By Jan Vicente B. Pekas
A new environment is always filled with all sorts of unknowns. Worries and anxiety crawl all over our bodies, with each step wrapped around with fear that prevents it from moving ever forward. Every action and movement seemingly sluggish due to heavy pressure that strikes the body everywhere and every time. As humans, we are naturally afraid of a future we can’t predict, when it is balancing on a very thin thread, on the verge of falling into oblivion.
It had not been long when classes started for most schools, but the heavy traffic will always be a reminder lest we forget. For some students, they returned to the same school. While for others, a brand new world greeted them, depending on their classrooms. These might have been lions’ dens or virtual paradise.
A lot of young children would have introduced themselves to complete strangers, while their parents eagerly awaited with heavy anticipation.
I’m sure many of us still keep our precious memories of being suddenly thrown into a classroom. When puberty was only a word spoken by adults and candies would be sufficient for breakfast. Nevertheless, a tremendous amount of growth had already been achieved by many children as they spent their first day on a classroom. As they learned and conversed amongst each other, in their sights, the narrow view fixated on sweet things got broader and broader.
I don’t think I had ever had a first day without nervousness for company. It’s never easy to confront anything different when we first see it. The usual sights that bring us comfort will seem so far away, no matter how we desperately long for it, reach for it.
Nervousness is never an easy company to keep up with. And worry does not help the mind to relax. Although nervousness and worry may be wreaking havoc across all the young minds right now, anyone can tell them, they are definitely on the right path.
Growth had always been hard to grab hold off. Even for seasoned adults, constant growth is not easy to come by, only being achieved through effort, and lots of nerve-wracking days.
Nevertheless, a great step had been taken when the children made their way to classrooms.
Unfortunately, not all the young bright minds of this country have the opportunity to pursue their education. It is a haunting fact that mocks democracy and her values, one we proudly call this nation of ours.
Our country is still with faults. Problems that still plague this republic. Education for all has not yet arrived, but as more children go to classrooms, molded in the right way, then a bigger step would have been taken by this nation towards a bright future. And should we achieve a true education for all ages, for all peoples, then a blessed future that can only come from above will surely be a reality.**
