When I think about my life… how I began, my today and how tomorrow will unfold, I remember the words of Mr. John Nash in the movie… “I’m terrified, mortified, petrified…stupefied by you.”
Certainly, there were days when I try to study and see what will become of me. I’m facing a lot of challenges, my relationships with the people around me, my career, my flight in the graduate school, my church and what I really want to happen in this short time…my passion, I sometimes get scared. Because for a fact, no one really knows. But Mr. Nash lived his life, walked freely around the campus and even wrote calculations on the windows of Princeton, based on his perception on how to live. He did, not what he needed to accomplish but what he really wants. And that is to solve mathematical problems - the mystery of numerical equations. He believes in it. And was not afraid of it. He had the courage to dig deep within the unknown. He faced life and all of its imperfections because that is the only way he knows how. He has faith in his God-given talent that he can. He knows what his purpose is, and that’s exactly what he did. He has the freedom and courage to dare the world to listen to him. And I want that in me. Now that I am trying to complete my graduate degree, his life inspired me to give all that I am for what I have chosen. To continue and never give up. Not be frightened. And allow the valor living inside us surface as we venture the undefined horizons. Once in a while we all live and die, but in this life all we can do is to die and live again.
As an MBA student, his story made me value education more. I became utterly grateful of the fact that I am educated and have a chance to broaden my horizons by entering this course. In addition, John’s contribution to his country inspire me to help, through the best of my abilities whatever there is I can offer for the betterment of our nation. I want to use the knowledge I gained from years spent in this institution, not just for my own advantage, but as well as for the common good. And even if I may not be as intellectual as him nor any of his colleagues in Princeton, I believe I can do my share to help establish a better and stronger republic through educating others. This is one of the reasons I applied for graduate studies. To be an educator like most of the people I admire. Help the next generation of eager minds understand that we still have a chance to lift up the economy, low as it may seem, by first embedding good values to their fresh mindsets. As well as emphasize the weight of staying within the borders of our beloved country rather than eloping for better, greener pastures.
Some may think I am opposing the reality and vying the impossible, but if John Nash showed that when we do believe in something, together with the faith we hold in our souls… we can make things happen. Mr. Nash did not let himself be confined within the very corners of his dormitory, nor the pessimistic impressions of his friends and superiors. But he tried, even pushed himself to the limits to make something greater out of him.
He influenced me to be professional, in every aspect of the word, to work with my fellow classmates and associates. Grant them the respect they deserve. Value their uniqueness, perceptions and judgments. His life taught me to aim for something more remarkable than the usual, which is not just for my sole benefit but for those around me as well.
Mr. John Nash’s life was not easy like the rest of those who breathe. He studied, worked, was hurt and felt betrayed by his own exquisite mind. But he continued. And his will to survive against all the odds which emerged before him was worth all the pain he needed to endure. And it speaks to me. That no matter who you are, how wealthy one may become or how many diplomas one may obtain in his lifetime, it boils down to one fact - we are not perfect. And we cannot stand alone. And for Mr. John Nash, he needed the unconditional love and compassion of his wife. It reminded me of the people who had, are and have always supported me. My family. Like Mr. Nash, his wife held on to him during the most difficult scenes in his life. Her words saying, “ …but when I look at him and I force myself to see the man I married and he becomes that man. He is transformed in this man that I love and I’m transformed into someone who loves him”, inspired me to love my family, above all things which exist, because I know they are and will always be my home, my refuge and my strength. I also believe that the role played by his wife was one of the greatest reasons how he was able to get back on track. She had a very profound and exceptional part in his struggles and I believe that was the most important miracle in his life. Again, her courage helps me understand more the depth of the words “unconditional love”. She truly is the one behind the success of John Nash.
Knowing great people and recognizing how astonishing their lives have been encourage me to understand life further. In that way, I may deserve the word professional, or an MBA graduate. But let us still remember the essence of King Solomon’s famous words of wisdom… truly everything is meaningless. I may have tons of degree, I might even get a doctoral course like my mentors, or be one of the greatest businessmen in Philippine history… but those are just titles embellished with beautiful frames. Those do not fully define who we really are. Achieving a Nobel Prize is just a bonus, we should always be reminded to look beyond the most-desired award, and that is a better spirit which sprang in us because of the decades of hard work and devotion, accompanied with the shedding of blood through our hearts, lessons learned from failing now and falling again, rising from life’s hurdles, how lost one can become, and most importantly how we found the road home -- is the achievement and victory in itself, grand in its simplest form and still undoubtedly immeasurable.
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