engr.albertmike

Palagi sa aming agahan, minsan ay hanggang hapunan. Masarap naman, lalo na kung may sahog, ang mahalaga'y busog. Ika’y masisiyahan nga ba miminsan, kung kape at tinapay ang siyang almusal? Mas maayos pa rin 'yon kaysa hangin at laway. Salat, ngunit pilit nagpapasalamat, naitatawid ang araw, malinamnam man o maalat bato man o may kaunting sabaw. Walang karapatang magreklamo, pagtitiis ay tinatago. Hindi uso ang maghanap, prebilehiyo ang pumili at masarap. Salamat, Ina, sa pagkain, kahit sakit sa tiyan ay pilit tinitiis. Wala rin namang magagawa ang pag-ayaw, kung kapalit ay gutom sa araw. Mahirap sabihin na masakit kung makikita mo sa kanya ang pait. Ngiti ka na lang at namnamin wag nang dumagdag sa alalahanin.

I remember that day. I was scared, but I showed up anyway. Heart pounding, voice shaking, but still, I stood there. Then you laughed. And for a moment, I thought, maybe I looked stupid. Maybe I shouldn’t have tried. Maybe you were right. But no. You laughed because you didn’t understand what it takes to be brave when everything inside you says run. You laughed not because I was weak, but because you couldn’t imagine being strong in the way I was. See, it’s easy to laugh when you’ve never had to fight your own doubts, or speak when your voice feels like it’s about to break. But it takes something deeper to face fear and still say, "I’m here." So laugh if you need to. Mock what you don’t understand. But know this: The one who laughs at someone’s courage  isn’t strong. They’re just loud. And maybe, just maybe— they need to learn what strength really looks like.