Writer: Jordan Mayor Carbo
Editor: Kiddie Rodaje
Sabi nga, If you have it flaunt it! Use your God-given gifts and assets. So that is exactly what I did. I used the genes given to me by my mama and papa to realize my dreams or at least at that time, I tried to. Very typical yung story ko, I was enrolled in one of Cebu’s very famous and very expensive Christian universities. My family could barely afford the tuition, so sa mga allowances and other school miscellaneous stuff, I needed to provide it for myself.
My part-time gig was as a promo girl during car shows. Showing some skin especially in public even if it is just a job and an honest one at that, was frowned upon, kahit nga today diba? Especially para sa aming mga babae. Some even called me immoral. As women, we are expected to behave a certain way as dictated by the norms set by our society. Criticisms and judgments were thrown at me at that time, but I could not care less since my goal was to support myself and graduate.
And then as if my part-time gig was not controversial enough, I got pregnant while I was still in college. People were already questioning my upbringing because of my part-time job, but getting pregnant while I was a student gave all the Marites the right to condemn not only me but my entire family. You know it is true, kung ikaw lang yung sinasaktan kaya mo pa eh, but when my family got involved na, I broke down. I did not want to let my family down. I do not want them to see me as the kind of person the people around us were making me out to be.
As expected, my parents were very disappointed in me. Whose parents would be glad to know that their daughter got pregnant out of wedlock? I understand that still, it hurts so much because I can see them losing hope and giving up on me. I stopped studying. My self-worth was nonexistent. I felt like I was broken beyond repair.
I gave birth to a very cute baby boy. For the first time after a long while, I felt happy. I also reconciled with my parents. My dad said, even if I have lost my way, now more than ever I needed to stand up from where I am because I am no longer doing it just for myself but for my son as well. All the nasty rumors could no longer affect me. My aspirations and my dreams for myself and my son are bigger than all the nasty rumors combined. My son is all the motivation that I needed to move forward. True to what they say, victory is indeed sweet after you tasted the bitterness of life! Victory means graduating! I was finally able to finish my degree on Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication. I have proven to all the Marites that I was able to and am still going forward.
Right now I’m blessed that there is an industry that looks on your skills other than what is written in your resume. To prove my point, within just 8 months I got promoted to be an Intern Trainer. The BPO industry is a healthy industry for your career. It does not need a glamorous resume with years of experience, but it seeks people that have the attitude and the ability to get things done. My company also allows us to work from home. I appreciate the opportunity to be able to work from home especially since I am a young working mom.
To all young mothers out there, it is not the end of everything. You might feel that this is the lowest point of your life but not the endpoint. We are not determined on how we fall but rather what we do after our failures. And yes, backstabbers stab you from the back because that is where they belong. They can only hurt you if you let them and they will forever be looking at your back while you are stepping closer to your dreams.
To my son, if you do get to read this, I want to let you know that your mom is here and I did not give up! Your dreams are my dreams now.
