More Than a Prince
I was
junior high at Saint Peter’s College of Toril when one unique and memorable
event happened in my life. It was when I represented my beloved batch for the
Mr. & Ms. Intramurals 2010 conducted in our school. It was my first time to
join such an event. It was an ordinary day in school. I was standing outside
our classroom when our class adviser immediately and straightforwardly told me
that the curriculum teachers had decided that I was the one who was going to
represent my batch, in the Mr. & Ms. Intramurals pageant. What a joke, what
a silly joke! It really got to my nerves. I didn’t know how to react, whether
to thank them or just laugh at their foolishness. At first, I refused to do it because
I was thinking of what others might say or think of me. It was kind of unfair
because the process of choosing the batch representative should be done by
screening, but in my case I was directly chosen. It was flattering, with the
teachers giving me the challenge and their trust that I could do it. It may
sound absurd but the second time I told my teacher about my decision; I
wholeheartedly approved their decision and said yes to them.
During
the event, I told myself that the decision I had made will never cause me
regrets for I saw everybody’s great support. My family and relatives, with
their simple presence, inspired me to beat the odds. My friends were there being
the best supporters ever, raising a tarpaulin with my face printed on it. My
teachers too, were obviously my great fans at that moment. Lastly, my mother’s
support. She was at the backstage helping me fix myself for every segment the
pageant had, helping me change my outfits several times, taking photographs of
me, giving food, offering a lot of encouragement and doing everything to make
me feel that I was the best. With all the support, I stood in front of the
crowd with much confidence, I had a goal to make them proud, and of course, I
wanted to win. Who does not want to win?
As
the event was about to end, four minor awards were distributed one by one.
Fortunately, two of those were awarded to me, namely, the Best in Sports Attire
and the Best in Filipiniana Costume. My mother was the one who pinned the
sashes on my barong. She was proud of me
as I was of myself, too. In the overall results, I only garnered second
runner-up. Yet , I was contented because I gave what I got , and my batch mates
even congratulated me, and my family appreciated me more than the winner, of
course.
As a
realization, I wasn’t really there for the name and the fame – I was there for
the game. And through that game, I gained friends that I will never forget and
experiences that I will never regret. It was a realization that I was highly
honored to be given the chance to compete and represent my batch, a realization
that I was showered with blessings far greater than what I need. The whole
experience made me feel like I was more than a prince.
