Chapter 1: MIRACLE LASS
In a far place where civilization is quite to meet, there is a couple who is living in a simple way. Mr. And Mrs. Delos Santos was been married for almost two years. Because of the age they have, it’s hard for them to produce a baby. They even go to the church and travel one hour everyday to pray and worship God. Their faith brought them to have a baby.
One day, Mrs. Delos Santos is busy preparing for a breakfast. She fried eggs and prepared a glass of milk and loaves of fresh bread.
“Dad, the breakfast is ready.Come on and get it,” she called.
Mr. Delos Santos is a factory worker in the city. He also travels one hour just to have an everyday income and to be used also to the upcoming delivery of the child in the part of his wife.
“Good morning,” he kissed his wife.
They both eat their breakfast. While eating, Mrs. Delos Santos opened a little conversation about what she feels.
“Dad, every time I smell your perfume and see your face, I feel so dizzy and irritated as if I want to scratch your face and quarrel you,” she said laughingly.
Mr. Delos Santos was choked about what his wife told him. He knew that because his wife is under the stage of paglilihi. He just hugged and kissed his wife saying...
“You can scratch my face and quarrel me as long as you want but make sure after you do those things, you will give me plenty of children after you gave birth.”
Mrs. Delos Santos laughed with that joke of her husband.
“I have to go honey,”he said.
He kissed his wife again but this time on the forehead and tummy. He went to the city to work and he’ll just arrive home late in the evening. Eight hours is the estimated work time of Mr. Delos Santos and paid by a salary of P 4,500.00 a week.
Mrs. Delos Santos is always alone at home whenever her husband is working. She has nothing to talk with that’s why she finds things in order for her to be entertained. She usually read books, newspapers and magazines. She loves writing also since she was young. The memories of her achievements in writing were kept in a box. Until now, she keeps on writing whether it’s technical or creative. That’s her routinary activities .
Several months passed and her tummy gets bigger. Mr. Delos Santos always buys things that are needed by his wife and baby such as vitamins, maternal milk etc. When its pay time, they visit the ob-gyne for checkups and advises. Every night, he caresses the tummy of his wife to show comfort and love to the baby. He’s good in singing as well as in playing the guitar that’s why he sings and plays the guitar for her towards the mother and baby before they sleep. They are very great couples because they both possess an ideal couple.
Just like other pregnant women, Mrs. Delos Santos walks around the surrounding as a form of exercise and never engages in hard household chores. She takes a rest and just read books and newspapers.
The ninth month of her pregnancy arrived and the couples are very excited about the baby. Mr. Delos Santos had a request for leave in his work so that he can be with his wife. His wife’s ob-gyne told him that the first week of April will be the target date for his wife’s delivery of child.
Upon sitting on a bench near the terrace of the house, Mr. Delos Santos heard a call from their room.
“Daddy!!!!!!!!!,” her wife shouted painfully.
He ran fast as he could. He lifts his wife and brings her to the nearest mini hospital in the place. Mixed emotions were felt by him that time. When the doctor goes out from the operating room, he talked to Mr. Delos Santos.
The doctor shook hands with him saying.
“Your wife delivered the child normally. Congratulations! You are now a father of a healthy beautiful baby.”
“Thanks doc,”he said with a joy in his heart.
Later on, they named the baby girl Maria because she’s indeed a miracle and blessing to the couples. Maria is a very beautiful baby with a white complexion of skin. Her father’s gene is the most dominant that’s why she looks like her father.
They stayed at the hospital for four days for the wound of Mrs. Delos Santos and after such, they went home.
Mr. Delos Santos get back to work after a week but requested to their manager to diminish his working hours so that he could have plenty of time caring his wife and baby. He took also the household chores---cooking, laundrying and cleaning the house etc.
Chapter 2: THE AWARD ACHIEVER
Four years had passed and Maria is at her first day at the school near their place. She entered as a day care pupil at the age of four. At that young age, Maria’s parents are very happy because they knew that she is really a gift from God who’s a gifted child. From that age, she joined different activities at school. She’s very active and participative even without any incentive grade or whatsoever from her teachers. For being a bright and industrious child and a pupil, every teacher likes her----from her character traits up to the good approaches she establishes.
Kindergarten days, elementary years---she never disappointed her parents nor her teachers for the high expectations marked to her. She’s indeed a total quality package individual. She got honors and different awards in every commencement of the school. Proud parents always support the child whenever Maria needs them. One achievement of hers is the best journalist from within the campus up to the regional contests. She’s really a writer. One time, after the regional contest, she was interviewed by a segment host of not too popular TV show. She was invited there to share her experiences and tips on writing---either a news article or a literary discourse. Maria was only eleven years old that time but she answered just like a sixteen-year-old student. The audience and especially the host were amazed.
