Lately, there have been discussions in social networking sites regarding the hierarchy of professions according to difficulty, to significance, to everything that a person can think of. This sparked a parade of opinions, agreements, disagreements and violent reactions from everyone, netizen or not. Points were raised. Facts were laid. Sentiments were unleashed. No one wants to back down. Everyone wants to fight for the pride and dignity of their profession to death. Who wouldn’t?
Nowadays, people always fight for superiority. Who is better? Who is worse? No one wants to be second, to be less, to just be the runner-up. No one but one. Before the diploma, before the PRC license, before the salutations, before everything that happened after graduation, every one of us is a student.
We once sat on that desk, pen and paper on hand, listening to that one voice that helped us achieve the dreams we have been carrying in our hearts since Day 1. We once wondered how can a complicated equation end up with number 1, how can sodium and chloride lose their toxicity when combined, how can a roller coaster ride be the center of our Physics class, how can words be so similar when heard but so different when spelled, how can we survive this quiz, this summative test, this periodical test, this comprehensive exam. We have all been there. We have all done that. With them.
With those voices who welcomed us each day with ‘Good morning, Class!’, who shared with us knowledge from the books and from their life experiences too, who fueled our will and motivation to finish school and get that degree, who inspired us to reach for the stars while keeping our feet on the ground, who showed us the very definition of the words ‘passion’ and ‘selflessness’. Those who are in the teaching profession don’t strive to be better than any other profession out there. They strive to bring out the best in everyone, to help their students shine, to guide them through this maze called life, to be there for them, all the time. They nourish the dreams of their students. They fuel it. Just like how a mother cares for her young. Unconditional and pure.
By: Mary Charlotte R. Bonus | T-III | Mariveles National High School-Cabcaben
