CHANCE TO CHANGE
CHANCE TO CHANGE
Have you ever regretted any instances in your life when you should have done something but because of some reasons, you weren't able to do anything?
Tonight I will share you how I changed the chances in my life from letting it passed, to grabbing and even creating them. There were too many of them but I will just concentrate to more striking ones.
I was so fortunate that I was able to study in College without paying any single cent as my sister was employee of the school - Colegio de San Juan de Letran. The school was paying all of my tuition fees and my sister for miscellaneous fees. It worked that way and I didn't have to maintain high grades to keep my scholarship.
On one Friday afternoon in Year 2000, my professor in English Literature subject, Mrs. Santos, gave us an assignment. "Students, prepare a monologue and you will deliver it on a day that I will call out your name. So, you better be prepared." I didn't prepare at all as I was thinking I will not be chosen immediately.
One day, she called my classmate and asked her to deliver her piece. Ms. Agustin, my classmate, said, "Sorry Ma'am, I am not ready." I was hoping she's not calling the names in alphabetical order as I know my seatmates didn't prepare as well. The next names she called were Ms. Bano, then Mr. Borja, then Ms. Calumag then Ms. Cancino... I didn't say anything but just moved my head horizontally.
When I saw my class cards after that semester, she gave me a grade of 79%. It was a passing mark but it disqualified me from being a candidate for CumLaude. My sister's colleagues after seeing my class cards with line of 9 grades (90, 90, 90 but with 79%) advised - "Oh, you should approach your professor, you might regret this later." All I said to them was, "It's ok. It's my fault."
In our community, I've been leading youth organization called Parish Youth Ministry since 2000. We are not just involved in prayer in silence but we are also active in social activities. We have variety shows such as singing, dancing and acting. And occasionally, we would have Acting Workshops to prepare the youths for the lent presentation.
In most of those workshops, while they were busy showing their acting talents, I was always on the side just watching them. They tried hard to invite me to participate but I'll always say no. They kept on convincing me, "it's easy. Just feel the character and emotions will follow." I tried doing it without others looking but I really couldn't.
Do you know what my role was every time there's play? I was always the Director... always the Director's assistant - holding the script, arranging the props, arranging lights and any other admin tasks.
In 2007, when I moved to Bermuda and had the chance to work with my colleagues who came from different countries (Bermuda, America, Sydney, South Africa, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, India & Scotland) that I would say even though we came from different countries, there's one common denominator among them, note it, among them not us. They love HAPPY HOUR! They also tried hard to invite me to join them but I always say no and only join them if someone was leaving the company. Not that I don't drink but I was afraid because I was not used to drinking with others especially that I was not in my country.
Then, for some unexpected events, I was transferred from Bermuda to USA. Do you want to know how come I'm in HK now?
On one Friday night in 2010, my officemate invited me to join them for happy hour. No one was leaving the company but just they were having a get together. I joined them and one of the chit-chats was about our career plans.... I told them I want to go back to Asia if there's an opportunity. One day, on the following week, the guy, Brian, who was in the happy hour, told me that he just found out that their manager, Ronald, is going to HK and I should be connected with Roger, (position). I didn't have second thought to approach Roger even though I didn't know him at all. I came to his office the following day, introduced myself and told him my career plans about going back to Asia. He told me, "You are so brave to approach a person you don't know and tell what you're telling now. I'll definitely contact you if there's any opening in my department. You can start searching vacancies now and let me know if there is any that interests you." And the rest islogged in my journal...
Just last Saturday when I delivered my project 5 (Your Body Speaks), one of my evaluators, Derek, commented about improvement of my facial expressions. I was reminded of the days during Acting Workshop. If I had taken the chance before in improving my facial expressions, these things will be easier now. Though those chances were gone, there are new chances in front of me through Toastmasters that if I will grab, I know it will improve myself a lot. I've come to realize the difference of just being passive and being reactive about chances in my life. It doesn't matter how many times chances cross my path but it's how many times I recognized them that if I will react accordingly, it might lead to a change, a better change.
