Valedictory

Over a decade ago I was invited to contribute to a book titled Letters from Lolo & Lola, published by Museo Pambata (1999) and edited by Nina Lim-Yuson (no relation, although we used to be mistaken for loving kin, which I didn’t mind).

Part of my public letter to my first grandchild, Francis Layf, read this way: 

“The last time I was treated to your Jim Carrey smile was on your fifth birthday last August. That was when I bought you a new bicycle along with some books and action figures. But the bike was still too big for you. By now you must have broken it in and had your first awful spills.

“That’s okay. It’s part of growing up.

“I hope you didn’t have to cry. I know you to be a brave boy, full of spirit and ceaseless chatter. I can imagine and hear you saying: Hey, this bike threw me off! Hey, this sidewalk made gasgas my knee! Now I have to wash the dirt off from the little blood. Hey, this shouldn’t happen again! And off you’d go riding across the park, energetic as ever.

“Now that’s the spirit. Often in life you’ll find yourself falling, sprawling and hurting. But it should only make you stronger and braver.

“How I wish I could see all of that up close as you grow up to become a man...”

I better trail off there, as the rest of the letter might only convince everyone that that little boy it addressed had a cheesy clown for a lolo.

Well, since that was all of a dozen years ago, the boy Francis Layf has indeed grown up to become nearly a man — taller than his dad Ayahuasca Kristoffer, who’s sometimes as much of a fool on the hill as his own dad, except that he plays brilliant guitar.

In any case, a couple of weeks ago I got a series of SMS from my grandson Francis, now 17. And one of his texts actually made this lolo cry.

First off, he said he’d be happy if I could show up at his high school graduation from Christian Harvest Academy, which was held last Tuesday at the grand ballroom of Bellevue Hotel in Filinvest. Next, he said I could even join in for dinner after the rites. Then he dropped the bombshell. He was valedictorian of their high school class.

Now, most of you readers might well ask, what and where is this Christian Harvest Academy, and did it have more than half-a-dozen guys graduating from high school? The first answer is that it’s a private school that used to be in Parañaque, where Francis lives, until its transfer to the FTI complex in Taguig City. The second is that yes, quite a number of students can now claim to be high school alumni of CHA, which has existed for close to three decades, and ranks rather high academically as far as this lolo has heard, not just from his apo.

Of course I fulfilled my apostolic obligations not just as a matter of form, but with relish and pride, as it isn’t every lolo who can say that a grandchild of his was valedictorian of his high school class. There’s something about being No. 1, top of the class, that induces tears of joy, nostalgia and pride in even the most hard-boiled fool or soft-hearted clown, take your pick.

I cried, regretting as well that I wouldn’t be able to reward him fittingly, like, say, perhaps with his first Porsche. When I had recovered sufficiently from my emo vulnerability, I placed a voice call to ask for more details. He has a choice, I learned, between UP and Ateneo, having passed the entrance exams for both of these flakey institutions that remain close to my own heart.

I then asked for a draft of his valedictory, saying I could always spell-check better than any computer, that I was curious, and that I might also enhance it if he didn’t mind. The boy was all for it, e-mailed the draft to me in no time flat.

As I read through it, I quickly realized I couldn’t touch it with a 10-foot pole, with or without a dancer. The speech danced on its own, rife with divinity. And it brought me back to my old high school days when we sang — in the most beautiful chapel in the world, close to what would become the most corrupt palace in the world (clue, right where Mendiola ended) — the song O Lord I Am Not Worthy.

That this boy-man Francis was awarded his gold medal onstage, then spoke his inspirational speech before a lectern, wearing a dark gown and toga, looking much like an accomplished academic, could only rub it in: that this forbear was but cringeworthy.

Bravo, Francis! You were raised exceedingly well — by your parents, your closer set of grandparents, and your good mentors throughout high school. I am so very proud of you that I will now turn my space over to your youthful harvest of Christian grace and grateful words. So here follows my grandson Francis’ valedictory.

To the teachers, staff, board of directors, parents, guests, and, of course, my fellow schoolmates: a blessed afternoon to you all.

