Looking Over The Horizon

   The best has yet to come. There are more seeds to be sown, there are more problems to be solved and there are more things to be reckoned with. In these first encounters with myself and with the community, a ton of memories and experiences have already cloistered in the “get-go” stage of the Postulancy.

   As I look and examine myself, I always wonder, “Am I the real me?” Of course, this hypothetical question has surfaced in a number of occasions, but with no characteristic luck, I always fell short of answers and ideas. It is inevitable for me to concentrate and look over the horizons for I believe that in this vocation, there will always be ambiguities in our life. In fact, several of them are without my knowing and are often overlooked in plenty of instances.

   Being a man who looks forward to challenges is the person that I become. I live with these crucial and gut-wrenching situations from time to time. I do believe that these things allow a person to achieve his peak of excellence. These moments shall give a man’s life the purpose of his existence in the society.

  Indeed, when I first set foot on this remarkable journey of priesthood, I virtually anticipated each of these moments with ease. Sooner or later, on the stage where an aspiring Dominican will finally have the opportunity to knock at the front gates of these zealous preachers, I must consciously raise my own standards. Being tough is not always enough, for they say a man’s mettle is seen in his weaknesses not by his strengths. Challenges are not to be underestimated, for these are more than we can possibly imagine. We cannot also expect to go for the easy way all the time, for shortcuts never lead us to success.

   In many aspects, we try to overcome troubles and anxieties. That notion is generally true especially as far as our reputation and integrity is concerned. But then again, I always hook up to myself the reality that life is full of surprises. It may be thrilling or somehow disappointing, but once we try to extend the boundary of our feelings and emotions, we can unwittingly say: “Hey! Slow down, the best has yet to come.”