Sunday, January 13, 2008 Luab: Kindness in our year-end reports By Evelyn R. Luab Light Sunday
I JUST finished five copies of my end of the year financial report, which I sent to my five daughters. Most of us have been busy with all sorts of reports whether it is on efficiency ratings or evaluations of almost everything. The point, however, is that we try to assess everything underneath the sun.
Question! Have we made a difference in other people’s lives? I’m not talking of big things. (Although it would be great if we did build an orphanage, or we started a farm for wayward boys.) I’m speaking of giving compassion when compassion was needed.
I was with a friend last Wednesday out in Greenwoods Subdivision. It was raining and we saw a girl with a basket and holding an umbrella and she was crisscrossing the road. My friend said, “I think she is selling something. Let’s see if we can buy something from her. It is really pouring!”
We stopped near her and asked. Yes she was selling puto at P5 each to construction workers. However, the houses being built were far apart from each other.
Without a word, my friend took P20, handed it to the girl and got two packs of puto. She lightly said in Cebuano, “Merry Christmas. Keep the change.” I’m sure the girl won’t forget that act of kindness from a stranger.
Jackie (not her real name) has not stopped talking of the foreigner who saw her busily finishing the dress she was sewing for a client. Jackie is a person with handicap. She cannot walk, but has a sewing machine with a motor. It seems this foreigner went to the store next to where she lives. He saw her stooped over her work and came up to her. He dropped a $100 bill on her table and said, “Merry Christmas.”
Jackie said, “Ay, Inday, naluoy siguro to siya kay Pasko gud unya nagtrabajo pa ko maski alas onse na. Kung tanan tawo pareha palang niya!" (He must have taken pity on me. He saw me hard at work on Christmas eve even if it was already 11p.m. If only most people were like him!)
I guess we echo that! Yet, if we are only observant enough, there are so many people who are compassionate. This next incident will make you laugh!
A bunch of rowdy teenagers were racing up the escalator at a mall. One bumped into me and I nearly fell. I was lucky because a young man behind me caught and steadied me. He angrily scolded the same hooligans who were more or less his age with: “Bantay mo, uy! Tiguwang na gud ni!” (Be careful, this woman is already old!) I could not help but chuckle. However, I did thank the lad for his protective stance.
A family was unfortunate last Christmas to employ a domestic help from an agency. She turned out to be a thief. She only stayed for one day and ran off with P500 from her co-helper and P 366 from the third helper in the household.
Nothing else in the house was lost. A visiting relative, who learned of the theft, replaced the respective losses of the helpers by saying in Cebuano: "They are already hard up and this incident still occurred!" See? There are people whose hearts are wide open to embrace others.
On New Year’s Eve, just one minute before midnight, a barrage of firecrackers (called Judas belt) exploded at the same time—it sounded as if all hell had broken loose. My nine-month-old Japanese Spitz gave a frightened yelp, and took a flying leap into my bed.
Aiza, my companion, heard the yelp, picked up the dog, cuddled her and she kept saying: “It’s okay, Marie; it’s only firecrackers. It’s okay, Aiza is here.” I smiled at the picture they both made. Marie snuggled quietly in her arms. So will our year-end reports include kindness?
