I’ve just finished writing a topic outline for my Business Communication class at graduate school. At the end of the term, we are required to deliver a 5-minute speech. With such a short time, a five-minute speech as expected cannot be anything serious or complicated. Five minutes is even a short time for some to build on the introduction. Goodbye to possible discussion on corporate governance – after all, that topic may be long and boring so perhaps it’s a good thing to stick to something light to talk about. I’ve decided to just write about blogging – something easy and close to my heart. The professor said that with our topic, we have to convince and make the entire audience interested. I stare at forlorn faces around me – those who seem bored – and some who seem so hard to please – yes, I can do this.
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We were discussing quasi delict and diligence and other cases last night at Business Law. The sample case was a vehicular accident, where the plaintiff had her leg amputated. It was a topic that drew so much discussion from the class. Later that night, while waiting for E to get home, I was thinking of the Tagaytay trip we were planning to have next weekend. I was getting worried for the trip because E would be coming from work so that means no sleep for him for more than 24 hours. I then decided to check my phone and see where he is now. I got that text message from E saying he had an accident. Apparently, he hit a truck. Thank God, he is okay now.
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A quote from J.K Rowling’s speech during the graduation on Harvard
So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was, and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had already been realised, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.
You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.
Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above rubies.
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It is Fun Day season again at the office. It is that time after several hectic months where we are given a budget to do about almost anything which is fun for us. Last year, my friend in the office and I went parasailing at Subic. Now we are thinking of doing that ultimate Northern exposure trip at Ilocos. The Pagudpud beach (with possible surfing), pottery-making, visit to old churches, trip to Singson’s famous Baluarte and to the Malacanang of the North, trip to Vigan – all of these seem inviting. Do you have any tips for a trip to Ilocos?
I’m missing you Zarah and I’m loving the song No More I love yous by Annie Lenox.
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