In one of our son’s CFA homeschooling subject – Reading for Young Achievers, the book asks the students to write about the “nice” things that they received recently from people around them. Fresh from his two month vacation in the Philippines, I guided him in his answers by enumerating all the names of the family members and relatives that he has close contact with during that period. From his grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and even us, his parents, Zek, gleefully and with momentary pauses for a smile or laugh, recalled his fair share of memorable “nice” things.
1. Papa Ben put medicine in my wound. Sabi ko, “Ouch”.
2. Mama Tonette always says, “Mama loves Zek”.
3. Tita Shirley cooked and gave me bread.
4. Kuya Pao and kuya Gelo played karate with me.
5. Tito Jben stops me from playing and touching the puppies.
6. Ninong Jon played Starwars fighting with me.
7. Tita Fides drive for us.
8. Mommy cooks, give me bath, give me circle bread and study my lesson with me.
9. Daddy play and share with me.
10. Ate Eunice lent a Spiderman shirt to me.
11. Tito Rory is laughing with me.
I can’t help it but smile as I was once again reminded by this kid, 30 years my junior, how simple it is to make him happy and for that fact, how simple it is for us grown-ups to also find true happiness in our relationships.
How exactly did I come to that conclusion from Zek’s answer to his subject’s topic?
Check this out.
Papa Ben and Mama Tonette, owns a small grocery store and Zek almost always gets to eat all the chi-cha (aka junk) foods he likes.
It was not nice for him.
Tita Shirley has a big and beautiful house with complete cartoon cables and wi-fi connection for unlimited internet kiddie games.
It was not nice for him.
Kuya Pao and kuya Gelo have hi-tech and expensive toys including PSP that Zek can play with.
These were not nice for him.
Tito Jben has a Playstation and a cool motorbike.
These were not nice for Zek.
Ninong Jon has a black car.
It was not nice for him either.
Tita Fides also has a good car and they went to the malls and other places.
These were not nice for him.
His gorgeous mommy and doubly-handsome Daddy (sorry friends, my blog therefore my choice of adjectives J) brought him to a lot of places and toy-stores. They were not nice for him still.
OK, Ate Eunice is his young cousin girl but she has lots of girlie toys and stuffs.
I am surely glad Zek did not find them nice as well.
Tito Rory is a very busy surgeon who owns a big SUV and treats us everytime we are on holiday.
Alas these were not nice for Zek as well.
Please don’t get me wrong.
All these expensive things and stuffs are useful and nice but in the eyes of my son, they were not that nice to be mentioned compared to the feeling of love he felt everytime these nice persons did something kind, thus memorably nice. In all instances, it was when the other person made a meaningful one-on-one contact, communication or contribution did he remember them and their nice actions.
Simply put.
Nice things = Nice
Nice persons = Nice worth remembering, re-telling and re-living.
Let us all be nice to one another to nurture healthy relationships and build happy memories for us to share around.
