Mission: Bring back the Fire

I may not be able to recreate the fire that I had before, but I’m slowly regaining its flames. 

What if the active and diligent student one day falls back into a mediocre person? A committed and passionate student loses hope all of a sudden. Will you be able to save her from the flood of discomfort?

Praise, amazement, thunderous applause, and innumerable “congratulations” are all rewarding to receive when your actions are appreciated. It is satisfying to hear these good words. You make your parents smile; you make them feel proud. Your relatives, friends, and even your neighbors are giving you gifts. You simply believe that everything is worthwhile.

However, as time passes by, you recognize that these things would not only give you the confidence you need, but they would also make it difficult for you to return to who you once were.

During my high school years, I would consider myself lucky if I could stay in class for an entire day without being excused from anyone or for anything. I was the President of the Supreme Student Government (SSG), a consistent inter-school competition delegate, one of the heads in the school’s Filipino publication, and was running for the batch’s gold medal.

Every time I think of my former self, I feel proud of her. She had a hectic schedule and lots of commitments, yet she still had time to hang out with her friends and do whatever she wanted. She walked to school with a smile on her face, and she was not late since she was in charge of the gate.

But then, out of nowhere, something strange happened. The fire that had always shone began to dim.

When I started my first year in college, I had no idea why I suddenly changed. I was no longer the student who was always inclined to volunteer. I would only participate in recitations if I was in a good mood, instead of responding to the instructor at all times. I became a procrastinator. I was content with mediocrity. I forgot how to manage everything I have. The pressure enveloped me in a flood of stress and sadness. I lost my confidence; it attempted to lose me. The fire within me weakened.

I had no idea what was going on at the moment. I did not know how to get back up.

However, I came to realize that understanding the situation is the first step in resolving it. I discovered that if you do not fight the pressure you are facing, you will succumb to it. Now, whenever I’m unhappy, I express it by talking to the Almighty; I feel His comfort. I also learned how to guard my heart from the things that I hear in my environment. I decided not to torture myself with other people’s views and judgments. I should not always give priority to what they have to say. I may not be able to recreate the fire that I had before, but I’m slowly regaining its flames. 

Now it is up to me to reawaken the fire—to rediscover the passion that I have lost along the way.

Keep in mind that you are the only person who can save and decide your adventure at the end of the day. You should be able to maintain your inner fire. As Leon Brown said, “Become the person you were meant to be, light your inner fire, and follow your heart’s desire.”

LAYOUT BY: Sigrid Deryll Q. Dy