A rose has its thorns

If there is one thing I can associate with myself, without thinking twice, it would be a rose. For the most basic reason, I like roses. I believe it deserves to be called ‘Queen of flowers.” Its exquisite beauty is both hidden and manifested by each strand of petal that covers the core. Behind its beauty, the form of a rose speaks a lot. With the volume of petals opening up and supported by a green base, anyone would be attracted to hold one and see a clearer view of this flower. But this temptation has a consequence. A rose has its thorns. If one does not know how to hold it properly, he will surely be pricked by the spikes that surround its stem.

A rose…that is what I am.

Born on the 18th of September 1991, I grew up as an only child. My parents were both working abroad by that time so they had to leave me to my maternal grandparents. I took my primary and secondary education in Colegio de Santa Rosa Intramuros, Mainla. Since at that time we were living in Cavite, my grandmother, an uncle and I had to stay in a boarding house inside the ‘Walled city.’

There, I learned a lot about life. At an early age, I can say that I was exposed to the essentials of life. Though it’s not really separated from the rest of the city, the walls of Intramuros seem to figuratively isolate what’s within its division. There in Intramuros, one can get a taste of the rich culture, history, tradition and faith that we Filipinos have. From the pedicabs and kalesas that serve as the main transportation inside the famous tourist destination to the old buildings that represent the past, anyone new to the place would surely be left in awe.

Since my school is located inside Intramuros, the richness of the culture has extended to our curriculum. We were taught to be simple, prayerful and mindful of our cultural heritage. Though personally, I believe I haven’t totally adapted these virtues, I can say that what I really learned was to respect our diversity.

In Intramuros, there’s a lot for one to see. Tourists here and there, juxtaposed old and new establishments, affluent and poor people at one place…surprise really awaits inside the walls. For that reason, I learned to value the distinct importance of things.

I realized it when I reached college. At the age of 16, I became a frosh in De La Salle University-Manila. Taking this huge leap from a simple campus inside a secluded area to entering the busy environment of Taft Avenue was a big challenge for me. I remember getting sick during the first week of class and complaining about fatigue we get from taking the stairs to the 10th floor of Andrew for our classes.

At first, I didn’t know where to find my spot in this university. I didn’t even know if there’s a place waiting for me. All I know was that I have with me the values I learned in Intramuros. Little by little, I started to adjust. Whether I was really able to fit in, I’m not sure. But now, I can say that I found my second home in the school.

As of the moment, I am an incoming senior of AB-Communication Arts. I had my fair share of successes and disappointments for the past two years in the campus. I am also a Discipline Office Paragon. How I got there is another story in itself. But what I’m sure about as of the moment is that, I’m serving my purpose in this school. I know there’s a lot more for me to learn and to experience. But through the lessons I learned during my younger years in Intramuros, I know the rose will survive.