"My Fairy Tale"

Some years back, I joined the International Toastmasters Club. I thoroughly enjoyed myself because I learned a lot about public speaking, made many new friends, and even won a few awards.

One of my mentors was a family friend, Julie Esguerra. She won in a regional contest by Toastmasters for her funny and inspiring speech, "My Fairy Tale". Watch her deliver it in YouTube. [Just type "My Fairy Tale" by Julie Esguerra] My friend, Orly Tugob, another award-winning toastmaster/public speaker, said he never tires of hearing Julie deliver this particular speech.

I myself have seen Julie deliver "My Fairy Tale" many times but I, too, never tire of hearing it.
In the the end she says, "We can all star in fairy tales because fairy tales are but lives lived well when we learn our lessons, listen to our souls, and help other people, the fairy tale in each of us will come true and we will all live happily ever after."

Julie walks her talk. She helps other people especially the deaf. Julie is directress of the Philippine Institute for the Deaf (PID). It's a unique school that teaches deaf persons how to speak. What a noble venture!

What about me? What is my fairy tale?

I used to dream lofty dreams. I used to imagine myself as beautiful as Belle, as white as Snow White, and as fortunate as Cinderella - all of whom had their own Prince Charming.

But time to wake up. I will soon be 48. And there are no princes, not even princes-in-disguise-as-frogs, are in sight.

Today, I listened to a friend tell me about her woes and misfortunes. I helped another friend with a letter asking for financial assistance from a relative. And I expressed willingness to edit the book of still another friend.

Helping friends. No money involved (at least, not always). But the joy of extending oneself. That is my own happily ever after.

So, if my life were a fairy tale, it would start with:

Once a pun a time...

And end with:

And she and they (her many friends and loved ones) lived happily ever after in heaven.

I don't want to be a Belle, Snow White, or Cinderella anymore. I want to be a "saint". And I read or heard somewhere that a saint never made it to heaven alone.

Sta. Nimia - how does that sound?