Have you ever regretted any instances in your life when you should have done something but because of some reasons, you weren't able to do anything?
Tonight I will share you how I changed the chances in my life from letting it passed, to grabbing and even creating them. There were too many of them but I will just concentrate to more striking ones.
I was so fortunate that I was able to study in College without paying any single cent as my sister was employee of the school - Colegio de San Juan de Letran. The school was paying all of my tuition fees and my sister for miscellaneous fees. It worked that way and I didn't have to maintain high grades to keep my scholarship.
On one Friday afternoon in Year 2000, my professor in English Literature subject, Mrs. Santos, gave us an assignment. "Students, prepare a monologue and you will deliver it on a day that I will call out your name. So, you better be prepared." I didn't prepare at all as I was thinking I will not be chosen immediately.
One day, she called my classmate and asked her to deliver her piece. Ms. Agustin, my classmate, said, "Sorry Ma'am, I am not ready." I was hoping she's not calling the names in alphabetical order as I know my seatmates didn't prepare as well. The next names she called were Ms. Bano, then Mr. Borja, then Ms. Calumag then Ms. Cancino... I didn't say anything but just moved my head horizontally.
When I saw my class cards after that semester, she gave me a grade of 79%. It was a passing mark but it disqualified me from being a candidate for CumLaude. My sister's colleagues after seeing my class cards with line of 9 grades (90, 90, 90 but with 79%) advised - "Oh, you should approach your professor, you might regret this later." All I said to them was, "It's ok. It's my fault."
In our community, I've been leading youth organization called Parish Youth Ministry since 2000. We are not just involved in prayer in silence but we are also active in social activities. We have variety shows such as singing, dancing and acting. And occasionally, we would have Acting Workshops to prepare the youths for the lent presentation.
In most of those workshops, while they were busy showing their acting talents, I was always on the side just watching them. They tried hard to invite me to participate but I'll always say no. They kept on convincing me, "it's easy. Just feel the character and emotions will follow." I tried doing it without others looking but I really couldn't.
Do you know what my role was every time there's play? I was always the Director... always the Director's assistant - holding the script, arranging the props, arranging lights and any other admin tasks.
In 2007, when I moved to Bermuda and had the chance to work with my colleagues who came from different countries (Bermuda, America, Sydney, South Africa, Canada, Ireland, Jamaica, India & Scotland) that I would say even though we came from different countries, there's one common denominator among them, note it, among them not us. They love HAPPY HOUR! They also tried hard to invite me to join them but I always say no and only join them if someone was leaving the company. Not that I don't drink but I was afraid because I was not used to drinking with others especially that I was not in my country.
Then, for some unexpected events, I was transferred from Bermuda to USA. Do you want to know how come I'm in HK now?
On one Friday night in 2010, my officemate invited me to join them for happy hour. No one was leaving the company but just they were having a get together. I joined them and one of the chit-chats was about our career plans.... I told them I want to go back to Asia if there's an opportunity. One day, on the following week, the guy, Brian, who was in the happy hour, told me that he just found out that their manager, Ronald, is going to HK and I should be connected with Roger, (position). I didn't have second thought to approach Roger even though I didn't know him at all. I came to his office the following day, introduced myself and told him my career plans about going back to Asia. He told me, "You are so brave to approach a person you don't know and tell what you're telling now. I'll definitely contact you if there's any opening in my department. You can start searching vacancies now and let me know if there is any that interests you." And the rest islogged in my journal...
Just last Saturday when I delivered my project 5 (Your Body Speaks), one of my evaluators, Derek, commented about improvement of my facial expressions. I was reminded of the days during Acting Workshop. If I had taken the chance before in improving my facial expressions, these things will be easier now. Though those chances were gone, there are new chances in front of me through Toastmasters that if I will grab, I know it will improve myself a lot. I've come to realize the difference of just being passive and being reactive about chances in my life. It doesn't matter how many times chances cross my path but it's how many times I recognized them that if I will react accordingly, it might lead to a change, a better change.
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