A Perception
When we look through history books, it
is not surprising that parts of it are about the life and works of Rizal. Our
national hero is very popular and highly regarded for his martyrdom. In fact,
his name isn’t just evident in journals or books but also seen in postcards and
cigarette wrappers, even in random things like bottles or just designs for an
artwork.
Rizal’s
life becomes an inspiration to many. But despite having numerous abilities and talents;
achievements; and skills, he is still human. Stated below are 3 facts about
Rizal that will make you realize that he’s just like any of us.
He was stingy.
Every penny counts. Rizal made sure that every coin
that is being take out of his pocket is used for something that qualifies its
worth. Before checking into hotels, he would book a room that does not include
breakfast in its accommodation, instead the money allotted for it will be used
to buy tea, biscuits, and alcohol. He would also ration his portions so that it
would last for a month, or more, that way he will be able to save money. In one
incident, he and his roommate Jose Alejandrino agreed to split a box of
biscuits between them for a month. And you know what happened? Alejandrino
finished his portion in only 15 days! On the other hand, Rizal managed to make
it last for the entire month.
There are times when Rizal would neglect personal
hygiene, YES, PERSONAL HYGIENE, I mean who would do that??? Anyway, in
one of his letters to his sister, he mentioned that he went without taking a
bath for a long time because it is too expensive. However, his stinginess
couldn’t be seen when we’re talking about photographs. Rizal made sure that a
budget is allocated it. The number of photos we have of him today serve as proof
that he loved taking pictures of himself.
He
suffered from depression.
Just like a normal person, Rizal is
also prone on suffering from sadness, heartbreaks, and homesickness. When
Rizal heard abut his family’s persecution in Laguna, he wrote a letter to
Ferdinand Blumentritt just on the eve of his departure to Brussels which stated
that he would have committed “a great folly” and the only thing that stop him
from doing so is his faith in God. Rizal never directly
stated what his statement meant, but author Jose Baron Fernandez postulated
that Rizal was likely thinking of committing suicide for he felt guilty for
causing his family discomfort and suffering.
Rizal was a frequent
target of bullying
Rizal
has always been sensitive about his height. Also, he suffered from massive
inferiority complex as a boy. He was short, underweight, has uneven shoulders,
and born with a big head. This unique qualities of him became the reason for
him to become a frequent target of bullying in his youth.
These scenarios made me realized that:
· It is normal to feel sad, broken, or bitter. These
are uncontrollable emotions but keep in mind that these should only remain as “emotions”
and would not swallow your whole personality or way of thinking.
· Indeed, sufferings are a part and parcel of life but
it’s up to us how we are going to handle it and come up with solutions in order
to overcome it. At the end of the day, it will still revert back on how we
perceived the situation
What if you (Rizal) decided to commit suicide during those
unfortunate occasions and were given a chance to be reborn in the present time, are you going to continue the broken advocacy that you were fighting for given that the current state of the country and its people gradually loses its freedom?
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