Pedal Life Like Crazy

Stay Calm On Top, Pedal Like Crazy Underneath

On a cool second day of November, I saw the first ray of dawn of this beautiful and disdainful world of ours from an ordinary family. My father, a Mariner, is the only child born to a farmer and a grade school teacher. My loving mother used to work in a University as a College Librarian and now happy and contented with her chain of Bigasan stores in the town's center.

In my younger years, I used to stay home with Lolo and Lola.

I call him "Lolo Ped". He is a strong, disciplined and industrious man, a typical Ilocano, who devoted much of his time tilling his lands he called Kataltalonan and Kabangkagan, growing palay, corn, peanut and many other varieties. After much toil, he enjoys a slow-paced relaxing ride at the back of Inggo, his loyal comrade, as they head back home from the fields.

I saw him smoke Tabaco only twice and then chew his favorite Momma that turned his lips blood red. I seldom see him home as he was always busy tilling the fields with Inggo.

At a young age, I started grade school in our Barrio and Lola was my first teacher. Going to school everyday means walking on a rough road - dusty on hot summer and sticky on cold wet season. I was trying to recall if we had colorful school uniforms by then, alas, a plain white t-shirt and black short pants paired with a hard, heavy and thick Dragon slippers on a Monday.

It was plain, simple and straight forward. This is what life was before.

Six years later, I was accepted at the Lyceum, a Catholic-run high school in the town. It was and still the only Catholic high school in the town today.

Being a student of a sectarian school, I learned to plan and prioritize my activities. I became more disciplined and learned to appreciate others.

After four years, I moved to Manila to study computers in one of the country's State Universities. It is one of the few State-run Universities branded as "BA: Bahay Aktibista". Full of hopes and dreams I was on my early teens then.

I became very independent. I learned that SEEING, DOING and SUFFERING much are three pillars of learning in a State-run University.

After five long and challenging years, I was at the finish line of my College journey and was so eager and excited to kick-start the next chapter of my life.

A month before my graduation, fortune beamed on me. I landed a job at the largest Shipping Company in the country at that time. My first job demanded so much time, precision and action. Thanks to the values and lessons that I learned in the past. I passed probation and was regularized. The road blocks and many challenges made my foundation stronger  allowing me to endure challenging jobs that my career has to offer.

After a year and a half, fortune smiled at me once more. I was transferred to a German Company in Manila as a regular IT professional. Unlike my previous role, I worked as a Help Desk, Technical Support and Systems Administrator all at the same time. It was a one man show.

In the same year, I decided to pursue my Master's degree and so on weekends, I was at the Graduate School. Three years later, I graduated.

I now head a team providing IT services and support to an Enterprise and doing better and better each day.

As I looked back down the road from a higher ground, I remember the road blocks and the challenges that brought me defeats and countless meaningful sweet victories.

After all that I had been through, I'm more prepared now to meet life's future challenges head on and ready to soar to greater heights in the years to come .

My closing thought an adage of a practical person – “ONE OF THE KEYS TO SUCCESS IS TO STAY VERY CLAM ON TOP AND PEDAL LIKE CRAZY UNDERNEATH”.

Above all, I always thank God for the blessings and my family for their unending support and guidance through all these years and in many more years to come.

#life #purpose #inspire #goals #learning

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