The Art of Rebound

SIMULA

"Miss Elle, tapos na po ang mga letter standee," nilingon ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses, it was Kyla, my assistant behind the slightly open door of my office.

"Ah, sige Kyle, I'll check it later." sabi ko at binalik ang atensyon ko sa laptop.

I was checking my schedule for the next month. November had been a busy month for my business, and I knew next month will be busier. It's a month of gatherings and parties. In fact, my December is almost full, except on Christmas day, I'll leave that open so my employee could go home and celeberate with their respective families.

I started this business as an event stylist, three years ago when I discovered this little passion of mine while decorating my nephew's birthday party. It was so fun, I bought balloons and party stuffs online, I even googled how to make some balloon arrangements and I found it very easy. My cousin really loved it and started recommending me to her friends. I love doing it, so why not? Aside from enjoying it, dagdag income pa and I was only accepting event during weekends where I have no class at the university and it's my day off too at The Daily News as a graphic artist.

Unfortunately, hindi ko na natapos ang bachelor degree in Secondary Education major in Mathematics ko noong na aksidente sa motor ang kapatid kong si Wade. The accident happened one week before my enrollment sa third year. Ang pang tuition ko sana na ilang buwan ko'ng tinipon, binigay ko na muna kay mama para sa hospital bill ng kapatid ko.

Masakit sa dibdib, I even cried for so many nights pero hindi ko lang pinapahalata sa mga magulang ko, especially to my brother.

Gusto kong makapagtapos, it was my dream to be a teacher in mathematics because I wanted to teach children how to love and appreciate the subject. Marami kasing kabataan ngayon na ayaw sa math, but only if there's a teacher who would show them how fun and easy math is, for sure they will love it too. You see, I want to be that teacher.

Sigh, pero 'yun na nga, nagpaalam muna ako sa'king pangarap. Pwede ko naman ipagpatuloy sa next school year. For the meantime, nag-focus muna ako sa trabaho ko as a graphic artist. But, that school year didn't happen dahil siguro nawala na ang passion ko in teaching at gusto ko na lang kumita ng pera at makatulong ng maaga sa pamilya.

Children go to shcool para makahanap ng magandand trabaho in the future, pero ako may trabaho na. Kahit hindi na ko mag-aral. Tinatatak ko yan sa isip ko para kahit papano maibsan ang panghihinayanang sa dibdib ko.

My brother's life is much important than my dream. Which is true, my siblings are my life. They are my everything. I want to be successful because of them. I want to be the one who would send them to college of their choices. I want them to be successful too so that someday they will live a comfortable life.

Naging full-time na'ko as a graphic artist at dahil nasa right age na rin ako, may nakukuha na akong benefits sa office. Nakakapagbigay na ko ng mas malaking halaga kay mama dahil wala na'kong tuition na iniipunan plus nakaka save pa ko. Dagdag na rin ang raket ko paminsan-minsan as decorator sa mga small event.

After a year, nag loan ako office. With that loan plus my savings, I decided to bring my small business as a decorator into the next level. Nagpatayo ako ng maliit na shop sa gitna ng business park sa Iloilo City, malapit lang din sa opisinang pinagtatrabahuan ko.

I sell balloons and party stuffs plus I'm also accepting jobs as an event decorator. Nagpagawa na ko ng mga supplies for much bigger events. I hired some helpers too, some of them relatives lang din and close friends. Mga kapatid ko or minsan si mama nag vo-volunteer na magbantay ng shop if nagtatrabaho na'ko sa The Daily News.

Inangat ko ang tingin ko sa wall clock, it's three in the afternoon. Meaning, it's coffee time and snack time too for my employees. Tumayo na ko at lumabas sa maliit kong opisina.