming a true champion. I will try and be better every time, for the world to know my greatness.. For God, for the world, and for myself.

A Champion and Liquor

It's been a wild evening, as I have just experienced the night life, which is clearly contradictory to what I believe and stand for. I have decided to experience this sort of trend in life, which will help me not to regret, that I have never done this, if ever I continued in my beliefs. Drinking liquor is a vice that needs to be taken out of anyone's system. As for me, I only drink these in every special occasions, like the fiesta's or the new year's, but I have never taken them as a habit. It's fun to do these once in a while, but I do clearly believe, that it will affect the outcome of what I wished for all my life, and that is, to be a champion. I don't want people to follow this demeanor that I have showed, but once in a while, you can say that these sort of things are fine as you take it rarely. Now is one of those days, as I consumed as much as I can handle, and being able to control oneself when that influence of liquor kicks in, is an experience unlike any other. Going through this, I have recalled the difference of my state from the fatter me, to the athletic me. I can say, that the fatter me, was able to tolerate alcohol at it's most extreme, while right at the moment, I am able to tolerate only a few glasses. In the event of this experience, I found pleasure in assessing myself as the influence progresses. Noting my body through the earlier stages, I am tense and observant through out my surroundings. Drinking a few, made me open up, becoming more sociable than usual, as I begin to feel at ease, and communicate some more. As the influence kicks-in, I begin to feel a chill, a body that seemed to tolerate tiredness. It also seemed that I feel light, and that my bones are able to flex without the limitations I would feel when in a normal state. Then you would feel the equilibrium imbalance, having a feeling that is almost similar to the effects of anesthesia. I can feel my skin, desensitizing as if I got anesthesia on my veins. Every itch from my skin are tolerated and less cared. As I have noticed, alcohol also seemed to make you tougher, as I have recalled seeing my girl talking to a stranger whom was seemingly, in my mind, had a bad intention. I immediately kicked in, and watched out for that person, because if he dares to face her again, with me at her side, believe me, the guy will have the worst beating of his life. I just couldn't believe that a champion like me, was in this position, drinking liquor and dancing on the disco. Looking through my surroundings, I began to notice a really drunk individual. He was more than what the symptom's that I have experienced. He was like a fainted individual being carried through his friend. Perhaps showing, how much the effect of liquor can get to a person, at it's limits. I have done this so I can experiment myself, in how much I can go through in this circumstance. In these fewer instances, I am able to record, of my experience on it's effects on the human body. In differentiating my current state to the state that I was in the past, from fat to the athletic. I have no regret's in what I have done, and surely, I won't be doing these every now and then. As I have said, being a champion is one of my dreams. I will take away any obstacles necessary, in order for me to reach my goal. I won't allow every hardships, pain, and trials that I have had, be put into the trash because of this. God has designed me in such a way, to fit in through what the requisites on my dream demands, and I dream to be an inspiration. I will make the weak strong, make the sentiments of the oppressed heard, and make a champion, out of every individual I meet. No matter how much liquor has kicked in, in me, I know I'm all heart. That fighter's will find it difficult to knock me down, as even if chance's may be slim for me, I will continue and be fighting. I will go on, and know, I will be standing in the end. This will be one of those few day's in my life for this. For I want people to believe in me, and to have faith in me, that I can achieve anything, when I believe.

Note: Writing this down, I know I am on the influence of alcohol. It will be the first time that I will be able to write a post, with the condition that I am in.