I Gained & I Lost

Gain. It’s been a long Saturday for me. I was invited by one of my professors in college, Mam Shie to go to Baste today for a hosting stint --an inter-university quiz bee, one of the highlight events lined up for the 4^th PIIE Student Congress. Wow, never thought how big was this thing I got myself into until I stepped into the gymnasium and saw it full as if there was a PBA game going on. And then Mam Shie told me that IE students from different universities and colleges in Cavite, Manila, Bulacan, Batangas and even Baguio were all gathered under one roof for this event. Luckily I was only to host the quiz competition and the venue would not be on the gym instead at the auditorium. Also, I was partnered with Rejie Mae, one of my co-officers in CGATES before so I guess the pressure is cut in half. I like joining quiz bee (The last time I joined was about a year ago and it was held in UP) but hosting quiz bee per se, was a totally different experience. However, I could say that I did ok for a first timer. That is despite of the logistics problems of the organizers(activity started around 3 hours after the actual time), lack of preparation time (we only knew the unconventional mechanics of the quiz bee like an our before we started the hosting), the inconsistency of my voice (due to stress) and my mistakes (I buckled several times and I got booed by the audience when I forgot to read the second part of a question during the moderate round, but it was an honest fault of the person guiding us in the questionnaires). It was almost 8pm when the winners were declared (Go La Salle!), I was super tired. Before parting ways with Mam Shie, she handed both Rej and I- a card, and enclosed is a paper bill— a stipend.

Lost. During a short break as a quizmaster, I read a sad text message sent by my cousin, Kring telling me that our uncle has already lost his battle with his sickness and passed away. Uncle Fredo is my mom’s brother and although he only lives a few houses away from ours, I never get to see him that often and the last time I saw him was on Christmas day when I handed my Christmas present for him. When I got home, right after taking some dinner, I immediately proceeded at his wake. Standing in front of a coffin, the reality hit me that I lost an uncle… a father figure I had growing up while dad’s working abroad for our living… the man I know would stand by our family in the absence of our father. I did not cry when I saw him peacefully lying in there, for I know by that moment, Uncle Fredo is making his journey to a life more superior to the one he has experienced here on earth.