The gift behind being gifted

To be labeled "gifted" is this: the media pays you close attention, people respect you for reasons you sometimes do not unders-tand, people you don’t know say hello to you, and people expect you to behave in a certain manner. But despite all this, being identified as gifted has made me understand myself better.

When I was four years old, a teacher described me as sleepy and inattentive in school; what she did not know was that the work she had repeatedly asked me to do, I had mastered when I was about a year and a half. I would create my own world and contemplate the universe–something not so different from what I usually do now in my spare time (and something I will continue to do in the future). The difference is that I am now a more mature and informed seeker.

As a child, I turned to adult experts on varying subjects to answer my questions, and I received information from them as well as respect. They were my anchors and were contributors to my small conclusion that the world is not that rough after all.

I continue to make my own stories, music, art and ideas of the universe, to unleash the restlessness inside. It helps me cope with the real world. Hopefully, it could make a good contribution to humanity in the future. I have not yet forgotten my childhood battlecry "to save the world."

I once wrote a song called "Life is a Journey" for my musical "The Magic Staff." A journey, indeed, it is.

All through this journey, I can only thank my parents for all they have done and for what they continue to do. They were a support stick rather than a mold. They were guiding instead of dictating. They were loving instead of forcing. They were challenging instead of spoon-feeding. They would always welcome me with open arms, in spite of their busy schedules, and would give me unconditional love. They opened my eyes to great possibilities, and they showed me that there could also be limitations. They allowed me to fail sometimes and taught me to stand up from where I fell and to move on.

My parents gave me the books I would dive into, video games I would study and expand, drawing materials I would make into worlds, a piano I would use to cast enchantment, and a lot of other intangible things.

We like having a nightcap after watching a movie, laughing and browsing books in bookstores (which we would not buy, but read very fast and discuss afterwards), and listening to my ideas about my discoveries on things that interest me as the moment. My childhood was positively colorful, thanks to my parents. I admire their efforts in trying to understand me. I feel that our relationship is rich in mutual respect–we communicate well, and this is what makes me bloom.

A little love can go a long way.

When he was just eight years old, Cy Tamura wrote and composed the 3-act musical "The Magic Staff," which was staged at the Meralco Theatre. Now 15, he is the composer of several other pieces and the author of many books. He plays the piano, anklung, guitar, among others. He now studies at the Philippine Science High School.

Nov. 20 to 26 has been designated National Week for the Gifted.The celebration, sponsored by the Wyeth ProGifted Formulas, is a tribute to parents, for nurturing the gift in their children.