Luab: Life’s lessons come unexpectedly

I WAS coming home from Moalboal in the afternoon of Jan. 23 when I saw an old friend who had completely forgotten me. Of course, I felt bad. All the while I thought that I mattered kahit papaano (even in just a little way) in my friend’s life. The drive back to Cebu City after that incident was filled with hurt, with disappointment. But as I sat at my desk to pray, somehow a stronger sense of awareness woke me up to the truth.

Lessons come according to a time frame that is Divine. From sad experiences in life we are ready to learn. Believe me, it can be a humbling experience to realize that in the huge scheme of someone’s life we are nothing really. Parents have discovered that sad fact.

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Of course, there are exceptions but generally, when the children are married and have lives of their own, we get visits many times, loving visits, but in their own good time when their schedule is ready. That is a fact of life, which we have accepted. We no longer are top priority in their lives. Retirees know that many if not all of their so-called close friends during the height of their job positions are no longer around. Even visits no longer come.

I remember my grandfather saying to us: “You know who your true friends are when you are no longer in power.” I suppose politicians who have fallen during the race have experienced this isolation, too.

In my case after a month-long of reunions with different groups of Sacred Heart School-Jesuits alumni, I felt so loved, so appreciated that my self-worth went up. Last Saturday, it zoomed down to zero. But the lesson I learned was: We are so attached to our egos and sometimes we forget that everything we have, everything we have accomplished, every accolade, every plaque of appreciation is a result from our gifts from our Heavenly Father. Nothing in this world is ours.

We are just stewards and anytime, all these can be swept away. Typhoon Ondoy and the earthquake in Haiti have proven that. Of course, every lesson has two sides. When one has been so generous with one’s time, one’s service, somehow when one least expects it, a beautiful surprise arrives. Sometimes a friend brings over a dress, which was two sizes big for her. What makes the gift beautiful is that it’s a perfect fit for us.

Sometimes it’s the dress we’ve been admiring while window-shopping yet with a sigh we left it saying, “Oh well, only in my dreams. It’s too expensive!” When the dream comes true, we are able to confirm that “what goes around, comes around.” Sometimes learning is accompanied by pain. When we expect so much from someone who, in not so many words, tells us that we are special but then completely ignores our existence or does not even five minutes time for us out of the 24 hours in a day—then that hurts.

Some lessons are learned the hard way. However, this does not negate the fact that we still get unexpected lessons handed down by our Divine Maker, for us to grow. Speaking of growth, one man whose hands have been gifted by God to heal his people is Dr. Potentiano Larrazabal III. I had the privilege of watching him at work again and after years of knowing him, I still am amazed at his expertise, his patience and his ability to treat each patient with the same tender loving care—young or old, and rich or poor alike. I was at his office at around 4 p.m. He already had a full day and had done a series of operations, yet there was no let-up in his concern and kindness for alleviating the pains of others. This young doctor has grown full stature in the area of service. May others follow his lead.

Allow me to end on a beautiful experience. Last weekend, I was really sick. My daughter, Aimee, who lives in Manila, made a special surprise visit to alleviate my ailment. She gave up her rest day to show what her love could do. Believe me, it worked wonders. Love from Above is coursed through people. That is a lesson that is repeated many times over.