this was my philosophy assignment but i liked the way i wrote it.
It was a typical day in November. I was on my way home from Mall of Asia with my girlfriend then I suddenly dozed off in the van. As I slept through the journey from Pasay to Parañaque, I had a dream. It was those types of dreams that felt immensely genuine that I honestly thought that I wasn’t even in my dreamland.
My dream began with myself awakening on an airplane. I found myself on the way back to my small hometown in California. It was my third visit back home to see my family and friends. As I opened my laptop to finalize the visa application of my clients, I began to reflect upon how my life changed in ten years.
I first began to reflect on my work life. Ten years before I was only studying Consular and Diplomatic Affairs at De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde. Now, I am a consul at the United States Embassy in Manila. I never thought that I would be exceptionally diligent in my work. I never expected that I was able to attain such a high position in ten years. I then recalled the grandeur of my office at the US Embassy. I take so much pride in my own office that has my name written on a placard that is installed on my door. After all the work that I have done in the Department of Foreign Affairs, my office became the representation of my success. I remembered that I worked in the DFA for about two years. As a young diplomat there, I was nothing much but the man who issues passports to aspiring OFWs. Now, I am the man who grants applicants permission to enter the United States of America.
As I checked the application of my last client, I noticed that he is a successful businessman that wishes to go to the states to visit his grandparents. As I carefully inspected his records, I noticed that he presented ten million pesos as his show money when he gave me his forms. It was abundantly clear that this man was rich and he can afford to visit the States and must return home. As I approved his application for a US Visa, I swiftly reflected on my financial stability.
My work in the United States Embassy has opened up the largest opportunity in my financial life. My wealth expanded drastically in the four years I worked in the US Embassy. Luckily, I was not troubled with debts along the way to my financial success. I was able to afford a house in Ayala Alabang that my father designed. I also bought two cars, a 2002 Mazda RX-7 FD3S Spirit R Type A (my dream car since my teenage years) and a 2021 Cadillac Escalade. I was also glad that I invested money into the stock market. I was able to gain excess income from my investment in Maynilad and PLDT. Although I was able to gain a great amount of wealth, I never forgot to give back to the community. I spent approximately P500,000 on a skateboard park in Makati that I designed. I used my connections with the officials in Makati to implement this project and maintain it for the youth in the city.
I checked the time on my old G-Shock watch that I purchased in 2012. I left NAIA at around 4 o’clock in the morning. It was now 12 o’clock in the afternoon. I noticed that I was not exhausted at all. I caught up a good eight-hour sleep on the plane and my body was still not feeling any wear and tear. I thought to myself, “For a thirty-two year old man, I’m still in pretty tip-top shape”. I had a subtle laugh to myself. Again, it then hit me. I thought about my own body. I thought about the tip-top shape that I am currently in.
My body still maintained the same frame, five foot four inches tall and one hundred and thirty pounds. Yes, I am a short and skinny guy. Although, I am proud that I was able to minimize my nicotine intake and I wasn’t drinking as much like my college days. Even through my career, I have not been in a lot of stress and tension lately. My body was feeling great. Up to now, I never really worked out in the gym. However, I am still skateboarding. I guess that’s why I am still in good shape. My bones are still intact and I haven’t torn any of my ligaments. My old shoulder injury has now been tended to and is more relaxed than ever. I’ve still been eating the same food. The same unhealthy food that is exquisitely delectable in my opinion. I guess there isn’t much I need to worry about my body. Although I indulge on many unhealthy pleasures, I was still able to keep myself fit. I still live by what I believe, “you only live once, and why not make the best of it.”
Back on the plane, I was happy. I felt that I am on the peak of my life. Although I am aware there is still more to come, I feel that I grew to the point that I can call myself a man. Upon reflecting on my success, I realized that my emotions have been the pathway to them. The maturity that I achieved emotionally has been the biggest tool towards my success. I am now a humble man who is a scholar in the way of life. I am able to learn, not from my own mistakes, but from others’ success. I am a wise man. I am able to express my emotions properly and wisely. My patience has surpassed the limits that I expected them to be when I was young. I am able to love others under a basis of equitable respect and treat them with dignity.
As I looked outside the window of the plane, I was stultified at the duration of the flight. I looked at the person sitting next to me on the plane and asked him a question. “Hi, I’m Karl. May I ask, why you are going to the States?” I said. The woman answered. “I am going to work there and send money to my family.” She said. “What job are you pursuing there?” I asked again. She replied, “I am going to work there as a nurse. You see, I graduated as nursing student in Manila Doctors College in Pasay and passed my board exam last year. I was offered a job at San Francisco City Hospital and I took it.” Our brief conversation ended there. I wasn’t surprised that this girl would work abroad for her family. Many people still do that anyways. However, I began to think that I made the right choice in my education. I always knew that I was an intelligent man. It’s in my blood. I contemplated again on the growth of my intellect.
