Barney's Advice (May 1,2007)

Barney's advice
By: Maria Reylan M. Garcia

How could I ever forget my kindergarten days? The memories of colorful ribbons tied to my hair, the undying lunchbox which carried my food supply, the dance I had with my first crush which I still have the picture for proof, and our very significant line formation. I used to love being up front in the line. Why? You get to hold hands with your teacher as you walk proudly around school, you get to first use the bath room, and you get to go home ahead of others. For how many years that I have been always up front, I thought it was the best spot. But when I entered the painful stage of adolescence, I came to realize the misfortune one gets when placed as first in line. Everybody in my elementary class grew taller and bigger, so most of my classmates once just a few places behind me were now occupying the last several spots at the back. I was left in front, now being mocked because I was so small and little.

I started to forget the joys of staying up front in line formation back in kindergarten. I then faced the gloom of being teased whenever I erase the writings on the blackboard, simply because I couldn't reach it. I struggled with the ridicules during flag ceremonies where I can't see very well from the number of taller people before me. I lived by this drama for a long time now, even until the very moment. There may be some regrets and what ifs but somehow I learned to make use of my littleness. Let's take a time machine and get to know some historical figures. The great conqueror Napoleon Bonaparte of France, the undefeated dictator Adolf Hitler of Germany, and even the polyglot / ladies man Dr. Jose P. Rizal of the Philippines were some of the great world shakers. These people may have two things in common. First, they have manifested great will and power in their own fields. Second, they are not very tall. In other words they are little warriors. Surprisingly, they might have experienced the same melting teases during kindergarten or during their cleaners day when they have to reach high to clean the blackboard. But, they never let this littleness and unfading criticisms hinder them in reaching higher spots incomparable to their taller comrades.

Being little doesn't talk only about size. Sometimes it goes deeper and hurts more when it talks about your personality. For several times I tried to be tall in other fields other than height. In writing, I tried my guts with short stories, but some Shakespeare-wanna-be professor in a conference I once joined in, told me I was too little to write massive stories. In leadership, I tried my luck in student governance and started to initiate projects, but still many criticisms and undesirable comments came blazing towards my doorstep, telling me to take aback because I'm not yet that good, that I'm still little. For someone as sensitive and infantile as me, I easily get affected with such revelations. Wherever I go, whatever I try, I won't be huge enough; I'll just be too little. But, let's face it. They say it is life and it hurts. But still as I've said I could still make use of my littleness.

Once again, it came to me. Why Bonaparte, Hitler and Rizal did rose as powerful figures in history? I answered my own question. They forgot they were small and readily thought big. They focused not on their flaws but unto how they could stretch their short height. Bonaparte stretched his height through awesome military tactics, Hitler did so with strong leadership and influence, Rizal was just blessed with good looks and a brain of a multi professional. For someone who's new to history, he might be surprised that some petite persons could bring forth total global recognition. Lingering in ones weaknesses such as being little, won't give him the chance to dream big and someday be big. Though still frail and weak from the near-to-death criticisms, I took my chances and started passing my ridiculed articles, stories and poems. There are a lot of negative feedbacks, but also many positive responses, telling me a poem of mine was part of an anthology (a collection of literary pieces), a short story of mine was posted in a prestigious international website, and currently an article of mine being read by fellow little ones. Even with leadership, after the disastrous defeat I stood up and forgot my belief that I was little. I tried running as President of our Student Council, and you know what? I won. Bongga! Seriously, no one really that small could make it as the highest ranked student in school right? There and then I learned, it pays to even just forget for a couple of moments one's own littleness and weakness, so he may be able to conceive bigger things.

Through my simple understanding I conclude that the term little is just a temporary state of frailty. Once the permanence of thinking something different and bigger came to existence, confidence comes in. If this state may be applied to a single person, then absolutely it shall with a nation. Our country is thought to be little and weak; a third world, still developing, corrupt; or just in simple terms, gravely small. But this is just a state because one is just lingering in a single aspect of a nation's being. Try looking at the vast and numerous environmental resources the Philippines offer. The well praised biodiversities, vacation spots, and tourist attractions shouts forth a big Philippines. Discover the universality of Filipinos worldwide. Nurses supporting the health systems of many American states and European countries, Engineers manning the factories of Middle Eastern countries, Domestic Helpers keeping organized the household of Asian neighbors, and Scholars flooding international schools with high grades and qualifications. All of these are of little Filipinos.

I was blinded by my littleness. The Philippines on the same queue is currently blind. She fails to see her titanic assets and is focused more on her degrading faults. Is it just me or is it just too illogical? The Philippines should never have been small in the first place. With a great span of resources and powerful labor force, a nation shall dominate global market. Forgive me if I know little on Economics, but this is what I'm familiar of. Tell me then, why is it we're still not developing knowing that we have proper resources at hand? Why is it we are third world if our well being and intelligence capacity is observed to be international? The ironies of life a simple child like me shall never understand. But coming from my little thoughts, wouldn't these be just enough for us to be called huge? I thought harder and found out something was missing. This something was the same state that cured my blindness; it is the mere thought of being big, of forgetting littleness even just for the time being.

I was just somehow cured ahead of the Philippines. But not really fully healed. No doctor talented enough can heal a belittled sickly country. But those who make the country little could be healed. Little warriors like me, take time to replenish yourselves and forget for the mean time you are small. This may seem childish, but Barney the purple dinosaur usually say try to pretend and use your imagination and anything is possible. Let's follow Barney. Let's pretend we are at the back of the line back in kindergarten, let's pretend we can reach erasing the writings on the black board, let's pretend that we can see through a vast crowd during flag ceremonies. And maybe, for some moments we might feel reenergized that it is not hopeless. We can have the chance to be known to be tall in other fields, and have the chance to feel what's it like to be big.

Make use of your littleness by imagining they are humongous strengths. Be brave enough to hear criticisms but never let it linger so long. These are essentials to tell you you're little in this field, so you have to think bigger and be bigger someday through Barney's helpful advice.

Use your imagination.
Don't stay little.
Think Big.

Thanks Barney.

(For comments and reactions send an email to reylangarcia@yahoo.com or an SMS to 09186363090)