Four years. Four long years. Four years of commitment, service, hard work, diligence, patience, perseverance, and humility. These four blessed years my class and I have had as high school students in Christian Harvest Academy I praise and thank the Lord for. We wouldn’t have achieved what we’ve achieved, experienced what we’ve experienced, and endured what we’ve endured without the assistance of the Lord. He has showered us continually with sufficient grace, mercy, and blessings throughout this course as high school students. Now, as we close this school year and as we, the class of 2011, end this wonderful chapter of our lives, I want to impart three important matters to the class of 2012, and to the batches that will be graduating after them.

Above everything else, you must place your faith and your trust in none other than the Almighty Father. He is the only reason why we are strong enough to endure the hardships of being a student. He is the only reason why we succeed in our little battles, and in our bigger battles, in school. He is the only reason why we continue to live and breathe in this beautiful world, which He also created. Without God, we are nothing. Without the Lord, we’re merely existential beings; we are not truly alive without the presence of the Father in our lives. In order to live a meaningful, fruitful, and successful life, we must first surrender everything to God. Everything else will follow after that. We must also learn to give all praise, all glory, and all honor to Him, for we are not worthy of these things because it is actually the Lord who works in us and gives us strength to accomplish our goals.

After placing your faith and trust in God, you must strive to be the best student you can be. This is what I always tell my younger sister, Alexa. I tell her that I’m not forcing her to pattern herself according to the lives of successful individuals. Instead, I encourage her to develop her potential as a student, both in academics and in extra-curricular activities such as the Junior Student Convention. Aim for excellence, not perfection, for no one in this world is perfect. It is only the Father who is perfect. None of us are worthy of perfection.

To the elementary school graduates and the little ones, I encourage you to develop good study habits while you’re still young. ’Wag tatamarin kapag PACE Work time. Pagsisisihan niyo rin ’yan kapag nakarating na kayo sa high school.

To the high school students, balance your studies and your social life. Hindi puro pa-bandying-bandying ang high school, mga kapatid. May tamang panahon para sa mga gawaing iyan. Ang dapat ninyong atupagin ay ang mabuting pag-aaral at hindi ang barkada, gimik, at lakwatsa. After today, you’ll have two months to enjoy the stuff you love doing. As long as what you love doing is wholesome and good in the sight of God, you can do it anytime and every time. As students, your top priority is your studies. Kakailanganin niyo rin iyan kapag nakatapos na kayo sa kolehiyo at magsimulang magtrabaho. Believe me when I tell you that being diligent, patient, and perseverant in doing PACEs will eventually pay off. That’s what Christian Harvest Academy is all about: to create and mold godly leaders, not ordinary or second-rate individuals.

The last thing I want to tell you, my fellow schoolmates, including the Class of 2011, is that you should savor your youth. Sabi nga ng mga nakatatanda sa atin na minsan lang maging bata ang isang tao. Cherish your childhood. Don’t rush growing up. Makakarating din tayo diyan. We, children, have our limits. Kahit sa mga, ehem, may gulang na sa batch natin, mga musmos pa rin tayo dahil marami pa tayong malalaman at madidiskubre sa kinabukasan. Little ones, never cease to enjoy playing taya-tayaan, habulan, your little races in the gym, and with your toys in the learning center. To the older ones, keep on cracking those jokes (dapat clean jokes, ah), pulling those pranks (dapat clean din ’to), making those silly faces, and singing and dancing your hearts out. You will surely miss doing those things once you’ve become successful professionals in the future. Surely, we won’t have time for things like these once we start working and once we have families of our own. So, before you dream of getting your driver’s license, be content with driving your tricked-out Lamborghini in Need For Speed.

I shall end this piece by sharing, with the underclassmen and lower batches, a personalized version of Hebrews 12:1, and, with my batch, a personalized version of II Timothy 2:7-8:

“Therefore, since you are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and run with perseverance the race marked out for you.

“We have fought the good fight, we have finished the race, we have kept the faith. Now there is in store for us the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to us on that day–and not only to us, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

May God, our Almighty Father, be with us and bless us, especially Christian Harvest Academy’s Class of 2011, as we continue to serve Him and fulfill His Will in our lives. Once again, a blessed afternoon to you all.