Reaching the Once Unreachable

Chapter 1: Medals

"Class Valedictorian, Theodore Concepcion! Let us give him a warm of applause, please."

Anunsyo ni Ma'am Nina sa kanyang podium sa pagkat siya ang emcee ng seremonyang ito. Nakangiti niya itong sinabi na para bang proud na proud siya sa akin.

Ma'am Nina is our teacher in Science ngayong Grade 6 and I can't deny her ability to teach well. Tinuruan nya kami nang maigi kaya hinding hindi ko siya makakalimutan. She's the best teacher I ever had so far.

It's our Graduation day. It's another milestone that we had achieved. Another chapter of our lives that will end this day together with opening another chapter of our lives today.

Malakas ang palakpak ng mga bisita at ng aking mga kaklase hindi lamang palakpak ang kanilang iginawad sa akin kung hindi  sila ay tumayo rin. Si Denver na aking kaibigan ay tila nag aaya pa ng mga ibang kasama na lakasan ang kanilang mga palakpak.

Ang pangkaraniwang na soundtrack tuwing may commencement right ay naririnig ko ngayon. Ramdam ko ang kaba that I feel butterflies on my stomach.

Shit! I'm kinakabahan.

Bwisit! Tumigil ka Theodore para kang tanga aakyat ka lang ng stage.

Ma'am Nina just called my name, it means that I should go to the stage to receive my awards.

Graduating students are placed in front of our gymnasium while the parents of the graduates are positioned at the back of our gymnasium.

Marihin akong umakyat sa entablado at nakikita ko nang ang aking mga magulang ay masaya nang papunta sa harapan upang iabot ang mga awards ko.

Nang nakita ko sila nawala na ang kaba ko. Buti na lang.

"Theodore garnered the following awards: Best in Math, Best in Science, Best in Araling Panlipunan, Best in Filipino, Best in English and Best in E.S.P. . Again, let's give him a warm of applause please." Iwinika ni Ma'am nang nakaakyat na ang mga magulang ko sa stage.

I've received so many awards because of my hard work. My parents are not pressuring me but I wanted to give my best on the field that I'm good at.

This is the field that I enjoy. I enjoy learning in school.

Many will say 'wala naman sa talino yan asa diskarte 'yan." But I know that in my generation we should rephrase it into, "nasa talino AT diskarte iyan."

Grades don't really matter but for me it matters since I'm enjoying learning. I wanted to pursue this field that's why it matters for me. Not that I'm taking grades seriously but these numbers make me motivated that they say I should not stop learning.

Patuloy pa rin akong pinapalakpakan ng mga tao at naghihiyawan ang mga kaklase ko.

Iniaabot ni Ma'am Nina ang mga medalya at sertipiko sa aking masayang nanay at  tatay.

"Congratulations anak! I'm proud of you!" Wika ni mommy sa akin. Habang sinusuot sa akin ang mga aking medalya.

I can sense the teary eyes of my mother as she said those words.

"Anak you always make me proud! Congrats!" Bati naman ni Daddy sa akin.

They put those medals on my neck smoothly.