RES GESTAE
Indeed, reality starts in the mind
When people ask me of my secret for my litany of little success, I always tell them “positive thinking”!
It is so because I am convinced that we are what we think...that reality starts in the mind.
So, I love to think that I am intelligent, a good-hearted person, successful in my career, can easily get what I want, and a lot more of positive things (tangible or otherwise) in life.
Truly, it is not insanity. My litany of little success is a proof to this belief. I finished my degree with flying colors, got hired for any job easily, won any contest, married to a beautiful and loving woman, loved by countless people, and blessed with a baby who always inspires and delights my day.
This, I am always convinced that there is no substitute to positive thinking.
Don’t get me wrong though. I coupled my being a positive thinker with lots of hard work, initiative and prayer.
Recently, however, my conviction was put to test. My four-year-old daughter, Jay, was chosen to represent her school, Camp Delgado Day Care Center, in the Search for Miss Day Care 2010 in Iloilo City Proper District. I would have no doubt should the contest is a talent search. Jay is talented and smart. She can pose a good fight in any talent search. But the Search for Miss Day 2010 was a “show-off” of money. Don’t we have money? We have. Only enough though.
There came a doubt.
I asked my wife that we have to talk with Jay and tell her in all honesty that we might not make her a queen. So we did. We talked to her and tried to convince her to settle for being a princess. But to our surprise, she confidently told us her heart out: “I haven’t experienced to be a queen yet. Dad, mom, I will be the Queen.” She is indeed only four years old.
After listening to her piece, we zipped our mouth but was still in dilemma how to convince her to change her mind. The next few days, we kept repeating to her our plea, in all manners that her little mind could understand. We even offered her a compromise: a new toy, a new dress, a day in her favorite play house, a visit to her cousins, etc. But all these were of no avail. She stood by her conviction. She wanted to be the queen.
Despite the pessimism in our minds, we prepared dozens of solicitation envelopes. I even went to campaigning for support through my social network in Facebook. I really fought hard the uneasiness within me in asking for financial support. “This is for my daughter’s litter dream,” I consoled myself.
The efforts have paid off. We got the support from friends. Pledges poured in. And when the canvassing was held, Jay was declared the winner – with a very short margin.
My wife and I were very happy, though we are aware that winning is only a beginning of additional expenses – the coronation rites and other incidental activities. But hearing Jay’s happiness as she related to me through phone her triumph made me even happier. I was miles away from her during that moment, but I wanted to embrace her and let her to know that her confidence helped me regain my senses. That positive thinking always makes a difference.
(P.S. My wife, Janette, and I thank all who helped us raise the money for Jay’s candidacy. Your contributions did not only make our little angel very happy but also the officers and staff of the Iloilo City Social Welfare and Development who organized the activity. Rest assured that the proceeds of the search will go to projects for the benefit of the day care pupils in 30 Day Care Centers in Iloilo City Proper District.)*
