Bo Planet - Great Friends of Bo Sanchez

During my first year in High School, we were asked to write down an essay of what we think we will become in ten years. Likely, most of my classmates pictured themselves with good career in other countries or living their lives in close to perfection; happily married, raising their children and on Caribbean cruise during summer. At that time, I scribbled something I believe closer to reality.

As pragmatist at young age, I did not follow the teacher’s instruction and opted to cut it down to about 4 years. Visualizing of what I WANT in the future may be easy but creating in my mind what I NEED was a lot more uncomplicated.

My first job was a ball boy (pulot boy) in the tennis court a block away from our house. I have to be in bed by the time evening news is aired and must be wide awake before mid night until the wee hours when most of the young professionals are sweating their agility in the courtyard. I was nine years old then. Subsequently, I became errand boy to most of our neighbors and was promoted to car wash boy during high school. By errand I mean; including completing assignments or school projects, buying beers and cigarettes for weekend drinking session, cleaning garage, date chaperone, buying groceries, cleaning glass windows, painting wooden gates and joining neighbor’s delinquent kids in Sunday catechesis.

Clean clothes, decent meal and a sound sleep are the most important necessities I seek and so when this essay of envisioning our selves after ten years was assigned; all I can write of was better job that will secure me to at least pay rent for a upright room, wear enough clothes and ensure that square meals will not be a problem at all. While a good family tried to take care of me amidst their own predicaments; I can say I experienced a lot of thing you would not imagine. To name a few; that is, sleeping in the dining table, sleeping inside parked jeepney or cab, sleeping in the countertop of sports complex canteen, playing with childhood buddies close to meal time to have free lunch or dinner in their homes, attending non-Catholic Sunday service in exchange for free slightly used clothes and free meals, borrowing school uniform from friends when joining school competition (i.e. Math Olympiad, Chorale Fest, etc) and various sacrifices for a young orphan.

I vividly remember now that what I wrote turned out to be factual; after High School, I studied in Meralco Foundation Institute while working as service crew in Jollibee. I was already renting a small room in close proximity to school and work place. While dream of studying in University was put to halt, I recall then that I should have written down a different mental picture of the future and maybe, things would have been different. Now, I realized that we are writing future everyday, if not every minute. Imagination is a ticket to a dream. Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or state, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new splendor waiting to be born. Our dreams were put to test; my dream was put to test on that day the essay was assigned to us. And so, I re-write the said dream test essay numerous times and things eventually have changed.

While many of you who would try to read this, are aware that numerous things happened afterwards. I went to seminary school… met my biological father after 17 long years… searched for biological mother… worked for several parish communities… tried a career in freelance research and now part of the big workforce employed in the BPO sector. I still don’t have a house I may say I own; but I am residing to better-brought-up residence compared to “jeepneys” and dining table. I still keep practical number of shoes and clothes but at least not borrowing from friends similar to what happened during school days. I eat on time now (except when I am working of reports deadline) but it is far better than nearly begging for food when I was a kid.

Allow me to borrow what Albert Einstein mentioned about fantasy or vision; he said and I quote, “When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge”

Positive imagery may sure be of help in achieving our dreams. All of you will agree that it is not enough. Will power, sacrifice, passion, and other success formulas should be at hand yet; this idea of dream test surely taught me to survive in this world full of dreariness.

And let me end this ode with what Starbucks founder, Howard Schultz has to say about creativity and imagination – “One thing I’ve noticed about romantics: They try to create a new and better world from the drabness of everyday life”.