“Wow! You’re cool and great!” said the segment host.
With humility and fine voice she answered, “Thank you.”
After such, she became the pride of their place and her Alma Mater itself.
Maria graduated as the Valedictorian of the class and continues to fill the paths towards her future by means of studying harder and better.
She’s not only an ordinary lass with high ambitions in life but also a very humble servant of God. She keeps on praying and attends masses.
High school years came in hand. She was enrolled at the famous mother high school in their place. Maria is still Maria; she never changed her study habits and daily routines. One time when Maria was at her fourth year in high school, she was approached by her English teacher to join the national campus journalism to be held at the University of the Philippines Diliman. Despite of the fact that it’s expensive and exclusive contest, teachers and heads of the school never thought many times to let Maria join it because she got the skills and intelligence—in short, they stick to their belief that Maria could make it.
After a week of preparation to the contest, she and her English teacher travelled to U.P. Diliman for the competition. Together with her ball pen and a paper, she entered in a full air conditioned room of the University and sit at the first row of chairs. Ample time were given to them to produce a very nice news article.
“Time is up!” declared the facilitator of the contest.
Everybody was able to produce various news articles. The only thing to be waited is the result of the winners.
Actually, contestants for that competition are exclusive for the fourth year students. A student that will be declared as a champion will be given a chance to enrol a journalism course in the said university and have a full scholarship as well as have an assurance that after college, there’ll be a waiting job for that student.
Three hours were consumed by the judges to read those articles. Luckily, Maria’s article was chosen and declared as the champion.
Teary eyed she whispered, “Thank God for a great blessing.”
Her Alma Mater, teachers, friends and most especially her parents were again very proud of her. It was month of January when Maria received a letter from U.P. Diliman containing the scholarship grant for her which was the award for being the champion in the national journalism contests.
At that time, she cried not because she’s sad but because of happiness. Now she had an assurance to step in college to take the course she ever wanted since then.
She established a deep sigh.
Her high school years ended and graduated with flying colors.
Chapter 3: THE BIG THING
At the age of sixteen, college life first striked Maria so much.
Toxic days were at that time because it’s a period of adjustment from being a high school student to a more mature way of schooling. She cried for almost three weeks for being apart from her parents. She has no cellphone that time for the fact that they have a low economic status of living. She took it as a burden on especially on the part of her mother who has a cervical cancer.
Lately, her mother found out that she really had that cancer. At first, they kept it as a secret to their daughter. Because of conscience and for their daughter not to be shocked for the high bills they are about to pay for, they must tell the truth. They told that secret when Maria went home after three weeks of adjusting her lifestyle in college but she just stayed at their house for a day for her studies in Manila.
It’s really hard on the part of the mother to be apart from a daughter like Maria knowing that there were no devices or gadgets to be used for everyday communication. For Maria, it’s a worse part, spending an exact amount of money for daily expenses and doesn’t know the condition of her parents with the same reason with her mother.
One time, a friend and a classmate of Maria invited her to enter a job(a job that will aid her to earn a particular amount to buy a cellphone). She took immediately the invitation and after a couple of days, she was employed in a fast food restaurant as a service crew. She had been a working student for almost three months. She works at night for six hours and studies every day for five hours. With kind of living, she became thin, haggard, and her beauty diminishes. That thing was done not because just for her own but because for the sake of asking and checking the condition of her parents from time to time by means of a cellular phone.
For three months, she earned a good amount and be able to buy two cellular phones—one for her and for her parents; for them to keep in touch always.
Fortunately, the university together with the respective dean of their college helps her for the everyday allowance, lodging and expenses for every activity at school as what the scholarship contract entails to when she had the letter.
Sometimes, Maria felt so like giving up but instead t, she never let it happen. Thus, she kept on praying and had a stronger faith in God. She bears in her mind the advices of her parents whenever she’s down in this world.
Maria counted years in college and kept on making her name be famous entire the college with her writing and thinking skills. She continues to let people be proud of her and kept expectations that will never be broke off. One day, when Maria is having a report with her major subject, there’s an emergency call from her father. She excused for awhile and answered the call.
“Maria...”
“Tay, is there something wrong?,”she asked worriedly.
Her tatay told Maria that her mom was rushed in the hospital because of the serious effects of the cervical cancer. Without so much a do, Maria excused herself in the class and even for the rest subjects just in two days to see her mother’s hard condition.
Looking to her mother in the hospital bed made her heart torn into pieces. She cried terribly...
“Ohh my mom, how I wish I was the one who’s suffering from your illness not you..”
She went to the hospital chapel to ask healing from God.
