Time really flies so swiftly. Initially, I never thought I could last even a single week being away from my love ones, especially my gorgeous wifey and precious daughter, Albeit how difficult it was, I still managed to last half a year -- whew! What a milestone it is! So what's remarkable!? Nothin' much really but I've written a short blog which I hope would inspire OFWs to continue the great work they've been doing all these years. Here's a salute to us OFWS -- here it goes.
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I often ask myself in my quiet solitude what motivated me to embark in this challenge of working abroad... aside from getting a fair relief in finances for myself and family? What really moved me to do this and what ultimate good I can get from this experience? My prayers and contemplation got me writing this piece. Hope someone may get something good from it tho'.
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In success... In trying times... In triumph... In frustrations... In whatever happenings in my life here in an estranged foreign land, I just hold on to these 3 essential things and my worries are no more of importance.
KINDNESS encompasses everything that is good. I believe in the bible passage "What you sow is what you reap". Essentially, when you show kindness to others, it will come back a hundredfold, or a thousandfold even. In this chaotic and hypocritical world we live in, it is easier to be bold, arrogant, rude, aloof, distrusting or even cynical. Name any pessimistic trait there is, and I'm pretty sure any of you have tried to be one in one way or another. But, the bible stresses "the truth shall set you free", and fortunately we are created by God first and foremost in His own image and likeness -- KIND in one word!
So why do people tend to divert from the "all is good" attitude? Some would often say "to go with the flow", or "it's easier to do bad as what others would". As what Freud conceptualized in his structural model of the Psyche, the id is a set of uncoordinated instinctual trends -- so basically when one chooses to do bad things over the good, the Id prevails than our alter ego. (Read on this concept of psychological apparatus by Sigmund Freud for further reference). But I'd say, coining Freud's another famous concepts, the conscious human mind is just a tip of an iceberg, metaphorically the one submerged into the waters is way bigger than what one sees or even knows -- and I believe that God has reserved that fathomless deepness for KINDNESS! we just have to dig deeper into our thoughts and dive abysmally into our hearts and find it.
"Be careful with your thoughts they become words, be careful with your words they become actions, be careful with your actions they become a habit, and be careful with your habits they become your character, and your character defines you..." - Gandhi
HARD WORK can never be compared to forced labor or slavery. When we say hard work, it is composed of two essential things, passion and sacrifice. "Forced labor is any kind of work or service wherein people are forced to do against their will under the threat of some punishment." It is greatly abhorrent and should be a thing of the past, sadly there are still traces of modern day slavery happening all around the world -- and evidently there is no Passion and Sacrifice involved.
People nowadays who are part of the work force may or may not agree with this but they do have the passion but lacks sacrifice or vice versa,,, what I've learned from being away from my love ones for more than half a year is it takes an ample supply of sacrifice and passion to do it -- what more for those OFWs who have been exhausting their lives for years working abroad. Sacrificing the comfort of being with their families in person just to attend for their financial needs. Passionately offering their expertise to other nations just to earn what they truly deserve -- because the truth is we are undercompensated in our own country and the only logical means to make both ends meet is to work overseas, and be miles apart from the people we love the most. Reality bites, It's the sad and harsh truth.
I don't underrate the people who are working in the country especially the underpaid professionals like teachers and nurses, to be honest I salute them because they choose to offer their service and expertise to serve our kababayans and that's honorable in its strict sense. However, at the end of the day, even after long shifts and toxic duties or a stressful day in teaching and doing lesson plans, they still find solace in the comforts of their homes with their families and for that I envy them. And if possible I would gladly trade places with them just to hug and cuddle my wifey and daughter.
In my short stint in a foreign land so far, I have managed to realize that hard work truly pays off... Not just in matters of finances but in self-actualization. The mere fact that an OFW offers their expertise to benefit another race, another brethren not of same race or ethnicity, is something noble and extraordinary. And the feeling of fulfillment is priceless especially when your work is appreciated. For me, the genuine smile in my patient's faces when they are content and happy with the outcome of their treatment makes my heart leap for unexplainable joy, something that money can't buy. And I can say this modesty aside that it's what makes OFWs cling and hang on to their work abroad, without these and just money, I'm pretty certain that they will more likely seek to work in the Philippines instead.
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13
HUMILITY Is such a powerful and absolute thing that is pretty hard to live by. It takes a lot of guts and extreme control of one's senses to exhibit such. It's not just a mind over matter trick but authentically a complete riddance of not merely arrogance but pride. It's hard to do mind you, I know you do, but what I'm trying to drive at is that it is never to late to radiate such a thing to your present surroundings most specifically to your workplace.
Most of the time, being cooped up with so much stress-related work load keep our cool hang by a thin-thread that could break easily, and/or sometimes just a bit of outside stressor can trigger the sleeping lion within us and we tend to lose our calm and instantly snap in outrage or disgust over things. We are merely humans and pardon me for the cliche but we are indeed born to make mistakes... But the good news is, I believe that inside everyone's hearts is filled with compassion and love for others, and if so it can be a source of the humility that is needed to do one's work with extreme dedication and commitment.
I honestly don't believe that one needs to be a saint or a religious to display humility. What's needed I think is self-awareness. Self-awareness is something I've learned as a Nursing student during my Psychiatric ward exposure. It's simply knowing yourself --your strengths & weakness, beliefs & dissents, capabilities & limits - and using them as a means to reach out to an individual who is in need of your helping hand. If you know the real you, you won't easily be swayed by explicit annoyance from anyone but rather practice tolerance amid it all, tho' difficult it may sound, and just shrug off any negativity.
It's not easy, you will really be tested. The stressors are just there, sometimes even back home, as what I've noticed to some. The choice is solely on you, if you would give in and let your emotions get the worse of you or make them instead a chance, an opportunity, to channel every bit of negative into positive, I know being cynical is a lot whole easier yet I still believe if you just concentrate and put love in everything you do then anything is possible. After all, being humble is much more rewarding than being arrogant and proud. The choice is yours.
"There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellowman; true nobility is being superior to your former self." - Ernest Hemingway
P.S.
I started drafting this blog exactly on the day of my 6th month here (21st of January) and that's roughly a couple of days short of a whole month now! It's been a while really. My good friend Cris (an OFW who works in an INGO) reminded me that he wants to read another of my blogs, so here it goes. Honestly, these great people who I spend my only weekend (Friday) off from work are my inspiration why I wrote this particular blog. They are the perfect example of these 3 words that I try and hope to apply in my stint not just here abroad but in my journey throughout life.
P.S.S.
This is still a higher yearning in my pursuit of finding my purpose, and hoping to live and share it to the rest of humanity. A legacy worth living.
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Inspirations:
To doc Wes and Kuya Nols, for being an epitome of these 3 words in the workplace for over 12 years.
To Cris, Kuya Gers and Ateng Mars, for being a realization of these 3 words in their efforts and works in their respective Int'l NGOs
To Kuya Hecs and utol Jas, for being my fellow newbies in the OFW arena, may we learn and live these 3 words wholeheartedly.
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Lovingly dedicated to my wifey Arlene and precious daughter Rhian
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Roms
Pinoy Dentist/proud OFW
Hargeisa
19 February 2016
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