wonderful journey

the past days, we members of the graduation committee have been busy preparing for the commencement exercises (yes.. while other schools have already started their summer classes, our students are just about to graduate. go figure ü) a lot of hard work, effort and sweat (literally!!) was poured into the rehearsals. for the past week, our music teacher, sir reyes, guided the graduating class into practising for the graduation and baccalaureate ceremonies. he’d spend hours with the students - teaching them how to sit and walk properly, how to applaud enthusiastically and how to sing with energy (and in tune, of course ü). he’d direct the leaders, give instructions to the ushers, coordinate with the other committee chairs and discipline the batch.

as i sat through each graduation rehearsal, i became witness to the students’ reactions. some were bored. others were inattentive. a few were annoyed. and all were tired. towards the end of the last practice, a frustrated sir reyes told me, “good luck na lang sa kanila bukas..” he was disappointed with the students’ lack of enthusiasm in singing. tsk, tsk. i felt for him. there’s only so much he can do, after all.

so this morning at the baccalaureate ceremony, we were both quite nervous. we didn’t know if the kids memorized the songs.. or if they were awake enough to sing well (the program started at 6:30am). but as the ceremony continued, we’d hear people say “ang ganda naman ng baccalaureate ngayon!” “ok this year.. organized ‘yung ceremony at saka lahat ng mga bata kumakanta” and we’d just smile. i couldn’t help but remember how many times sir chris raised his voice in frustration during rehearsals. haha. mabuti na lang naging maayos ‘yung mga bata pagdating sa actual. kung alam lang nila.. ü

by 9am, the baccalaureate ceremony was over, and the students had time to go around and hug one another. sir reyes was still at the keyboard.. and soon, almost all the kids in the graduating batch were behind him.. hugging him, mussing up his hair, taking pictures with him. they were smiling and crying at the same time. and i knew, in spite of the long hours and strict discipline, they were grateful to him for being a big part of their graduation ü

these lines were taken from the song “at the beginning” (flaherty/ahrens) that sir reyes taught the graduating class:

“life is a road and i want to keep going

love is a river, i wanna keep flowing

life is a road, now and forever

wonderful journey!”

graduating from high school. getting married. getting your first job. having your first child. these are some of the sprinkled “milestones” that add color and happiness to our lives ü but the journey becomes wonderful because of the people who help us along the way.. who guide us.. who stick by us.. who encourage us in every step we take. they are our teachers. our friends. our parents. our Lord ü

“i’ll be there when the world stops turning

i’ll be there when the storm is through

in the end i wanna be standing

at the beginning with you”

i pray that in the end, i’d come running to Him.. embracing Him.. crying & smiling.. to thank Him for the loving guidance He’s provided me in the wonderful journey of life ü