Giving - It's More Fun in the Philippines

I bet if Patricia could understand the hype of #itsmorefuninthePhilippines, then she would have made a postcard of this photo of her with her Lola and wrote, "To be loved. #ItsmoreFuninthePhilippines."

Patricia is a special child I met in Bulacan in 2010, while we were doing the rounds for our annual book drive on my birthday. Patricia wasn't part of the class of grade 1 students we chose as beneficiaries for our book donations. I could not remember now though, if she belonged to a different class because of her condition, or if she was just a year ahead of those first graders. Despite that, it is her that I remember very distinctly to this day. Patricia came up to me like a normal student- bubbly and giddy to get just one book that day. She was accompanied by her Lola who told me, "Ma'am pwede po ba raw siya makahingi ng isang libro lang?" I looked at Patricia and didn't think there was something wrong. She stood there waiting for my answer, with a smile that could melt even the toughest amongst us. It was probably that smile that pushed me to walk towards our car and just grab one book- without thinking twice. And it was then that I saw how beautiful her smile was. She flashed it like a model walking down the ramp for the first time, like a little girl getting a kiss from her mother after doing a good job in school. She was this happy she wasn't able to resist the urge to give me her warmest embrace. You see, there's always something we can give. Sadly, I have observed that we give less nowadays, even if we can give more. In the four years that I have done outreach projects, I still get setbacks. I would often get more than 20 Likes on a personal post about a trip out of town or a new development in my life, but on the contrary would not get that much response for posts about donations or call for help. As the years have gone, the feeling of rejection in this aspect of my life still hurts me as bad as the first time. Maybe, I would never get used to this rejection in my life. And that's because I have been taught that there's goodness inside of everyone I meet. That is why I always try to look at the bright side of all these rejections and low points. No matter how expensive gas is today, I will never get tired of driving up to Benguet to see the kids. Even if what's in my pocket is just enough for the week, I will give that up to buy toys or slippers for an outreach. Oh yes you bet, I would give anything I have and find a way to make anything out of nothing, if that is all it takes to give. I know, you feel the same way too. Maybe, you just don't know how to do it, or don't know where to start. It is because I think, that we often think that to be able to give- we have to start big. No, that's not how it is. To be able to give, look within you and find what you can. The world never runs out of people who need our help, and they are not asking much from us. Sometimes, all they need is your time. Sometimes, all they want is you. Sometimes, you just have to rise above yourself and just give without thinking twice. And why would you do that? What would you get out of it? It's not the fame or the recognition for doing something good, it's not being known for being good. What we really get out of sincere and selfless giving is fulfillment and happiness- that not even the most expensive things can bring us. If we're lucky enough, we'll get to live and see happiness like this from a child- to make us realize how giving, is much more fun not only in the Philippines, but the world over.