Being matured is not about looking like one. It's about acting like a matured person. From the caterpillar I once was, I am now on my way to becoming a butterfly. A beautiful butterfly that can decide on it's own. A butterfly that can fly anywhere she wants to go. Because there is a stage in it's life that she can't stop. 

        Just like that butterfly, I can't stop myself from entering Senior High. I need to continue to study so that I can be a better individual someday. I will continue studying this school because many people said that I will have a better and brighter future if I can graduate from a regional science high school. And in my three years of staying in this school, words are not enough to express my gratitude to this school. Yes, they are strict when it comes to projects and homework. But I understand it all now. They are my starting line in disciplining myself. This is where I can be ready for college. They say that I should just transfer to other schools because studying here is hard. But no. I have already decided, I'm continuing to study in Cavite National High School. 

                Last January 15, Pope Francis, better known as Lolo Kiko, stayed in the Philippines for a papal visit. Filipinos were thrilled and excited to see the Pope.  The humble Pope, riding a cab, was waving at the people who wanted to see him. I can say that faith was renewed with his visit. But some people misinterpreted what was the Pope’s purpose for staying here. The Pope already said that he isn’t the one who is lifted high, it is God whom he lifts up. 

           Filipinos are very devoted when it comes to religions. But our religion cannot save us, our religion cannot forgive our sins. For it is by the grace of God that can save and forgive us. The Pope is just someone who can help us in making our faith stronger. But it is by Him, we can have and everlasting and eternal life. 

Every student has an obligation. What will happen if you fail to do it? Let's look at the Circles of Violations in the school.

First Circle: Incomplete Uniform
You will be known a student of a school based on your uniform. And if you don't wear the proper uniform, the school will have a bad image about the  school. 
They cannot enter the school because of their carelessness.  

Second Circle: Late Comers
Going late to school is not what a student should do. Late comers are punished by staying outside the campus until a teacher tell them to go in. 

Third Circle: Not Speaking in English
It is in the rules to speak in english. Students will be punished by deducting grades from their performance.

Fourth Circle: Littering
Littering was never accepted by schools. The student who litters will pick up pieces of litters in the school. They will be punished with a one week community service.

Fifth Circle: No Homework
The student will be thrown outside of the room the whole period. They will also have deduction in their grades.

Sixth Circle: Bullying
Bullying cannot only hurt the bullied person's feelings. It can also affect the bullied's activity in school. The bully will be suspended for 1 week and will be expelled if he/she will do it three times.

Seventh Circle: Too much Noise
The principal hates noise and want to have a peaceful school. The noisy students will be asked for a narrative on why they are noisy. The third time they do this, their parents will be called and they will also have to clean the room every dismissal.

Eighth Circle: Cutting Classes
Cutting classes just to spend time with friends and go to the mall is strictly prohibited. Students who cut classes will be suspended for a week.

Ninth Circle: Cheating
Changing their scores and copying other student's homeworks or answers will be suspended for a week. Their parents will also be called because this is considered as an offense. 

           Leaving their family, sacrificing their life for the country. It really is hard to be a soldier. You have to sacrifice your time just to make sure that the country is safe. We see all of them as brave and courageous soldiers who are ready to fight and die just to protect our country. But deep in their hearts, they have a weakness. We don't know their story, but we only know one thing. That we can be safe because of those brave soldiers. And I extend my condolences to their family. The fallen 44 will always be remembered because of the legacy they left.

        I want everything to be happy. I don't want a sad and tragic ending. So if I will be given a chance to change the ending of Romeo and Juliet it will be something happy. 

                   As Romeo holds the small bottle of poison in his right hand, his left hand is holding the cold hand of his beloved Juliet. As he raise the bottle, he felt the fingers of Juliet's hand move. He was terrified and horrified. He placed his head on Juliet's chest as he heard the beating of her heart. He immediately wrapped his arms around the body of his beloved. Juliet opened her eyes as she recognized a familiar scent. She saw Romeo's eyes slowly piercing through her soul. They were engrossed with each other when Friar Lawrence called their attention and told them to go away and leave Verona. They did what the friar told them to do. And there they lived happily and they had beautiful children.

...The End

              Living in a different country, away from their family. Working hard so that their family can eat three times a day. That's how hard an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) experiences just to satisfy the needs of a family. For me they should be considered as heroes. Heroes sacrifice their lives just to make sure that the country is safe. An OFW is a hero to all of us. I may not know how hard it is to be an OFW. But I know how hard it is to have a parent who is an OFW. My father works abroad and I can see in his eyes how tired he is. But he chose to work there, away from us, just to satisfy our needs. So I'm trying my best to make him feel that I love him. We have to do the same to every OFW. Let's make them feel that they are special and that they are a hero in our hearts.

       

          On a fine Sunday night, as I was listening to a sermon about forgiveness, I was thinking about her again. The Lord is telling me to approach her and tell her that I'm sorry and that I apologize for all the pain I caused her. I was having a battle in my mind, someone from behind patted me on my shoulder and said...

..?: Hey, you shouldn't hesitate in asking for forgiveness. You don't have to be bashful. God didn't hesitated in forgiving you. You should not have any second thoughts, too.

Me: Excuse me, sir? But, do I know you?

Martin Luther King Jr. : I am Martin, Martin King Jr. I was here because I discerned the trouble that is in your heart.

Me: O-oh. Sir King. Hello. I am very honored to talk to you. For someone so great like you--.

Sir King: No one is greater than He who is in us, dear. So, what is the real score between you and your friend?

Me: I honestly don't know, sir.

Sir King: I know you know what happened to me and my fellow African-American people, right? We were discriminated because of our color and our race. I was assassinated during my speech.

Me: I know that,sir. We studied your biography in school.

Sir. King: I made a legacy. And that legacy remained in the heart of every African.

Me: How did you feel when you were shot? Did you feel anger? Hate?

Sir King: Of course I felt the pain because of the bullet. In my mind I was thinking of revenge. But I remembered the grace of God. How he forgave all sinners. So I forgave them. Because nothing will happen if I become angry to them. And it is said in the bible that love you enemies.

Me: It's just that it's hard. And she started the fight, so I think that it will be unfair if I approach her first.

Sir King: Maybe she is just shy. It is also said in the bible that love each other and in that way you will be known as God's children. So you should initiate. It is not for her, it is for you.

Me: Thank you sir for telling me these things. I was blinded by my anger.

Sir King: You're welcome my dear. I must go now. I am done here. Goodbye my dear. Remember to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Me: Yes sir. I will never forget that.

               Doctors? Engineers? Scientists? Architects? Behind all of this people is a person that they can never forget. Behind all successful person is a teacher that tried to shape and mold them into a better person.  A teacher that sleeps late just to finish her lesson plan. A teacher that wakes up early just to open the classroom door and to make sure everything is okay when her students get inside.  A teacher who tries her best just to make sure that every student understands the lesson. A teacher that acts as our second mother. And I thank all the teachers around the world that never gives up in teaching. Thank you for all the effort and sacrifices that you make just to make sure that we understand every lesson. 

     Teachers are very important in our life. They are part of our life. We should acknowledge them whenever we grow up. If we become successful, we must never for get them. Because they were once our mentor in life. and we shouldn't forget every lesson we learned from them. 

          Tree planting is very important. Specially nowadays where our Mother Earth is slowly getting dirty and polluted. Watch this video and support the Tree Planting Advocacy.