Fulfillment

Maturity, as they say, gives you the freedom to choose your actions. And with those, situations are but reactions according to your decisions.

Everybody reaches maturity in their own time. It just so happens that some gain it earlier, while the others are taking time to do so.

But what about those people who were forced into maturity? Those people whose lives change not because they want it, but because they no longer have other option? Those people who have no recourse left but to face the challenges head-on? People, just like you and me, who have our own battles to fight? People, whose lives will soon be connected to us in about a hundred different ways.

I was browsing the net when I came upon this blog entry about forced maturity. A boy whose faith and fate changed everyones opinion and perception of him. Jo-ga, a screen name perhaps, was forced to "raise" himself in a squatters area somewhere along the busy streets of Pasay.

At an early age of 12, he had 2 jobs. During the day, he can be found at the dump site collecting garbage-recyclables to support his studies. During the night, he uses his swimming capabilities to join the "swimmer's club" to get mussels to provide food at the table.

Jo-ga was the type who never complains. Instead, he was always thankfull because he has the strength to do his jobs and his schooling. Not only was he hard-working, he also has a heart of gold.

That could very well be the reason why he's called "Totoy Kristo" in their community.

He thinks of himself lucky because, eventhough he doesn't have a family and there was no explanation as to where they are, he was still surviving everyday. Living life the way he knows how.

A man approached Jo-ga one day and asked if they can interview him for a documentary since he was a little bit popular within the Pasay "swimmers". He declined because, as he said it, there's no story to tell. He's just an ordinary boy left with a box of maturity on his lap. And since he doesn't have any idea what to do with that maturity, he decided to keep it so he can share to others what tiny little lessons life taught him.

He was 25 when he graduated college thanks to his perseverance to finish school. Jo-ga was asked to do the Farewell Speech on the graduation proper itself..

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"Hindi lahat ng nakapagtapos ng pagaaral ay mapalad. Hindi lahat ng tao ay nabibigyan ng pagkakataon para bumangon sa pagkakadapa. At hindi lahat ng tao ay may pagnanais na bumangon mula sa pagkakalugmok.

Ang isang pagkakamali ay hindi na maitatama ng panahon. Ang nakaraan na buhay ay gawing gabay sa ating patutunguhan.

Malayo pa ang lalakbayin natin. Hindi dapat huminto ang pagsisikap sa simpleng pagtatapos ng kolehiyo. Bagkus, ito ay pahudyat lamang ng isang nagbabadyang magandang kinabukasan.

Atin itong bigyan ng halaga. Hayaan nating pagbuklurin ng mga aspetong ito ang ating diwa at pag-iisip upang maging ganap sa atin ang kalayaang sumisimbolo ng ating sipag at tiyaga."

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Jo-ga worked his way to the top. He now owned a quaint house somewhere in Makati, 2 cars, educational facility for the new generation of "swimmer's club" in Pasay and a prestigous title amongst the list of his accomplishments.

Which led me into thinking, how do we differentiate maturity from responsibility? Is there a difference at all? I mean, anybody can be mature, but not all mature people can be responsible.

Responsibility is not a question of how mature a person is. Maturity is not quantifiable by how responsible you are. Responsiblity is not measurable by how young or old a person is. Maturity can be pre-determined by how wise a persons decisions are.

I confess that I, myself am not sure of my definition. I don't even think that my reasoning is correct. I may not be responsible at times. Immature even on occassions. But I think those flaws are what defines us as individuals.

Jo-ga's story is an illustration of the fine line between responsibility and maturity. Maturity because he was wise beyond his age. He was responsible because he stayed focus and never let the fact that he's alone deter him from realizing what he wanted in life. Maybe my analization is incorrect. Maybe I got it all wrong. I probably had it twisted the other way around. Still, I am happy of the outcome.

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I am sharing Jo-ga's story to set an example to those who dare to dream.

Jo-ga, thank you for letting me share your story..ÜÜÜ