Strength of Mara Guevarra - Essay Example

 Strength of Mara Guevarra THE BEGINNING I remember way back in my childhood years, I met a girl named Mary Maradel Guevarra, our new neighbor. I observed that she was different from the other girls in our neighborhood. She wore expensive jewelries, super mini-skirt and she acted like a flirt. I perceived her as a happy-go-lucky person who has everything but brain. The truth was I did not like her at first, because she was like a rich and spoiled brat. After a few months we became part of one group because of common friends. We hang out regularly and eventually we became friends. I discovered that, what I saw from the outside was totally different Mara in the inside. She was smart. She was easy to get along with and she always had the helping hand whenever I am in need. I never heard her judge anybody nor heard her complain about any problem. I never saw her cry. I guess that was her strength- the ability to hide her feelings. As days passed by we became closer and closer, and that began our infinite friendship. SEPARATION FROM FRIENDS After two years, Mara got to be separated from her friends. She had to transfer to another school because of financial problems. All the times that we were together, she was not mentioning any problem. I could see in her eyes the sadness, but still, no tears dropped from her eyes and instead she said, “I will miss you guys, I will surely miss my pets.” Still cracking joke despite of loneliness and still, trying to cover her emotion. The communication with her friends was constant but it was not like before wherein, she could saw them regularly and talk to them physically anytime she wanted to. She gained new friends on her new school but her friendship to her old friends remained the same. Years passed by and she graduated from college. She was very strong that she managed to support her studies and graduated with high grades. She chose to celebrate with us, her old friends, right after the graduation ceremony. I told her that I was so proud of her. I was not expecting her reply: “No problem can hinder me from achieving my goals. I need to fight and survive because in the end, I know I will always win. “That is such an optimistic and strong remark coming from a person that I once perceived as happy-go-lucky. HER LOVELIFE Mara attended a party where he met Robert. He got Mara’s cellular phone number from her friend and he started courting her. At first, Mara did not like him because he is under-graduate. But because of Robert perseverance and everyday sending of flowers, she fell in love with him and decided to accept the love that Robert was offering her. The relationship, at first, was fine. They are getting along and having fun just by doing simple things like watching movies together and spending time talking “anything under the sun.” After three months, she discovered Robert’s weakness. He loves hanging out with friends just to drink alcohol. Such weakness of him became their problem. They fought every now and then. One night, they had a big fight .She got out of control and she slapped him on his face. Robert being drunk and so angry hit her on her stomach. That was when she finally decided to break up with him. The first round of their story lasted for four years. HER DARKEST MOMENT Mara was so depressed with what happened to their relationship. She tried to forget Robert by having relationship with different guys. Robert on the other hand, was doing his best to win Mara back. Mara resigned from her work and in her new company, she met James. They had a relationship but he was not serious with her…and she knew that. They were having premarital sex and unfortunately, Mara got pregnant. James denied being the father of her baby. She was terminated due to immoral act. She did not know where to get money for her needs. Robert was still there waiting for Mara’s acceptance. When he found out her condition, he asked Mara to marry him and he will shoulder all the responsibility as his husband and as a father to her child. They got married but Robert was still drinking alcohol. They were always having a financial problem and Robert’s way to forget the problem was to drink. Instead of solving Mara’s problem, Robert became her additional problem. Mara was having a difficulty with her pregnancy. The doctor told her that there is a risk of miscarriage. Mara was in deep pain when she learned about it. The doctor gave her a prescription but since she did not have any money, she could not buy the medicines that she needs. When Mara felt that she was about to deliver the baby, she asked for Roberts help. She called him up on his cellular phone but he did not answer it. She even told Robert’s father about her condition but still he did not go home to help her. Finally, she delivered the baby and brought his baby boy home. That was the only time that Robert showed up. She told Mara, “Sorry, I am not as strong as you. I do not know what to do.” She accepted him again. The financial problem was still there, especially now that she needs to buy milk for her baby. Her breast milk was not enough for the baby. Mara tried to ask help from her friends but most of them had their excuses. She was totally disappointed with the people around her because she could not find them on the time that she needed them most. I stayed with her, though I do not have enough money to support their needs. I saw her suffering and all I could do was to tell her that she was fortunate having these problems, because of such, she finally knew who her real friends are. Mara looked at me and said, “Thank you…I do not now what to do anymore.” For the first time I saw her cried. She was really suffering, I can feel it! It was like I was stubbed by a knife in my heart when I saw her tears. I will never forget that day when I saw her losing hope. HER STRENGTH After one month Mara looked for a job and fortunately accepted as a call center agent. She is now María Corazón Cojuangco-Aquino (Cory Aquino) was born on the 25th of January, 1933 in Tarlac province. Her family is one of the wealthiest and politically prominent families in the Philippines. Her parents are Don Jose Cojuangco and Dona Demetri Sumulong. She received her grade school education at