Pressure....Pressure....Pressure.....Treasure!

Two days ago, my wife and I have the surprised news that the CFA 4th quarter test examination will be due this coming March 8 already. As we had just hosted mommy Myrna's two week holiday vacation in Pinas, we were anticipating a third week deadline to catch up with Zek's lessons. Immediately we shifted to cram-up mode which inevitably and unfortunately led to some "pressured" moments with Zek who pitifully must stood his ground in a tsunami of information, topics and rule changes with instant effect. Quite often, it is easy to admit our concern at how much and how deep Zek can absorb all of these that could be really considered   valuable learning experience for him.

But on our bedtime story reading from Horizon's "Miss Rumphius", I was once again re-assured  of priceless reward of teaching him despite the challenges we met. You see, Ms. Rumphius story revolved around the three things that she most wanted to do.

1. To travel around the world.
2. To go home and live beside the sea.
3. To make the world more beautiful.

And the third one was the most difficult but she did it in her most simplest way - by planting Lupines flowers that blooms and color her neighborhood every Springtime.

Expectedly, the book asked the students to give their own version of 3 important goals/plans for themselves in their life. Zek readily answered the following:

1. To study my lesson well.
2. To help mommy sweep the floor, cook food and take care of my baby brother.

For the last plan, I was actually worried that he plans to have many money so he can buy all things he likes so I ask to him beforehand to think carefully how he can make the world more beautiful as Miss Rumphius did.

And then Zek finally said it.

3. To help the needy.

I smiled because I knew deep it my heart that Zek will have a heart close to the needy people when he grows up.

Indeed, the world around him will be more beautiful then. 


(Lupine photo from Google/ufseeds.com)