For as long as I can remember, I have always been intelligent. However, I never really did much to nourish my mind during my college days. As of now, I’ve been reading a lot of philosophical books and analyzing many international relations dilemmas. I plan to return to school sometime soon to study Philosophy at De La Salle University just to satisfy my thirst to learn more about Philosophy. I remembered last week, I attended CSB’s annual Philippine Model United Nations. I went just to observe the young diplomats that will be graduating out of my alma mater. My mentor is still teaching there. My dear old Uncle George. I can’t thank him enough for teaching me everything I know. Time to time I still turn to him for help but that’s normal. He’s family. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be a consul in the US Embassy.
I remembered the conversation I had with the nursing student sitting next to me. She said that she was going abroad to work for her family. It is kind of difficult that I have my own family at home and the family I came from in the States. However, I do enjoy having to travel between two countries. Being in this flight, I can’t help but miss both my families.
At thirty-two years of age, I am now married to my college sweetheart, Ms. Maria Ricca Rose P. Salimbao (now known as Ms. Maria Ricca Rose S. Esplana). We’ve been married for five years. She is also the mother of our children, Elijah John Royce S. Esplana and Maria Olivia Rose S. Esplana. I named our son after my friends JayR and Marlene, who passed away during my teenage years. My wife named our daughter. My son is 3 years old and my daughter is 2. I have always loved my wife and children unconditionally. Although I am a busy man, I have always found time to spend with my family. During the weekends, I always take my children out to either the mall or at a nice park. Sometimes, I just spend a nice Saturday and Sunday morning playing with my kids. Every month, I take my wife out to have dinner at a nice restaurant. Sometimes, we just eat at simple places like McDonalds to just remember our dating years. My parents are still alive and are taking care of my thirteen-year old sister. My mother and father both retired from their jobs and are living in Hercules, California. They receive support from me every month to pay off the bills and their necessities. My sister is still in middle school and she sees me thrice every year, during the holidays, summer, and on her birthday. I have always loved and cherished my sister. I have always done whatever it took to nurture her intelligence and character, even if we are hundreds of miles apart from each other. I often take her out to see the other States to admire the beauty of new places and to gain knowledge from travel. Similar to my flight now, I usually stay in the US for a week or two just to bond with all the people that made an impact on my growth when I lived there, my friends in particular. Every time I make a visit, my best friend and I would go out to the bar and have a drink to reminisce to our mischievous days as teens. My best friend, Kyle, has always been like a brother to me and every time I visit them, we would end up skating and partying like we did back in the days. My cousin, April, is looking up to me because I was the only one out of our family there that became this successful. She’s younger than me and I have been a great influence on her. As her cousin, I always show her that it is fine to enjoy life for all its guilty pleasures but it is imperative that she never forgets her responsibilities as a member of our family.
The plane was landing in a few minutes. Time passed by quickly. After reflecting on all the wonderful blessings that I received, I couldn’t help but feel thankful to God. I took a few minutes and prayed. As I got off my plane and strolled through the protocols of boarding, I reflected for the last time about my spirituality.
It is only recent that I’ve been dedicated to give back to my religion. It has only been a few months that I became involved with the church. I volunteered to help out the youth programs of our local parish in Alabang. I honestly couldn’t help but be thankful to God for blessing me with the success that I have now. Even before all the success, I have always loved God but I haven’t been appreciative of Him back then. Now, I am at peace. As another token of my appreciation for God, I take time to read the Bible and go to Church every week regardless of where I am.
As I exit San Francisco International Airport, I remembered the mission statement that I wrote in my PHILOMA class during my second year in CSB. I wrote, “My mission is to use my profoundness and skateboarding to inspire others to be at peace with themselves.” I wondered if I was able to make that mission come true in my life. Regardless, I was already at peace and content with myself. I believe that people around me can see that now and all I can hope for is that I was able to inspire them with my success instead.
I woke up. I looked around and saw that I was in a van with my girlfriend asleep on shoulder. Our van home was near SM Sucat. I didn’t bother to wake her up anymore because she was sound asleep. I just thought to myself. This dream was surreal. It felt as if it did happen. I am still hoping that it does. Nevertheless, I felt that it was a good thing that this dream did happen. It was a euphoric experience that happened in my subconscious mind and it gave me something to write about for PHILOMA. What a dream. I may have been on the ground as I slept, but I was up in the clouds in my dreams.