Bills at the hospital were too high and that made her to invest another problem. She went back again to Manila to beg for a help to the University. With open hearts and hands, the faculty members and deans lend a help to Maria. They showed generosity and concern to her and that ended her problem regarding to the bills.
Mrs. Delos Santos stayed for a month at the hospital and be able to recover a little bit. Her condition never affected her daughter’s studies yet it served as her strength and basis to pursue her dreams.
Summer came. It’s supposed to be the rest days of Maria from getting a stressful works at school. Instead of having it, she worked at the municipal hall as a sub-prof since she had earned seventy-five units and was able to pass the examination for it as well as for an interview. She did earn a better salary than the work he had before. She continued her work for the sake of the medication of her mother and decided to stop for at least a sem to earn faster. Permission was given by the university concerns for Maria.
“ Your scholarship will still be offered to you if the time comes that you’ll come back to continue your course. Remember Maria, we are part of your family. This university needs you and will be needing you,” said by the university president.
Maria was so grateful. She shook hands with the university president saying...
“It’s my pleasure Sir, thank you.”
Months later, her mom was again admitted to the hospital. It’s more serious than the first admission few months ago. After twenty four hours of suffering, Mrs. Delos Santos passed away. The cancer cells were spread and intact in every system of the body. Maria and her father cried and felt so much pain of losing someone who’s indeed a very important person. They hugged each other with intense sobs.
Chapter 4: LOVE AND SUCCESS
The mournful days were over yet the memories were still remain on the hearts and minds of the two beloved persons left by Mrs. Delos Santos.
Maria is about to continue her schooling after the painful experience she had. She took it as a challenge and served as an inspiration to pursue her dreams. Her mother was really a great writer during her college times at a university and it was inherited to Maria. Maria never let that trademark of her mom be vanished with just a blink of an eye. She promised to her mom that she will do another trademark for the family.
She focused very much on her studies. She never had a love life even before—NBSB, no boyfriend since birth; for she knew that it will just ruin her studies and not for het to achieve her dreams. There were suitors but never entertained. Admirers came but they remained as admirers. Maria never had hatred to men for that reason but she wanted to finish her studies first before doing and having things in hand.
One day, Mr. Lopez, her favourite professor in their college talked to her during break time. They had a good conversation about journalism. The dreamer asked several things on journalism. The professor never refused to answer those things being asked. He had shared his fruitful experiences to Maria and that made her proud of him....
“ Awesome!,” Maria praised his professor.
They both laugh and for a moment they ate their meals.
While eating, Mr. Lopez opened a personal topic....
“Maria, do you have a boyfriend?,”asked by the professor.
“I don’t have any prof..even before.I enjoy being single at this age,” the lady answered smilingly.
The professor began to tell about his children...
“I have three children. One boy and two girls. Jairo is my eldest, a certified doctor and works at St. Lukes hospital. Faye, my second child is a journalist and my youngest, Love, is a student of this university taking up A.B. European Languages.”
“Wooooh! Sounds great prof. How I wish I could have children just like yours,” she said extremely.
“Of course you can. You know what? Jairo told something last night. He wanted to have a girl friend but he was too picky and sets standards for a girl. Upon telling so, I remembered you. The standards he set were already on you. I want you to be his girlfriend,” said the professor.
Maria laughed modestly and cracked a joke...
“You’re kidding prof. I think your tummy needs more food.”
They laughed again and continue the conversation...
“No I’m not. I’ll be calling my son later so that he could meet you.”
Maria just smiled and excused herself for the conversation because she’ll be having her third class.
They both separate their ways and be able to meet after their classes.
Mr. Lopez recommended Maria to his son and be courted formally. At last, the two met in a dinner date which was planned by Mr. Lopez. The two had a cool conversation and began to have a comfortable feeling having each other. Jairo courted Maria formally. He always visits Maria at their house at night and gives flowers and gifts for her. At that moment of Maria’s entire life, she began to fall in love. It lasted six months to court a woman like Maria. The two were officially couples at the month of December. They enjoyed most of the time whenever they were together. It changed the philosophy of Maria towards studies and love life. It served also as an increasing strength to pursue the things he wanted to achieve in life.
The long wait and the hard times in college ended as Maria graduated as Magna Cum Laude with his degree in journalism. Her proud father stepped on stage and took pictures as remembrances to the said success. Jairo also was so proud of his love one.
Two months later, Maria had a very good job in a newspaper company. She began as a simple news writer up to a very famous editor-in-chief. She wrote many news articles that were been in to the people. From those things, she earned an executive salary every month. She put up a mansion after two years in the industry and with Jairo, they put up a restaurant as business. She achieved her ambitions in life with the patience, industry and a strong faith in God. She offered those things to her parents and continues to fill the colors of her life.