Scholastica’s College with honor being valedictorian in 1943. She transferred to Assumption Convent Manila to take high school but stayed there for only one year. In 1946 her family left for the United States where she continued further her studies at Ravenhill Academy in Philadelphia. Her junior and senior years were spent at Notre Dame College in New York City, where she finished a Bachelor of Arts major in French and minor in Mathematics in 1953. When she returned to the Philippines, she pursued her studies and enrolled at the Far Eastern University in Sampaloc, Manila to study law but in 1954, she abandoned her studies to marry the apple of her eyes, Benigno Servillano Aquino, which is also known as “Ninoy”, a former Philippine senator, governor and mayor. Corazon Aquino’s children are Maria Elena A. Cruz, Aurora Corazon A. Abellada, Victoria Eliza A. Dee, and his only son Benigno Simeon Aquino III, who followed the step of his father and won as senator in 2007. Her youngest child is Kristina Bernadette A. Yap, a well known actress and highest paid TV host in the Philippines. CORY AQUINO AS AWIFE Despite of the political career of her husband Ninoy, who became the youngest municipal mayor at age 22, the nation's youngest vice-governor at 27 and became governor of Tarlac province in 1961 at age 29, then secretary-general of the Liberal Party in 1966 and in 1967 became the youngest elected senator in the country's history at age 34, Cory chose to stay as housewife and take care personally of her lovely children. During campaign, she preferred to stay at the back and to become one of Ninoy’s audience to listen to his words. Soon his husband became a leading oppositionist of Ferdinand Marcos, who was during that time, the president of the Philippines under the nacionalista party. On September 21, 1972, Marcos declared a martial law and unfortunately, Ninoy was captured and sentenced to death. During that time instead of losing hope, Cory spent time with her family praying. She attended mass daily and prayed rosaries three times a day. As a form of sacrifice, she decided not to go to parties, nor even go to salon and buy new clothes but living life in this way was not right, so she was advised by a priest to live a normal life. During 1978, she supported her imprisoned husband in running in batasang Pambansa Election. For the first time she delivered her political speech despite of her opposition to her husband’s candidacy. After two years, Cory’s family was exiled and they lived a simple and happy life in Boston. But on August 21, 1983 her husband decided to go home alone. This is the day when he was assasinated . Up to now the convicted assassinators stick with their declaration that they are innocent, but despite of this, Cory forgave them and continued her life. CORY AQUINO AS A LEADER When Ferdinand Marcos unexpectedly called for presidential election in february 1986, Don Joaquin “Chino “ Roces convinced Cory to run as president. Though hesitant at first, Cory accepted the offer and run under the UNIDO party as president, with Salvador Laurel of Batangas as her vice president. On february 15, 1986, Though Marcos was officially reported as winner, Cory and her supporters set up a general strike and asked people to boycott all the enterprise owned and controlled by marcos and his allies. On February 25, 1986, three days after the beginning of a series of nonviolent and prayerful mass rally which took place at EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue), against the 20 year regime of Marcos, Cory and Marcos was inaugurated as president by their supporters but Marcos was exiled that same day. Cory beacame the First Philippine female president and held the position for six years (1986-1992). “She is a world-renowned advocate of democracy, peace, women’s empowerment, and religious piety.” (Wikipedia, 2008) CORY AQUINO AS A MOTHER Her youngest child Kristina “Kris” Bernadette A. Yap went through a lot of controversies. She became a mistress of an actor and became pregnant and unwed mother. She also had troublesome relationships with different guys and battered by another actor where she got the sexually transmitted disease or STD. She voluntarily declared on public television that she had such sickness. Many people criticize Cory for being not a good mother, for not guiding Kris properly and for not teaching her the proper manner. Kris destroyed the reputation of her mother and was then perceived by people as the prodigal daughter. In another interview, after few days of Kris declaration of having STD, Kris was crying and begging for her mother’s forgiveness. She did not deny the accusations that she was not a good child to her mother, that she was the black sheep of the family. She told the public that it was not her mother’s fault that those things happened. She was really sorry and according to her, the most hurtful thing that happened to her was not undergoing through the controversial problems, but having heard those bad things about her mother. Despite all these controversies, Cory stayed beside her and comforted her every time she was having a problem. Cory did not mind the bad things and articles written against her because all she wanted to do was to support her child and gave her a helping hand. Though supporting her child, it did not mean that she was tolerating all the wrong-doings of Kris, according to her when I watched her interview on television. CORY AQUINO AS A FIGHTER Last December, Cory underwent several tests after being hospitalized for high blood pressure. Cory wanted to know what was wrong with her because she was losing her appetite and throughout her life, she was never been sick. She has been diagnosed with colon cancer. Cory is now undergoing chemotheraphy and eventually will undergo surgery for her colon cancer. CORY AQUINO AS AN INSPIRATION On her public appearances, Cory is still full of hope and prayers. After fighting for country’s freedom, she is now fighting for a colon cancer and will continue to fight for herself, for her family and for the people. She really is an inspiration to all. REFERENCE Corazon Aquino. (August 24, 2008). Retrieved September 3, 2008, from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corazon_Aquino Read More